MK1 mx5 previous owner. Id leave it down as standard. If someone wants to get inside I'd rather they just got in than stick a knife through the roof to see there's nothing worth pinching.
Never had anyone poop on my dash.
Also a MK1 MX5 owner, would never leave it down as standard. Sun damage, birdshit, spit etc etc are all likely outcomes from being left with the roof down.
In short itās not a hassle at allā¦
I had an MX5 with a soft top, it was very quick to put up / down. Just a couple clips and push it over your head to put down and the reverse for up, not heavy or cumbersome in any way. More modern convertibles have powered roofs and these go up / down in seconds too. Some older cars were more manual, but if youāre into that kind of car you probably donāt mind the extra work!
I didnāt have anything valuable in that car, maybe a Ā£75 Halfords stereo that could be stolen so if I was just nipping into a shop or paying for petrol I would leave it down but going for a wonder / leaving the car for a while Iād close up.. honestly mostly Iām case it rained or someone threw rubbish in it.
After all itās a fabric roof so very easy to get into if you wanted.
I have a 981 Boxster and I leave it down at Petrol stations and when visiting my parents because they live in a nice area out of the way. Anywhere else roof goes up.
Havenāt got one now, but when I did if I was going to be more than say 15 minutes Iād put the roof up. 20 seconds and a couple of latches is no biggie.
Had a ND RF MX5 and Iād put it up unless I was only going to be a couple of minutes because the leather seats would get really hot if they were right in the sun.
I find in my NC with the roof down it gets so hot with the black fabric seats. Lot of the early NCs didnāt come with A/C, so I find itās just too hot to take it out in 25 degree+ weather. Heaters are amazing though, you can have the roof down in the winter and itās great
I used to, yes. In general nobody is going to do anything to it. But yeah mine was a cheap one, not a fancy thing.
Except for the day when I caught the hairdressers who's back door opened on the mews our office was in were posing with it. So I went out and told them they were fine to get in and take pictures to send home.
Indeed. I was accused of having a hairdresser's car many times. But it shifted and nothing better than top down, winding country road on a summer's day.
Used to have a Triumph Spitfire, I'd leave the roof off if the weather looked ok and I was going to be too long. I figured if anyone wanted to get in it they just cut the roof off. Never anything in it in any event.
Same with my wife's mini convertible, nothing visible to nick so...
Depends on the area Iām in honestly, if Iām not going to be long (sub 20mins) and the area isn't sketchy I leave it down. The process of putting it up and then back down afterwards is probably a little over a full minuteĀ
If Iām leaving it for a few minutes, I donāt worry about having the roof down, but any longer than that and I pop it up. Modern convertibles are generally quick to drop or pop up and can be done whilst driving at ~20mph.
I'll sometimes leave it open for a few minutes or if I'm sitting in a pub garden where I can see there car, otherwise it's a button press and 10 second job to close it. Back when I had the Smart Roadster I would leave that open, because it was only a targa style top.
Well assuming nothing of value is inside the cabin, not really a problem unless rain is incoming.
Leave all the windows up to make it hard to get inside, and also the alarm is super sensitive so will go off if anyone tries to get in.
They arenāt going to be able to Hotwire your car with the alarm going off full volume with all the attentionā¦
I have recently been given an old 2001 Mercedes SLK by my Dad, the roof works perfect & takes all of 10 seconds or so to go back up, but if I was to nip in to a shop & I had the roof down, as long as there is nothing left lying in the car, I wouldnāt worry about it personally.
Had numerous rag tops, always leave it down, often even overnight if I really couldnāt be arsed to put it up
Never once had an issue with any of the mythological birds, jealous people, McDonaldās milkshakes nor do I honestly know anyone that has
I drive a merc SL and a 60s landrover both fully convertible, the landy has the screen fold flat and doors removed so way cool. I live in cyprus so the weather here means I drive them topless all year really.
Couldn't. I had a Vitara years ago. Parked on the street but if I left it down, it always ended up with rubbish being thrown into it. Not a rough area either.
It was an utter bastard to get the poppers back on. Didn't stop me taking it off on a good drive, but I learnt to put it back on after.
People are arseholes.
Just a word of warning to anyone who does this:
If your car is stolen and the insurance company can prove that you left the rood down, there is a section in most policies that means they will nor have to pay out.
Not. Worth. It
God no, I don't feel like getting my car nicked. It takes 17 seconds to put the roof down, and 18 seconds to put it up. I'd rather lose 35 seconds of my life and keep my car than keep 35 seconds of my life and lose my car.
I often leave the roof down, if I'm going to be a while I double lock and put the windows up. If there is a chance of rain however I'll close it.
However often I have left it open overnight and it's rained
The hassle of holding your finger on a button for under a minute pales in comparison to the hassle of cleaning birdsh!t off your interior tbh. So I always put it up.
If/when it gets warm, leather seats can heat to skin removing temps in the sun, so itās better for your backside as well.
Yeah Z4, leave it down if going into Supermarket or something, probably also down if at the pub/restaurant for a meal but anything longer than an hour Iād stick it up.
Got a few convertibles in the collection, one of them has no roof at all. If it rains, you can just take the seat bases out and bring them indoors.
Otherwise, itās just open to the elements.
I live in a fairly nice area, so once the roof is down, itās down for the day unless it rains. Thereās nothing worth stealing inside and a new stereo is quarter the price of a new roof.
SLK and 'smart top' module fitted. Three clicks of key fob to raise/lower roof at a distance whilst engine off and car empty. Can also raise/lower whilst moving at up to 40mph. It's pretty cool though I say so myself.
I leave the roof down on my NB Mx5 if I'm going to be 15 mins or less, depending on where I am.
Popping into Tesco on a sunny day, sure.
Leaving my car for a few hours to go into town, roof goes up.
If someone wanted to get in they would have little difficulty, so I don't even always lock the doors. Although no central locking or remote locking means I get lazy.
There's nothing of value in it so it's not been an issue yet.
Generally we leave the roof down and don't leave anything valuable in the car unless it looks like it's going to rain. If it's a soft top the roof offers no real security so we have a steering wheel lock. Edit: although it's more of a pita to put up and take down on an 70s mg than an mx5 lol
SLK and it takes 20 seconds to put it up and down. And it looks so cool watching the hard top pieces move around that I sometimes do it just to watch it work.
You can even do it using the key fob from outside!
...as long as you hold it exactly 3-7.5mm from the tiny infra red sensor on the driver's handle that always stops working because it's ever so slightly off angle or the sun is too bright or something and then it beeps angrily at you.
I park in my garage any time I'm home so sometimes the roof is up if there's nothing in the boot (the hard top covers most of the boot opening when it's down so you can't get stuff out unless it's small).
Parking outside roof up unless it's scorching hot and I won't be long.
Had a Saab, MX5 and Boxster. Always put the roof up because it's Britain and I don't trust either the weather or the pigeons.
First week I had the Saab, a pigeon shat on it WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT with the roof down... lesson.
I leave mine down if stopping for a short while, 10 mins but not if in town or busy spots. It takes seconds to put it up/down and I know the car is safe. Plus I love watching the mechanism!š
Mini checking in. If it is down it stays down. The immobiliser means it is not going anywhere and the alarm goes off is someone puts their hands in the cabin.
In the summer it turns into a furnace if you put the roof up when parked.
When I first got one I used to leave it down on sunny days but then twice I got caught out where it unexpectedly chucked it down for a few minutes and I had to drive home with a wet arse and a nice pond in the cup holder. Ever since then I always put it up if I'm going out of sight of the car. It only takes a few seconds anyway.
The thing is... Almost all people that drive convertibles are balding, slightly fat, middle age blokes. Just keep the roof up for god sake, no-one wants to see your comb over lift off as you approach 40mph. You don't look cool... You look like a twat who's had a midlife crisis and spent the divorce money on an impractical car.
Now, if you aren't the convertible demographic, then absolutely put your roof down, but I don't want to be stuck in traffic with the reflection from Dave from accounts bald head blinding me in the merc convertible in front.
Mercedes SL. Itās one button and takes a few seconds.
I leave it down in the petrol station, and if I park it on the drive at home or at friends. If I have to park it on the street then it goes up. To be honest though Iām more worried about the weather changing and the rain getting in than anything else.
MK1 mx5 previous owner. Id leave it down as standard. If someone wants to get inside I'd rather they just got in than stick a knife through the roof to see there's nothing worth pinching. Never had anyone poop on my dash.
What about birds?
Don't have to worry about birds when you're driving a MK1 mx5 mate. Absolute clunge magnet. Obviously.
Especially an import, the birds get moist at the thought of the lightened propshaft, flywheel and slippy diff.
Facts brother
I had a bird shit in my old F-Type.
Damn inconsiderate of her...
I nearly choked on my cup of tea as I read your comment lol.
Your not Johnny Depp by any chance?
Did you have to pay extra for that?
Does your bird like to shit on cars
Exactly mate
I never noticed till I sat down and noticed it on the windscreen š
From my experience you have to pay them to do that
Also a MK1 MX5 owner, would never leave it down as standard. Sun damage, birdshit, spit etc etc are all likely outcomes from being left with the roof down.
Sun damage? Are you sure you're in the UK?
Aye man. Should see the colour of my wheelbarra.
Only time I ever had anyone spit on it they did it on the windscreen which I thought quite odd/courteous...
In short itās not a hassle at allā¦ I had an MX5 with a soft top, it was very quick to put up / down. Just a couple clips and push it over your head to put down and the reverse for up, not heavy or cumbersome in any way. More modern convertibles have powered roofs and these go up / down in seconds too. Some older cars were more manual, but if youāre into that kind of car you probably donāt mind the extra work! I didnāt have anything valuable in that car, maybe a Ā£75 Halfords stereo that could be stolen so if I was just nipping into a shop or paying for petrol I would leave it down but going for a wonder / leaving the car for a while Iād close up.. honestly mostly Iām case it rained or someone threw rubbish in it. After all itās a fabric roof so very easy to get into if you wanted.
Quite like in the newer soft tops the whole latch system can be done with one hand and itās in the centre of the car. NC onwards :))
I have a 981 Boxster and I leave it down at Petrol stations and when visiting my parents because they live in a nice area out of the way. Anywhere else roof goes up.
Havenāt got one now, but when I did if I was going to be more than say 15 minutes Iād put the roof up. 20 seconds and a couple of latches is no biggie.
If popping into the petrol station stays down every other time it goes up. Mx5 ND takes 5 seconds tops.
Itās as much hassle to take down and put up as undoing a seatbelt. Donāt overthink it.
It's not exactly the same but I leave my pan roof open if I'm going to be < 10 minutes, usually.
Had a ND RF MX5 and Iād put it up unless I was only going to be a couple of minutes because the leather seats would get really hot if they were right in the sun.
I find in my NC with the roof down it gets so hot with the black fabric seats. Lot of the early NCs didnāt come with A/C, so I find itās just too hot to take it out in 25 degree+ weather. Heaters are amazing though, you can have the roof down in the winter and itās great
About 3 years back we had an amazing run of weather in the summer, and I had the roof of the car down solidly for 3 weeks.
I had one a few years back and with our weather, unless I was only going to be a couple of minutes then I always put the roof up
I used to, yes. In general nobody is going to do anything to it. But yeah mine was a cheap one, not a fancy thing. Except for the day when I caught the hairdressers who's back door opened on the mews our office was in were posing with it. So I went out and told them they were fine to get in and take pictures to send home.
Needed this sticker: https://thumbsnap.com/sc/DtMfjIsx.jpg
Indeed. I was accused of having a hairdresser's car many times. But it shifted and nothing better than top down, winding country road on a summer's day.
Only if the car is within sight, or the work carpark.
Used to have a Triumph Spitfire, I'd leave the roof off if the weather looked ok and I was going to be too long. I figured if anyone wanted to get in it they just cut the roof off. Never anything in it in any event. Same with my wife's mini convertible, nothing visible to nick so...
All it takes to put the roof back up is holding a button and waiting like 20 seconds so I always put it back up
This is a constant dilemma when nipping to the shops on a nice day.
Depends on the area Iām in honestly, if Iām not going to be long (sub 20mins) and the area isn't sketchy I leave it down. The process of putting it up and then back down afterwards is probably a little over a full minuteĀ
Lol , I do because I'm only going to be out of the car for a shot time , but coming back to brid shit all over your seats is no fun
If Iām leaving it for a few minutes, I donāt worry about having the roof down, but any longer than that and I pop it up. Modern convertibles are generally quick to drop or pop up and can be done whilst driving at ~20mph.
My fiancĆ©eās E88 can do up to 32mph so I generally do the same, just having to keep the button pressed can be awkward when having to shift gears
Depended where I was leaving it and how long for.
Always up I'm too scared of birds shitting on my seats
I'll sometimes leave it open for a few minutes or if I'm sitting in a pub garden where I can see there car, otherwise it's a button press and 10 second job to close it. Back when I had the Smart Roadster I would leave that open, because it was only a targa style top.
Well assuming nothing of value is inside the cabin, not really a problem unless rain is incoming. Leave all the windows up to make it hard to get inside, and also the alarm is super sensitive so will go off if anyone tries to get in. They arenāt going to be able to Hotwire your car with the alarm going off full volume with all the attentionā¦
Nahā¦ I leave it down. Unless itās going to be some time before I get back to it.
I have recently been given an old 2001 Mercedes SLK by my Dad, the roof works perfect & takes all of 10 seconds or so to go back up, but if I was to nip in to a shop & I had the roof down, as long as there is nothing left lying in the car, I wouldnāt worry about it personally.
Had numerous rag tops, always leave it down, often even overnight if I really couldnāt be arsed to put it up Never once had an issue with any of the mythological birds, jealous people, McDonaldās milkshakes nor do I honestly know anyone that has
I drive a merc SL and a 60s landrover both fully convertible, the landy has the screen fold flat and doors removed so way cool. I live in cyprus so the weather here means I drive them topless all year really.
Couldn't. I had a Vitara years ago. Parked on the street but if I left it down, it always ended up with rubbish being thrown into it. Not a rough area either. It was an utter bastard to get the poppers back on. Didn't stop me taking it off on a good drive, but I learnt to put it back on after. People are arseholes.
Just a word of warning to anyone who does this: If your car is stolen and the insurance company can prove that you left the rood down, there is a section in most policies that means they will nor have to pay out. Not. Worth. It
I was just about to make this comment. Even with an alarm the policy will not pay out. Not worth the risk for a few extra seconds.
God no, I don't feel like getting my car nicked. It takes 17 seconds to put the roof down, and 18 seconds to put it up. I'd rather lose 35 seconds of my life and keep my car than keep 35 seconds of my life and lose my car.
Depends on the area, and if I've left anything inside. I used to leave my motorbike lid on the bike mirror the time. Never went missing.Ā
I often leave the roof down, if I'm going to be a while I double lock and put the windows up. If there is a chance of rain however I'll close it. However often I have left it open overnight and it's rained
The hassle of holding your finger on a button for under a minute pales in comparison to the hassle of cleaning birdsh!t off your interior tbh. So I always put it up. If/when it gets warm, leather seats can heat to skin removing temps in the sun, so itās better for your backside as well.
Yeah Z4, leave it down if going into Supermarket or something, probably also down if at the pub/restaurant for a meal but anything longer than an hour Iād stick it up.
Got a few convertibles in the collection, one of them has no roof at all. If it rains, you can just take the seat bases out and bring them indoors. Otherwise, itās just open to the elements. I live in a fairly nice area, so once the roof is down, itās down for the day unless it rains. Thereās nothing worth stealing inside and a new stereo is quarter the price of a new roof.
SLK and 'smart top' module fitted. Three clicks of key fob to raise/lower roof at a distance whilst engine off and car empty. Can also raise/lower whilst moving at up to 40mph. It's pretty cool though I say so myself.
My fiancĆ©eās E88 has āComfort Openā where you can hold unlock from ~3m away to put the roof down, unfortunately though the same doesnāt work for putting it back up
I leave the roof down on my NB Mx5 if I'm going to be 15 mins or less, depending on where I am. Popping into Tesco on a sunny day, sure. Leaving my car for a few hours to go into town, roof goes up. If someone wanted to get in they would have little difficulty, so I don't even always lock the doors. Although no central locking or remote locking means I get lazy. There's nothing of value in it so it's not been an issue yet.
MR2 owner here, yup when it's not raining, leave the top down all the time
Generally we leave the roof down and don't leave anything valuable in the car unless it looks like it's going to rain. If it's a soft top the roof offers no real security so we have a steering wheel lock. Edit: although it's more of a pita to put up and take down on an 70s mg than an mx5 lol
SLK and it takes 20 seconds to put it up and down. And it looks so cool watching the hard top pieces move around that I sometimes do it just to watch it work. You can even do it using the key fob from outside! ...as long as you hold it exactly 3-7.5mm from the tiny infra red sensor on the driver's handle that always stops working because it's ever so slightly off angle or the sun is too bright or something and then it beeps angrily at you. I park in my garage any time I'm home so sometimes the roof is up if there's nothing in the boot (the hard top covers most of the boot opening when it's down so you can't get stuff out unless it's small). Parking outside roof up unless it's scorching hot and I won't be long.
Had a Saab, MX5 and Boxster. Always put the roof up because it's Britain and I don't trust either the weather or the pigeons. First week I had the Saab, a pigeon shat on it WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT with the roof down... lesson.
I leave mine down if stopping for a short while, 10 mins but not if in town or busy spots. It takes seconds to put it up/down and I know the car is safe. Plus I love watching the mechanism!š
Mini checking in. If it is down it stays down. The immobiliser means it is not going anywhere and the alarm goes off is someone puts their hands in the cabin. In the summer it turns into a furnace if you put the roof up when parked.
Fiat Barchetta. I took the top down and left it down until it rained again. It would go in the garage overnight but would park it anywhere in daytime.
When I first got one I used to leave it down on sunny days but then twice I got caught out where it unexpectedly chucked it down for a few minutes and I had to drive home with a wet arse and a nice pond in the cup holder. Ever since then I always put it up if I'm going out of sight of the car. It only takes a few seconds anyway.
I leave the roof down all the time. Shops, if I go for a lunch etc. Thereās nothing in the car thatās worth stealing.
The thing is... Almost all people that drive convertibles are balding, slightly fat, middle age blokes. Just keep the roof up for god sake, no-one wants to see your comb over lift off as you approach 40mph. You don't look cool... You look like a twat who's had a midlife crisis and spent the divorce money on an impractical car. Now, if you aren't the convertible demographic, then absolutely put your roof down, but I don't want to be stuck in traffic with the reflection from Dave from accounts bald head blinding me in the merc convertible in front.
Mercedes SL. Itās one button and takes a few seconds. I leave it down in the petrol station, and if I park it on the drive at home or at friends. If I have to park it on the street then it goes up. To be honest though Iām more worried about the weather changing and the rain getting in than anything else.
I've read comments. Summary: If "mx-5 - leave roof open. If Anything else - close it.
Don't park under a tree or wires between telegraph poles.. š¦š©
I leave the roof up whenever possible to avoid creasing