So, how important'z yer raggtopp?

[Java Junky]

When I finally made the decision'n went lookin' for a sportscar, I wuz lookin' for a hardtop. 'Didn't wanna deal with soft-topz'n the vulnerability problemz'att go with'em, especially in'a places where I park.
After all wuz said'n done though, Stewie came out on topp'a the heap'z the most bang fer the buck. So I reluctantly went with a raggtopp, though that wuzzn't what I really wanted.
'Took me maybe 10 minutes in the open cockpit to totally bring me back to the wonder'a raggtoppin'.
So, where the raggtoppness'a Stewie wuz originally in the minus column, I'm born-again.
I figure Stewie'z ability to stick my baldin' ol' cruller out inta the sunshine is fully half'a the fun'a havin' Stewie, the other half bein' the ability to pull some pretty serious G'z.
So, what percentage'a the fun'a havin' Stewie is bein' able'da drop the top to you guyz?
Enquirin' minez wanna know.

[philiam]

Taking a test ride in an MG TD changed my whole perspective on what a car should be. I bought it in 1952. Sold it when I got drafted.

After the Army and a couple of ford Anglias I was able to pick up a Speedster, followed by a Porsche Convertible D. Sold the Porsche after restoring a Mercedes 300S. I missed the raggtopp so traded the Merc for an Alfa Romeo Spyder.

Because I was in sales and driving in L.A. all day the bad air quality drove me to an enclosed, air conditioned car. BMW 2002. Mistake. A few Civics and Accords later found me retiring 10 years ahead of schedule due to a health issue affecting my speech. Didn't think about another rag top until I kept passing a red one for sale. My wife convinced me to buy one, so at just under 74 years of age I drove a 2002 and had the same feeling as that MG. I bought it. And it only gets better!

[SXY_S2K]

I keep the hard top on my car most of the time, so when she's ragtop status, it really makes an impression on me. Now that we have the house, I promise boys, the hardtop is going to be on her rack a lot more often. I truly love my car no matter what, but there's nothing like winter in AZ with the top down

[Scooter]

Same here SXY, many months of the year I like putting the top up to put it away or in some public parking lots, but otherwise it's top down. During this part of the year, it's just hot and I hmm about a hard top - but Honda A/C is so good that that doesn't last very long.
Then we get a day like Thursday where the temp drops 20 degrees, so I hit a stop light and 6 seconds later I'm topless again - then I smile and zoom away...

[H20]

For me and the bride, all we were looking at was roadster's. That top is down before it gets out of the garage, winter or summer. These are CT winters and summers mind you. If the weather is bad we use one of the utility vehicles. By the way, anything that isnt an S2k is a utilty vehicle in our mind's.
Driving the S top up for me is dangerous. Feels boxed in, I get tunnel vision and a slightly demented feeling and I need the speed! I tense up, eyebrows go down and the revs stay in the power band. It's all machine and ripping up roads. Not good!
Lower the top and the birds start chirpin, the world goes back to technicolor with rainbows, vision goes to 180, body relaxes, the mind smiles, hold the brides hand, redline goes to 5 grand and all is well with the world again.
It's all about the roadster for us. 100 percent.
In fact, we don't even latch the top when we put it up in the garage or parked. We just have it up to keep the dust and CATS out. Dont want to squish all the soft rubbery stuff ya know.

[playingmilitary]

my grandpa aways told me that every young man should own a convertable some time in his life, made it sound like a rite of pasage. he had own an asstment of jags all thouhg his military career and all had been rag tops. i was always into performance and my argument was structure of the roof help in all parts of the (make my car faster) car ride quality. he would just look at me like i was a morron. About 6 months ago after my divorce i desided i had spent enuff money getting cars for her and bought onw for me. my first ride in the s2k was amazing. and i have had the top down ever since, my grandpa was so right.

[DJJSR]

The "dropthetopability" was first priority when I went shopping for my retirement present (to myself). If the S2000 didn't exist, I'd probably be driving a Miata or hacksawing the lid off my old truck. Thanks Honda.

[Neil]

For me its all about dropping the soft top before I reach the end of the driveway. I used to own a MG Midget 1974 chrome bumpers and wire wheels ( last yr for the chrome ) it was a fun car , a different vehicle than most of the others, an individual ride. Its hard to explain to others who have never had or driven a convertible that the sheer open-ness feeling can only be had in a rag top.

Neil

[Java Junky]

When you come right down too'itt, we can thank our WW II military-returneez for bringin' back the storiez'n then the actual MG-TCz with'em.
'Wuzzn't a whole lodda (so I'm told, 'z'that wuz actually a liddle before my time . . . don't get'ta say that much) sportscars, raggtoppz'r otherwize, ta speak'uv in'a 'States before that.

[abms2k]

never considered the s2k for it droptop ability...it was like this...mustang,g35, or s2k.considered the GT and the g35 cos i was getting gud offers...but then dropped by honda and fell..scratch that..crashed into love.dont really get to drop the top often cos temps reach as high 37 deg C...in the night!!!...but when the winter comes...pure bliss.ppl dont like soft tops here....we've just got the mx-5 and that too only with hardtop..

[Java Junky]

abms . . where'z "here"?

[H20]

Originally Posted by Java Junky

abms . . where'z "here"?

Ya JJ..He talks kinda odd. Gud? Whatsupwith gud? The IM generation?

[Java Junky]

Um-m-m-m-m-m-m . . . H2?
You're talkin' to me about talkin' "odd"??????
Sailuh-man make'a'da choke on ol' Java, yes?
I kin stay home'n get treated like'att H2.

[TheSoundMan21]

For me my rules for a car is as follows. Must drive great, must have a mix of classic style with some sport mixed in. Last one was it must be a car not alot of people have. I dont know exactly how I got hooked. But I was driving past a dealership to work one morning and saw a 02 Silver out the corner of my eye. I just thought "hmm ok Ill see if I can buy one" 2 days later I was top down in the middle of Nov. and smiling so big it was crazy. Then I met up with this bunch. I intend on keeping her for years to come.

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by H20

Ya JJ..He talks kinda odd. Gud? Whatsupwith gud? The IM generation?

Yep, another generation and we won't have vowels any more. Kids these days to that on job applications...

Dang, did I just say "kids these days"? Today, I'm feeling old...

[H20]

Originally Posted by Java Junky

Um-m-m-m-m-m-m . . . H2?
You're talkin' to me about talkin' "odd"??????
Sailuh-man make'a'da choke on ol' Java, yes?
I kin stay home'n get treated like'att H2.

Heck no JJ. I'm talking to you about ABMS talking odd.

[Java Junky]

Sam be'n attentive'n topp'a the line barkeep H2, but it 'peerz't our local site grog not be quite strong enough fer the likez'a thee.
Thar be no shortage'a pubz, tavern'z'n gen'r'l bucketz'a blood in seafarin' townz such'z themz whu'cha favor.
I'll be buyin' mate. Yer'a fa-a-a-ar too-serious fer these climez.

[Swingle1]

For me, it's all about the open air of the roadster. Like all of us, I can appreciate the greatness (or at least the utility) of all kinds of cars. But at the end of the day, give me the two-seat droptop.
I normally steer clear of the word "never", but if all goes according to Hoyle, I will never not own a soft top again (unless the hard top folds into the trunk).

Side note: I only tolerate driving the S on those rare occasions when the top isn't in its rightful place tucked in behind me. Those blind spots are viscious!

[johnmcs1]

The last thing on my list when I was looking at changing the car was the soft top. I wanted a rear wheeled drive car, with great looks, handling and a great engine. 2 car stood out. An M3 E36 or an S2000. As I had experience of the Honda's with a Type R DC5 and the cheaper tax and insurance it was the S all the way for me. I've recently bought a Mugen hardtop which is as much a necessity here as it rains nearly all the time and my car is a Daily Driver.
But don't get me wrong. I love it when I get the chance to put the top down. It's just that I don't get the chance that often.

[jagg]

Sam be'n attentive'n topp'a the line barkeep H2, but it 'peerz't our local site grog not be quite strong enough fer the likez'a thee.

ummmmmm Grog with cheese. My favorite.

Oh, By the way.......I'm a droptropper, who prefers a sports car underneath that ragtop.

jagg

[H20]

Originally Posted by Java Junky

Sam be'n attentive'n topp'a the line barkeep H2, but it 'peerz't our local site grog not be quite strong enough fer the likez'a thee.
Thar be no shortage'a pubz, tavern'z'n gen'r'l bucketz'a blood in seafarin' townz such'z themz whu'cha favor.
I'll be buyin' mate. Yer'a fa-a-a-ar too-serious fer these climez.

(hmm...scratchin my head and lookin every whichaway..)

[flyingarmadillo]

I sort of stumbled into the raggtop. I was looking for something that went fast and handled well. I was mostly looking a coupes. I'm a long time Soob owner, but I couldn't see paying $30K+ for an Impreza. Since I've had good luck with Nissans, I looked a Zs, but since I have an '86 Z300 project car I didn't want 2. I've driven MX-5s including Mazadaspeeds, but they seemed a little underpowered. After considering Lotus and BMW, the S2000 started looking like most bang for the $$ and after I drove it I fell in love. The soft top was a nice suprise. The top is rarely up and I just finished a 2300 mile road trip with the top down most of the time. And as much fun as it is in the day, there are only two things better than driving with the top down, miles from any lights and more stars than you can count overhead.

[Gilgothdae]

The newly coined " droptopablility" was a pretty big factor in my decision I kept looking at Miatas and GT's but only the convertibles basically. It is beyond perfect in AZ to have the top down at night and get the rare cool breezes. I will let you know how the winters go hehe. I am excited to test out the Honda's heater with the top down!

[Java Junky]

Gil, we've got some really good threadz on dealin' with the slightly cooler tempz while makin' use'a Stewie in'er intended form.
Jus' . . nod yer head'n make appreciative noizez if Go startz goin' into hiz 20 degreez in'a tee-shirt stories. (When they're that far gone, I've learned'ad'ittz best'ta humor'em.)

[Gilgothdae]

I've read a couple of those stories and remember one somewhere relating to rain and a certain "dry"-speedlimit with the top down but I've failed a couple times trying the dryness. I've been excited since for the cold/warm experience

[jagg]

I like the S2000 when it's 50F, better than when it's 90F....Warm blooded, I ain't.

Regardless of temp, I'm runnin' roof open as long as the precip isn't to heavy, or frozen....Got caught in a torrential burst recently, and it totally sucked. Extra-wet folks.

jagg

[philiam]

Much better when the air is cool and crisp. Leather jacket and the heater and winding roads. Driving at it's finest.

[Java Junky]

I hear the word accordin' ta brother Philiam, n' the word is good. Yeah, I prefer it cooler too.
But truth be told, while I enjoy Stewie immensely with the top down in most any weather . . . . given the right roadz, even weather that requirez the top ta be up can provide fer'a whole lodda fun.
Intense at timez, but fun.
Stewie'z like runnin' errandz in yer favorite amusement park ride normally set at idle. Any time you wanna, all you godda'doo'da get thingz interestin'izz wick'itt up a bit'n hang on.
('Soundz like'n ad for Daily Driver Magazine.)