Why take a soft-top over hard-top convertible?

[Gericho]

I don't think there has been a new hard-top 4-seater convertible launched recently. BMW have done away with them altogether on all their models.

So I have a soft-top and I am thinking about selling it because:

1. It is noisy with the roof down but also with the roof up if I reach motorway speeds
2. It is heavy and kills fuel because of it
3. When there's a thunderstorm going on it doesn't feel great having just cloth over your head
4. The roof always has issues - microswitches not working, cover locks malfunctioning. The soft-top is not that reliable.
5. Maintenance of the soft-top fabric requires cleaning and waterproofing which is not a hassle by any means but an unkept roof leads to mould. Also the rear window is prone to falling out due to age/heat.

Of course the noise and wind with the roof down would apply to a hard top convertible as well, but at least the hard top becomes a secure and quiet place to be when you want to travel at speed safely over long distances.

So why have manufacturers ditched the hard-top convertible idea and gone to soft-top?

And the next question I suppose is do people really enjoy using a convertible as a family car (not sports cars)? How can you enjoy the car when travelling at speeds say 60mph+ causes too much noise and wind and there's also not enough boot space when the roof down?

I'm thinking about selling mine because I just don't get it even though I really want to. I've driven barely 500 miles and with the weather as it is I am thinking it was all just hype over nothing - like living in a studio flat in central London.

Edited by Gericho on Friday 28th June 14:39

Edited by Gericho on Friday 28th June 15:45

[Gericho]

Rich Boy Spanner said:

I'd have thought the hard top would be more durable and need less maintenance (with the caveat that all electric folding tops are potentially ste for reliability). I have a friend who had a Mini convertible and the roof went porous and mouldy inside. Accept there are treatments for that but you wouldn't need to do any of it with a hard top, or ever have to replace the material when it gets older. It looked scruffy at 8 years old.

That's another for the list. Maintaining the soft-top with cleaners and waterproofing. And then after a while the rear window detaches because of age/heat.

[Gericho]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Well...yeah...and it is for this exact reason that virtually nobody will use a convertible as their main 'family' car (though I don't doubt there are a few PH heroes who do). I'm hoping to get a convertible in the not too distant future but I'll sure as hell be keeping the XC70 for shifting people and stuff about. It's like saying 'How can you enjoy a motorbike when you need to tow a caravan?'.

I would understand that for a two-seater convertible. I thought a 4-seater would be a family car because they're not cheap and are pretty large things e.g. Saab 93 or Volvo C70 or Audi A4.

[Gericho]

Wheel Turned Out said:

Sounds like the best thing for you would be a regular coupe with frameless windows (appreciate that's a narrow list) - when they're all open you have a nice airy space, with some shade, but with none of the convertible 'drawbacks' you've listed.

Folding hardtops, as has been mentioned, are usually just ungainly, heavy, and a bit crap overall.

Yes I think a coupe with sunroof is perfect. I love frameless windows and no b-pillar is even better.