Thread 28597964

2000s was really the golden age of the cheap convertible. There were so many different cheap convertibles especially hardtop convertibles that you could drive the whole year. The Peugeot 206CC, Opel Tigra Twintop, Renault Megane CC, Ford Focus CC and Mitsubishi Colt CC to name a few.

Now hardtop convertibles are almost completely extinct. And besides the Fiat 500 Cabrio there really aren't any cheap convertibles at all for sale. How did the convertible market crash so quickly?

>>28597964 (OP)
Why would you want a car without a roof, which only sometimes has a hard roof?

Besides, a car without a roof has nothing but disadvantages: smaller trunk, greater weight, less rigidity, higher price.

>>28597964 (OP)
>>28597980
Convertibles are best enjoyed as second cars, and no one has the money for that anymore. Also, all nu cars are cuckovers, which naturally won’t have a convertible variant.

A Mazda mx-5 rf starts around 30k. That is pretty cheap for today's standards.

>>28598122
What do you think you got with one of the shitters OP mentioned? Plus the Miata is at least RWD with a great chassis, the cars OP is talking about are all FWD econocuckshit with the roof chopped off.

>Wrong wheel drive
If I will have to deal with constant gay jokes, at least let me pretend I am driving a sports car.
It's no wonder Miata is the only mainstay of that market segment.
>>28597985
>which naturally won’t have a convertible variant
Doesn't stop them from trying bro

>>28597985
>which naturally won’t have a convertible variant
I honestly have no idea why, I'd like a slightly lifted possibly awd convertible. Mine sits too low and has no skid plates.
There were like three attempts at it in total, not counting t-tops and targas, all seem to be retarded.

>>28598128
>Wrong wheel drive
Means more trunk space, more leg space and probably a normal spare tire. And mainly
>cheap
which is the main point of the OP. Keeping it cheap and somewhat utilitarian (e.g. trunk big enough for grocery shopping and other errands) helps to keep such convertibles less specialized, in other words, people would buy and use them more often.
>>28597980
Because driving without it is cool.

>>28598156
Driving roof-down is only cool if you can enjoy the car.
Cutting the roof off an otherwise miserable economy car does not suddenly make it fun or good.

>>28597980
For me personally it took me a while to finally understand that I don't enjoy roofless as much as doorless. Had suzuki samurai and no roof was ok but no doors is something completely different.
Could kinda get away with it back in the day, tried that with double cab hilux and it didn't last hundred miles before I got caught by poo-lice.

>>28598191
>miserable car with roof
>miserable car without roof
Which one is more cool I wonder

>>28597964 (OP)
convertibles fucking suck.
as soon as I got a hard top for my miata, it literally never came off.

>>28597964 (OP)
I live in the UK, wtf do I need a convertible for?

>>28598328
You must be brown
Indigenous Bongs love convertibles and open roadsters despite their meme shitty climate.

>>28598328
UK has the highest per capita convertible sales in Europe.

>>28598328
For 4 days of british summer

>>28598367
>>28598380
>>28598431
so many autistic bong fags trying to justify their purchase of picrel itt
just admit it, you look ridiculous, and your stupid topless car is rusting away, like tears in rain

>>28598436
Are you seething because in a 'vert everyone can see that you are brown?
I'm not a Bong and never been to Bongland but we must've hit a nerve lol

>>28598442
>I'm not a Bong and never been to Bongland but we must've hit a nerve lol
no nerve hit. I'm just incredulous at my fellow bongs advocating for convertibles, when as this anon points out: >>28598431, we have 0 need for them.

>>28598446
>>28598431
why do people think convertibles are only usable or good in the summer?

>>28598446
Post hand Ahmed

>>28597985
>>28598145
Volkswagen did make one but I'm not sure if it's a success.

>>28598126
Those econobox convertibles offered you a hardtop convertible that you could drive around even in the winter because of the hardtop. And they cost 2/3rd of what a soft top MX5 cost.

>>28598477
Oh and they did have 4 seats. (though realistically with something like a Peugeot 207CC you could only fit 3 people since there wouldn't be enough room behind the driver)

>>28598472
They still do, but the car is pretty retarded as a softroader:
>fwd only
>all engines available are anemic
>no gearbox with torque converter to compensate for the problems above
For me buying it would be a downgrade.

There's also a Mondeo with RR badge and ridiculous price for its underpowered 2 liter engine that can't even work together with the 9spd gearbox.

NGL I always wanted a solara or something that seats 4 so I can bring 3 German shepherds with me in a drop top. No sebrings because I expect to make it to my destination.

>>28598479
There was a number of verts with rather usable rear seats. And some even had trunks with pass-though.

>>28598114
No, the soft top starts at $30k.
RF starts at $38k.

>>28598490
I mean most cuckovers people are buying are never going to be driven offroad and have 4 cylinder engines that lack power.

>>28598499
Yeah but something like a Peugeot 307CC which had usable backseats also had basically the same price tag as an MX5. So your options were an econobox with usable backseats or an MX5 without backseats.

>>28598510
Nah. Other Land Rovers are still cuckovers very rarely driven offroad yet they have more powerful engines. So are BMWs starting with the X3.

>>28598514
So basically these two options:
>somewhat practical funny econobox
or
>meme car for tryhards

>>28598502
Are you calling me a liar, boy?

>>28597964 (OP)
It was the golden age of cheap cars period. We didn’t get a lot of these cheap Euro convertibles outside of the VW Eos and Golf Cabriolet in the US, but I always liked them. I think Buick rebadged an Opel convertible for us one time too.
I’m also very partial to the StreetKa.

>>28598868
Wasn't StreetKa basically the cheapest convertible? It was 12500 pounds new. Was there anything cheaper at the time? Even something like Peugeot 206 CC started at 13k+

>>28598868
The Cascada, which was basically an Astra (or Verano) with the roof chopped off. That was near the end of the econovert hype train though, Opel was building steel-top convertibles out of the Corsa (with the Tigra Twintop) and Astra long before that.

>>28597964 (OP)
I have a friend with a candy red one of those.

BL product with rear engine in the room.

>>28598114
Euros love trannyverse FWD cuckboxes

>>28598872
An another Opel that did get to the US

>>28598931
Was Saab Opel now. Its death throws were in GMs hands.

>>28598624
>euro
4k is still a significant amount to be off by

Mini Convertible, starting from 31k Eur or so

What year Miata should I be looking for if I want a cheap toy that will last for awhile?
Is the liability only insurance cost going to be insane if I’m in my late 20s? No accidents, incidents, claims or anything on my record and it would be in addition to my daily beater.

>>28597964 (OP)
I always hated those handlebars on the trunk.

>>28598624
Taxes are different in every shithole.

>>28599262
Just go to the insurance website and find out faggot.

>>28598871
I believe it was. I guess it was essentially Ford Europe’s answer to the Kei car in a way

>>28599262
I'm pretty sure insurance websites have calculators. So find a Miata you want to buy and use those websites to calculate your insurance.

If you want it to last for a while and not rust too much. Honestly it might make sense to get an NC Miata even though they are hated.

>>28598204
>Doesn't have sports car pedigree
>Yet makes sacrifices of practicality
We go back to >>28597985 being right, convertibles are second cars or you end up in a cope mobile
Maybe that is what one of the Cs in CC stands for

>>28599688
>sports car pedigree
AHAHAHAHAHA
Seriously though, the entire thread is about the cheapest part of the market, anon.
>Yet makes sacrifices of practicality
Can say that about anything lesser than the Suburban (and still get replies that it lacks the bed, or the roof is too low so trucks or vans are more practical)
>convertibles are second cars or you end up in a cope mobile
I agree, but because of the different reason: precipitation. Not every part of the world is suitable for driving in a 'vert every day all year round without significant maintenance efforts (i.e. waterproofing).
I think you're also missing the part that there always has been a distinction between the GT cars and the roadsters. None are "better", their applications are slightly different, both can be convertibles.

>>28597964 (OP)
Car manufacturers came to a realization at some point, which flipped the scope of the new car market on it's head. This realization was that people need cars, so no matter what the car market looks like, people will still buy them because they need them. This realization told manufacturers that they could phase out anything that didn't sell in high quantities, and that they should just make a narrower selection of vehicles that satisfy the largest swath of consumers as possible, and not only will people continue to buy their vehicles, but they would make more ,money because the expense of making fewer different models of vehicles costs them less so they make more profit.

Manufacturers basically realized that it was they who controlled the market, not the consumer. This became the death of creativity and the death of variety. And now we're left with a market that's like 80% crossover suv clones and pickup trucks.

>>28597964 (OP)
Convertibles are cars for men, and as you know most cars nowadays are developed with women's sensibilities in mind

>>28598472
I recently learned that these things can come with a manual, doesn't make it a good car but it could be a fun 2nd car

>>28599896
>Convertibles are cars for white men
Fixed.

A reminder you have to actually drive your car to enjoy driving it.
The more it is suitable as a daily the more you're going to drive it and to enjoy it.

one way to enjoy convertibles is if you grew up driving go-karts as a kid.

>>28599810
What is this about GTs?
Did you mean roadsters and convertibles?
Yea, roadsters are a subset but not all sporty droptops are automatically roadsters, for example 3 series convertibles.
>Can say that about anything lesser than the Suburban
Completely out of scope of argument.
>Should I get a 4-seater hatchback with FWD, a 2-seater roadster with RWD or 2-seater convertible based on the FWD hatchback?
In this comparison the third option is a compromise, some would say "cope", without a clear benefit.
If I have to sacrifice practicality, it is reasonable to expect something valuable worth the sacrifice, and the Miata is the only one that provides that value(RWD), and so it endures while all those CCs died out.

I don't know what to tell you bro, I already said in the original post that if one has to deal with constant gay jokes being thrown at them because of their choice of car, at the very least it should be a gay "sports" car and not a gay econobox

>we will never have cheap fwd little 2 seat convertibles like the del sol
>cars are too big to even make something small on the same chassis as the regular car anymore

>>28600148
That's only possible for richfags.

>>28600554
You're seriously going to try to say go karts are for rich people? Are you retarded?

>>28600542
I do a lot of stuff in my four-seater. I just brought a week of groceries (including water) for two people with ragtop down and rear seat empty, I do other shopping and run errands in it, I don't even need another car to get to the airport (enough space not only for two people but for more luggage than these people have bags for), I can give my friends a ride, I can throw bags, clothes and gear in the back which is useful both on longer journeys and for making short trips quicker, and I can tilt my seat back far enough to lie and watch the night sky. All these are the reasons I drive it daily and can enjoy top down experience at every possible occasion, and I won't be able to replace it with a roadster convertible.

Is this clear enough for you to comprehend? If yes, let's move to other topics you touched like wheel drive arrangements and compromises.

>>28600614
Depends on the country, but usually yes, getting children into karting school is not cheap. Other sports are way less expensive.

These are cheap now.

>>28597964 (OP)
>How did the convertible market crash so quickly?
Rollover safety regulations in the US now require a car to support 3x its weight on top without danger to occupants. Making that work is more expensive than previous standards
Still, you can buy a jeep or bronco or Miata

>>28597964 (OP)
Convertibles are total ass as an only car, so cheap ones don't exist anymore. The roof often leaks, doesn't last as long, requires maintenance, is noisier, is more expensive, eats into cargo space, etc. Convertible is cool if you want a second car to cruise in on nice days, but nobody is spending more for a worse car when it's the only one it can afford just so that they can put the top down on a nice day. That's why cheap convertibles are gone.

>>28601537
>govt regs kill fun cars
>every fucking time
Took 60+ replies to get to the real answer

convertibles are fuckin gay which cuts your market in half and they leak and fall apart. that's why. its pretty simple.

>>28601531
Yeah the 2000s convertibles are cheap now. But in 20 years there isn't a single cheap convertible that isn't 40 years old.

>>28601580
But enough of your father's car, tell me about yours.

>>28597964 (OP)
Don't forget the smart roadster.
Probably the best smart ever built.

>>28600704
>getting children into karting school is not cheap
you know you can just buy and use a go kart, right?
the poorest, white trashiest family in my hometown were the ones whos spawn would constantly fly around on dirt bikes, atvs and karts

>>28602096
>driving around
vs
>getting into sports

>>28602242
nobody said anything about getting into competitive motorsports

>>28599907
I was going to contest that but after looking into it, yeah you're right

>>28603337
So we can confidently say that people seething at convertibles are not white or not men enough.

Gonna get one of these for a family convertible (with the 5 speed and M113 V8 obviously) and I already have an R129 with the same drivetrain. Stay mad convertible haters

>>28597964 (OP)
It's fucking heartbreaking.
I bought a 206cc as a daily driver in 2020 and I enjoy every drive with it. Driving around in Switzerland with the roof down makes it a real comfort car.
Unfortunately, the rear axle is fucked and it's a hassle to get a replacement part in non-EU countries. Asked several workshops and they don't want to go through hoops to get parts and do the labour > and the ones that do quoted me above 4k
The car is in ok condition and probably would need a new front steering within the next year or two as well.

So Either I'm doing all the administrative effort myself to fix my soul car, or bite the bullet to get a Cupra Born.

What's your take on my dilemma? Fix ir or not.
2025, 190k km btw

>cupra born
I didn't know certified retards could post in internet without supervision. The magic of llms I guess.

>>28603607
Why don't you give it to me straight my negro?
I'd take my time if I wouldn't be so busy until my MOT comes around. God gifted me with IT-, not car DIY skills.

>>28603503
They aren’t engineered to last longer than 170-200 kkm before issues like that happens, it’s the same with Tigra and small cars in general.
So, scrapyard it is.

>>28603363
Seems to be the case, yeah

>>28603503
Drive to any neighboring country of your choice and get it fixed there. You guys even do grocery shopping at your neighbors, at least those living close to the border.

>>28603687
yea, found one here
https://diehinterachse.de/produkt/hinterachse-peugeot-206-cc
They don't ship to Switzerland, but I guess I can just drop it to one of these packet stations near the border and import it myself. Then I just ask a guy to put it in for me.
Just hope it fits inside my 206cc somewhere.

Hope that can give this 'lil fella a few more years.
I even changed the timing belt and fuel pump not too long ago.

I really should buy some shitty house so I have space for 2 cars and do repairs myself. It's insane how emotionally attached you can grow to these tiny shitboxes.

>>28603903
I'm not talking about importing, I'm talking about going to a cheaper garage on the other side of the border, ordering the part through them and installing it there.

>>28603913
I got that, but the next 2 months are rather stressful due to me having a full time job and getting a degree on the side (exam period), so I won't be able to have an overnight stay within the foreseeable time - which will clash with my MOT. I'm pretty central so going to any bordering workshop is around a 2 hour commitment one way. [spoiler]ergo a world tour for a swiss guy[/spoiler]
I was just told my many workshops that the piece is pretty hard to get in switzerland (it is), but if I get it they'll gladly chuck it in. Guess I just didn't look around properly.
Just had to happen at the worst moment, stars really don't allign atm. But that's another story.

>>28603919
Yeah, deferred maintenance is a bitch that stacks with other things in the worst possible time. Find someone to smuggle it in to save your time, possibly the same guy that is going to install it if you know each other well enough for that.

Shitty ecobox convertibles are so endearing to me. I wish they could be a cost saving measure like they use to be instead of a luxury. I hate being American.

>>28604043
>I hate being American.
Don't you guys have more disposable income than even the wealthiest Euro countries?

>>28604043
Who needs shitty ecobox convertibles when you've got shitty convertibles with V8s?

>>28605303
I hate being Europoor

A bit surprised to find out these (up until 2009) had 3.2L VR6 option and it was possible to swap 4Motion AWD stuff in them.

>ctrl+f "gay"
>posts mention the miata
Like clockwork.

>>28597964 (OP)
Just bought this bad boy for cheap off of Facebook

>>28604852
I'd rather be broke but not have had my foreskin (((stolen))) as an infant

>>28608096
Congrats. 4 or 6 cylinders? How's the condition? Post photos.

Only roadsters are good convertible. Rest is goyslop
>>28597985
Rangy had a convertible evoque

>>28608115
>Rangy had a convertible evoque
See >>28598490

>>28599979
>t. cuckover faggot

>>28608249
Unfortunately, I'm stuck with a regular, non-cuckover convertible.

>>28604043
You had the Chrysler Sebring hardtop Convertible and the Pontiac G6 Convertible. Plus I'm pretty sure VW Eos was sold in US as well.

>>28608388
No offerings from Ford?

>>28609269
Only convertible in the 2000s ford offered in US was the soft top Mustang convertible. In Europe Ford did offer the hardtop Ford Focus CC.

>>28609326
Oh I forgot about the Thunderbird as well.

>>28609332
Noice. I guess it came with removable hard top as an original accessory. Was it cheap though? Looks fancier than the Mustang, has a Jag V8 inside.

wranglers with the top off count as convertibles in my book

>>28609467
Closer to T-top

>>28597964 (OP)
2 door cars are dead in general aside from actual sports cars

>>28609441
>has a Jag V8 inside
More than that, it's on the same S-Type platform that the Lincoln LS uses too. Quite why they decided to make a strange weaker 3.9 version of the engine instead of just using the existing 4.0 is puzzling to me though.

The market is largely filled by jeeps/broncos these days. If you want an open top, that's the way many go now. It's fitting considering it fits in with the death of the sedan for SUV/Crossover designs.
I still like convertibles, especially the cheap ones. Tons of great memories of being driven around in my grandma's LeBaron and my oldest sister's Geo Convertible. Ebb and flow of trends. I think we'll see them return.

>>28610294
>>28609467
Having nothing but the windshield frame above the belt line is a bit different from having the cage (or parts of the roof, or even door frames) in your field of view. You get the wind but you don't get the openness.
>I think we'll see them return.
I very much hope so.

>>28610260
I remember pre-2000 or so aluminium 4.0s suffering from the Nikasil plague. Is it possible that Ford decided to make their own version to distance themselves from the problem both technically and in public view? I mean it's easier to convince people the engines are different if they have different displacement and don't share the block.

>>28603387
>family convertible
you clearly have never had a child if you think that is a family car. it would be a bag of dicks to put a kid in and out of a car seat even with the top down. car seat systems would be severely limited as it doesnt have a anchor system.

>>28611432
>you clearly have never had a child if you think that is a family car.
Not him but I know several family men who get their kids to school in convertibles on a regular basis and the children are overjoyed. Don't think it's their only car, though.
>car seat systems would be severely limited as it doesnt have a anchor system.
My 'vert from 2004 has those in the rear seat, anon.

It ended with g class

>>28597964 (OP)
Every single complaint you have about modern cars is 85% the fault of women and 7% liberal douchebags who probably still think Nuclear energy isnt green.

>>28612070
It's a landaulet or something

I want to get a Megane II CC and do this to it.

It's one of the cheapest cars you can buy in the UK right now, has a glass roof which is way simpler mechanically than the competition was (hence still works, unlike the Astra), and doesn't look catastrophically ugly.
Once I'm in a position to get a different car, It will be this one.

>>28612083
Tell me again how polluting the earth with pure concentrated death for 10,000 years is so green and nice. That's twice as far in the future as the advent of written language is in our past, so good luck even communicating the danger to the humans you'll be poisoning.

>>28613770
>not getting the absolute simplest mechanism

>>28613772
Most nuclear waste is safe in decades. Most spent fuel can be reused. Worst case you're talking about 20 tons of spent fuel for the entire USA Vs millions of tons of Co2. Lmao please kill yourself.

>>28613884
Wonderful, the problem is solved.
Because you think it's completely safe, I say we put it all in your house.

>>28597985
mogs you...

>>28614006
There's literally an entire continent that we could dump this in without consequence

>>28614052
Oh so now you want this totally safe and nice waste to be as far away from you as possible? I wonder why that could be HMMMMMM

>>28613777
The only reason I'd want to subject myself to this car already named after a fart would be to put a "fluence" badge on it, and add more letters with arrows so it says "flatulence".

>>28597985
Miata is my only car. I guess it helps to not live in America.

>>28614077
It's only named after a fart if you break it.
Plus, Twingo RS chassis and GT or RS engine. It's quite fun to drive.

>>28614077

By Jove, I just realised I could instead create the word "effluence" or "effluent". The world is a changed place.

G37 convertible

>>28613772
>polluting the earth with pure concentrated death
Earth produces it, dummy
Sometimes it can even surface by itself, you obviously don't know what a natural nuclear reactor is

>>28614014
>mogged by its own CVT

>>28614688
Excuse me for not knowing about a process that stopped happening billions of years ago. Not an argument.

>>28615024
And here's a cutaway

>>28614999
> a process that stopped happening billions of years ago
Imagine being so ignorant to not bother yourself with searching the thing mentioned. What else are you going to tell me, the Earth is flat? We have to breathe out less carbon dioxide to save the trees?

>>28615027
So basically a drawing of a generic trannyverse FWD car without proper rear suspension. Needs a pic for the
>glass roof which is way simpler mechanically than the competition was

I'm curious since I had my hydraulic ragtop (probably part of the "competition") fail and I fixed it learning a bit about these things in the process. Could you please tell me more about the Megane's roof?

>>28611484
>my dad works at nintendo
thats a funny way of saying "i can't breed"

> who get their kids to school
kids who go to school typically dont use car seats

>>28615115
>proven incorrect on two accounts
Your point being?

>>28615072
Sadly I can't find a cutaway image for that. I do have 2 other variations, but they both omit the roof mechanism entirely.

I can go one better though. Here's the video given to Renault service centres telling them how the roof works (among other things about the other types of Mégane). Here's a link to the roof part. The auto translated subtitles are mostly okay.
https://youtu.be/wu-AqxkULyo?t=513

It's by no means simple, but if you compare it to the Astra's mechanism it has fewer parts in what seems to be a more robust configuration, and the Astra Twintop's youtube search suggestions are mostly about the roof being broken or the boot not opening lol. Meanwhile the Mégane has its rear window regulators as its only suggested problem.

And just the roof opening of the Mégane vs Astra:
Mégane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLI_ALKHsp8
Astra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S_YmjGaanA

>>28615197
It looks more complicated than the system I have, though I have a ragtop not powered hardtop. Mine has a similar hydraulic unit (electric pump, reservoir, valve body with actuators), several hydraulic cylinders that look similar, and a number of Hall sensors. Mine doesn't have any metal cables, nor does it have "side flaps" on the covering part. Hydraulic cylinders are the most common point of failure in these systems, so be sure to check the prices before buying (mine are 700 Eur per cylinder new, 50-100 used or $200+core remanufactured).
>Astra
Yeah, four flaps instead of two and three-piece roof instead of just two. I see where "more complicated" comes from.

>>28615197
Looks a lot like the 206 CC's system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjZ1itoa6oE

>>28613772
>t. learned about nuclear energy by watching The Simpsons

>>28615254
That reminds me - this cheap hardtop convertible boom was also a bit of a boon for coachbuilding, but resulted in the demise of two of them.

Huliez's last project before imploding in 2010 was building the Tigra, after the success of the production of 206CC roof assemblies.
Pininfarina designed the Colt CZC (yuk!), the Ferrari California, manufactured the Focus CC (I can't seem to determine if they designed the changes to the body too), except for the roof - which was designed by Webasto - and Karmann designed the roof of the Mégane II CC. The Ferrari's roof was manufactured by Webasto. Pininfarina has designed 11 Chinese EVs and one Morgan since they last designed for Enzo' company.

When Karmann went bankrupt (also in 2010), at least some European production facilities were bought by VW (where they used to do final assembly of the Boxster and Cayman, but now just build complete but disgusting T-Roc Cabriolets), while the Japanese side was acquired by Magna (who did the 370Z's roof), with some more of it going to Webasto.
Webasto does the MX-5 RF's roof, and was responsible for the PRHT on the NC before this.

That was a fun rabbit hole.

I want to turn a road-going 307CC into one of these. I'll even have one more gear than the official WRC car had.

>>28615210
If you look closely, you'll see it's a four piece roof, because the rear window glass pops out as well, unlike the Megane where there's just a space between the roof panels when they're retracted.

The Megane 3's roof does retract the glass in the same way, but it means less window area when it's up. No idea why they chose to move the deck lid/parcel shelf to eat up space by retracting under the boot lid when the roof is up, though. I suppose it no longer needs the rotating flaps, and the internal parcel shelf can now be a solid piece attached to the rear section. Maybe it made the window retraction mechanism less complex or something.

>>28615572
Oh, and Magna Steyr made the Astra's roof.
And Webasto made the C70's roof, whose structure was designed by Pininfarina.

And the Betamax video tape was invented by Columbo in 2008, and he makes them in his bath.

>>28615572
>>28615640
Those are quality posts, thank you.
I can't find much about other Swedes: Saab's first convertible, the 900, was made with help from the coachbuilders of Valmet Automotive (then-partner of Saab), but there is not much about the later models though it does seem like they sold in pretty big numbers in Europe alone.

>>28614070
As opposed to shitty wind turbines and panels made in China that can't be recycled and end up in fields polluting the ground water because they can't be recycled?

>>28597964 (OP)
No one bought those junkers anyway

>>28616329
I see one daily, a red one, it's pretty much mint.

>>28616329
People whiter than you did.

>>28616343
okay Ramirez, I'm sure you could store more crack in your convertible so you could sell it to your esteemed whypipo

>>28616363
>ebonics

>>28616375
I was putting it into words you'd understand. I can't speak Spanish but. I know you're close with black people

>>28597964 (OP)
ruined by the hairdresser meme.
people think that convertibles inherently look fast, and if you buy something that looks fast, it better actually be fast. otherwise, prepare for nonstop mockery.

when picrelated started motorizing spain in the 60's, you could get one new with the savings from 7 months worth of working with an average wage.
Nowadays, the cheapest cars you can find new also cost about 7 months worths of the average wage

>>28597964 (OP)
Convertibles are usually bought by people who want something to drive on the weekends and they'd settle for something more upmarket like an Audi or a BMW. The market for these cheap convertibles was already pretty small and inflation was the final nail in the coffin

>>28616425
Where can you find a new car for 13k yuros? And I mean 13k cash key on hand, not conditioned to government incentives or having to finance. Also, for this calculation I'm assuming you can save 100% of your monthly income which is obviously very unrealistic.

>>28616460
Base Dacia Sandero can be bought for 13940 euros brand new in Spain.

>>28616417
>people think that convertibles inherently look fast
No, most people don't think that. I mean everyone tries opening windows at speed.

Anyone who's owned a convertible knows they fucking suck.

>>28616618
What about current owners?

>>28616432
I mean it wasn't. The 206CC was the best selling convertible in Europe.

>>28617364
He probably meant that before 2010 or so more people had enough spare money to buy a cheap convertible as a second/third car

>>28616618
My convertible has zero issues with the convertible part and is much more fun with the top down. Skill issue

>>28616469
The cheapest convertible in Europe goes for 27k Euros apparently. Also was surprised to learn they made a "Grey Edition" of it. Not red, not green, fucking grey. They want for the convertible to become an NPC car too.

>In time for spring, Volkswagen is launching the T-Roc Cabriolet as a limited “Edition Grey” small series. The car for open-top driving features a special matt paint finish in the colour Indium Grey as well as interior and exterior accents in black. The special-edition model also includes numerous driver assist systems and a range of high-quality equipment, with a price advantage of up to 1,400 euros. The first cars in the limited edition of 999 vehicles will be delivered from February 2023.

>>28618758
Fucking grey. And I mean I truly wish T-roc cabrio would be a bigger success so convertibles don't completely die out. The Fiat 500 cabrio at least seems to be selling well. I'd say every other new Fiat 500e I see on road is a cabrio.

>>28618797
They even mentioned
>numerous driver assist systems
first and apart from
>a range of high-quality equipment
like that's what makes a convertible more attractive. Why even buy a convertible if you don't want to drive it yourself? Completely misplaced advertisement, at least as I see it.

>The Fiat 500 cabrio at least seems to be selling well
I can't even find it on Fiat Italy website. There are only electric 500 and Abarths there.

>>28618804
Yeah I'm pretty sure the regular gas 500 has been discontinued. But the 500e still has the cabrio version and from what I've seen it's quite popular.

>>28597980
They have soul.

>I HAVE TO MAINTAIN MY CAR!?
Why are people so cheap and lazy?

>>28620223
Not all of them are men and white I guess.

Why does this have to be an EV? It would be so good if it had a petrol engine.

>>28620459
China have literally zero engines worth putting into cars. They'd need to outsource one, and the CCP wouldn't allow that.

>>28610260
Maybe they didn't want to cannibalize Jag XK8 sales?
>>28611373
It's the same engine, they just decreased the stroke by 0.04 mm, which apparently was enough to decrease the horsepower by 38 HP.

>>28620528
>It's the same engine
Same Nikasil lining?
>they just decreased the stroke by 0.04 mm, which apparently was enough to decrease the horsepower by 38 HP.
Unlikely. What's the compression ratio for those two?

It really is terrible what they've taken from us.

>>28620220
Cruising on some rural highway with the top down on a sunny day is pure bliss anon.
Even with the top up my last 2 cars (2011 e88 and 2010 mustang gt) have been quite peasant to drive. Though I do live 15 miles up a curvy rural road, so I might be a bit biased.
The only real problem is if you live near spiteful brown/poor people who could ruin your car with a penknife.

saw one of these for sale in bulgaria but it should stay there for 6 months a year unfortunately

>>28620711
A Bertone design, that one.

>>28620706
>The only real problem is if you live near spiteful brown/poor people who could ruin your car with a penknife.
They can do it with any other car by keying it or slashing the tires.

>>28620942
Those are both much cheaper to fix than a new roof

>>28621365
Depends on severity, I guess, but still comparable. 3-4 body panels deeply scratched or a set of good tires can easily become more than a grand. My top cover (just the rag) goes for 1300 euros or so.

>>28614142
I think the Wind might be one o' them modern classics.

>>28620711
Probably the best looking Astra cabrio.

>>28622444
Next one looks fine, even less angry maybe
Also checked

>>28597964 (OP)
>How did the convertible market crash so quickly?
Expensive to repair.
Easy to break into (don't even need to open the door).

>>28624792
>Expensive to repair.
If your garage charges you more just because you have a convertible not a sedan, go to a different garage.
>Easy to break into (don't even need to open the door).
Don't all cars have windows?

>>28624847
Yes but a soft top isn't loud when you cut it open is it

>>28624996
What the fuck are you talking about? Cars have alarms, they are loud, volumetric/motion sensors have been a thing since the 90s.

>>28625023
>alarms
yeah i'm sure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mdKV60oFXA

>>28625219
>leisurely walks off at the end to talk to his burglar friends after the crime
lmao

>>28597980
I had a ford model A pickup that had no roof and I fucking loved that thing. It was not fast, like 55 tops, due to the wooden wheels. Original engine was long gone. Put the engine and gearbox from a pinto in it. Worked great.

>>28625219
Your point being?

>>28625243
Have any pics?

Was cheap, still is, technically a targa. On the inside it's a Suzuki Vitara.

I would say it's between this and the Volvo C70 in the running for the hardtop convertible with the least compromised styling. This for instance has an impressively low rear deck, and when closed looks good as well.

>>28597980
>Why would you want a car without a roof

Because it's fun, really fun. Would never go back to cars with roofs.

>>28627834
Yeah, those are quite practical too. Shame the trunk opening is really small with the top down.

>>28627909
If you didn't already know, there's actually a button in the luggage area you can press that raises the 3 roof panels and the boot lid as one unit, allowing you more access without raising the roof.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz_ESr_IWzU

The C70 has something similar, but it doesn't have to move the boot lid.
https://youtu.be/hgpMhkf-QDk?t=30

The Astra Twintop has the same, except it has to move the rear deck panels out of the way of the roof panels, because of course it does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMe_GVcLYaQ

>>28627928
Yes, but it's still less convenient than just opening and closing the trunk.
I understand it's a common thing for four-seater hardtops: the roof is so long it takes the entire length of the trunk to store it.

>>28627834
When it comes to 4 seater hardtop convertibles I would put either the E93 3 series or it's successor F33 4 series as the best looking convertible. The sharkfin antenna ruins the C70 for me. The E93 and F33 somehow avoided the big boot problem most hardtop convertibles had.

2 seater hardtop convertibles do look better though.

>>28627982
VW's Eos roof design meant the roof used less space (retracting the front roof bars to a valley beside the rear seats), but they used that design advantage to make the whole car shorter rather than the boot space any bigger. The capacity is actually smaller than the competitors with the roof retracted.
https://youtu.be/7Or73FNxQko?t=3

>>28629609
At least the opening in the trunk (with the roof down) is rather decent.

>>28620694
>The Laguna instead became a Supertouring saloon
At least they made up for it in the best possible way

>>28598196
Wait til you try a motorcycle.

Does this count?

a used vw t roc?

>>28630711
>used
>nu-vw

>>28599979
done 30k miles in mine over the last 2-3 years as my only car.
The US has no corners so not sure why you'd buy one there anyway.

>>28613777
these are pretty cool looking
>>28627834
the 335i engine is junk though (as is the later N53 330i). Have to work a bit harder to find a good one as a result.

>>28630743
>The US has no corners
Never been there but roadcurvature.com disagrees with you. I guess you live in some flatland state and don't travel much.

>>28627834
>>28630744
Thoughts on older diesel convertibles? Is it bearable in terms of noise and smell?

Not even sunroofs survived the great depression of car design. I refuse to drive anything made after 2010 because it's simply a downgrade in luxury and quality. Modern cars are a bad joke.

>>28630723
T roc is a good car in 2025 u trippin

>>28630764
>TSI
>DSG
No thanks