This week on a whim I rented a convertible from Hertz instead of the usual Mazda3 or Ford Focus. My goal was to find out whether or not my life was compatible with a convertible, a manual convertible at that.
Long-time friends are aware of my current infatuation with MR2 Spyders and Bimmer Z3s. I read articles about them all day it seems on the web. I circle around them in parking lots. I know the slight cosmetic differences between the model years. I know what the cost is per model year, how much it costs to maintain, how much luggage can be carried, how many were sold per year, and the demographics of ownership. What I did not know was how it felt to live with one on a day-to-day basis.
Last year I had rented a Ford Thunderbird convertible, also on a whim. That was an automaitc V8 monster that had to be filled up every other day. It was an old man’s car - an american old man’s car at that. And it seemed the antithesis of what I wanted in a convertible - small, light, fun-to-drive. So really, "simulated roadster ownership" did not happen with the T-Bird.
This week however, I spent my time with the Toyota Solara convertible, although far from being a small, light, 2-seat convertible. It was a midsize four-seater. Still, it was closer simulating the owner experience than the T-Bird. It also had an automanual, that, while not really a manual, was probably halfway there.
How did it go?
The first day, I was totally distracted by the sound of the wind, the sun, and all those things that you were supposed to appreciate in the open-top experience. My long years of driving an automatic also made me irritated at the fact that I had to shift for myself (although without a clutch). I was also a bit embarrased by the fact that I was driving a look-at-me car. Finally, I was inconvenienced by the fact that everything had to be locked down in the trunk, lest my notebook be stolen. It seemed like the convertible life and myself were not compatible.
But a couple of days later, I actually had gotten used to most of it. The feel of the sun and wind on my skin and hair turned out to be pretty enjoyable. Its probably a good way to get myself a healthy color. The automanual was almost 2nd nature now, the compliments that I get from pedestrians for my ride actually made me feel good. Also, locking stuff in the trunk before I leave wasnt as hard a habit to learn as I first thought it would be.
So really, the convertible life and myself is not that incompatible at all. Except for the cargo issue (the MR2 spyder and the BMW Z3 have very little), I would be ok. The only issue now is the extra expense that is required to either own a weekend car, or the additional expense to trade the old car in for the convertible.
But then, I really dont need a convertible. And it IS a bit distracting. The other day I scratched the Solara during parking; not used to the wide flanks, I scratched against a pillar in underground parking while listening to jazz music. I was worried for a bit, but my credit card has travel insurance to cover it, and it wont even be recorded as part of my driving history.
Maybe I should read some more articles on the internet before I decide.
