Love the update. I'm considering a Mini Cooper convertible but am torn. It would be parked on the street in DC, and I worry about someone slashing the top. Plus all the other environmental factors that ruin tops -- bird poop, pollen, the constant freeze/thaw cycle, etc.

Anonymous wrote:OP here! UDPATE!

I took your advice and rented a Mustang for a week for a road trip and fell in love. Then my boyfriend talked me out of buying a Ford, and I bought a 2016 Audi A5 in November. I LOVE it. I love how it drives, and it's very quiet. We have had a couple of warm days when I could put the top down. The car has heaters that aim at the head so that helps. Highly recommend!!

Awesome! I remember this thread. Congrats!
- owner of a Mustang convertible and an Audi

Anonymous wrote:OP here! UDPATE!

I took your advice and rented a Mustang for a week for a road trip and fell in love. Then my boyfriend talked me out of buying a Ford, and I bought a 2016 Audi A5 in November. I LOVE it. I love how it drives, and it's very quiet. We have had a couple of warm days when I could put the top down. The car has heaters that aim at the head so that helps. Highly recommend!!

Congrats OP! Thanks for the update.

^^bc Miatas have rear-wheel drive

Excellent, OP! I'm the California PP with the BMW 4 series hardtop. I also loved the Audi (but as I mentioned I wanted a hard top and 4 seats so I had no options.)

To the nay-sayers, I've also had three Miatas, back in the old days, pre-kids. I had one in Boston, and parked on the street in the Back Bay on Commonwealth Ave. for years. I remember driving with the top down and it starting to snow--what a treat! That car is still living, zipping around in NH now.

So imo having a convertible in DC weather is totally doable. The only thing I would say is because DC is swampy weather so there is often freeze/thaw/freeze---meaning potentially icy on the roads, I'd get an AWD or front wheel drive. My Miata would fishtail a bit under certain conditions. Luckily Boston tended to stay cold or warm, so I didn't have the ice issue.

Anonymous wrote:OP here! UDPATE!

I took your advice and rented a Mustang for a week for a road trip and fell in love. Then my boyfriend talked me out of buying a Ford, and I bought a 2016 Audi A5 in November. I LOVE it. I love how it drives, and it's very quiet. We have had a couple of warm days when I could put the top down. The car has heaters that aim at the head so that helps. Highly recommend!!

Excellent. I just posted that you should get an Audi. I've had one for 4 years, and I love it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:50 yo widow who’d like to celebrate her mid-life crisis by getting a convertible. I don’t need to haul kids and my dog hates riding in the car. So a two-seater is do-able. I don’t know how to drive a manual, though. I’ve been driving a 2004 Toyota and deserve a treat.

Any advice or recommendations welcome...

Go for it! Buy a three year old Mercedes, Audi, BMW and you will save a ton of money and they all have automatic transmission. Don’t listen to the naysayers. You deserve to have some fun. Go on CarGuru and search for used cars in your local area.

+1. I love my convertible. Get a used Audi. Beautiful, classic cars. Look online -- there are dealers that specialize in buying cars coming off lease.

Better invest in some earplugs.

https://www.webmd.com/men/news/20110105/driving-convertibles-can-hurt-hearing

OP here! UDPATE!

I took your advice and rented a Mustang for a week for a road trip and fell in love. Then my boyfriend talked me out of buying a Ford, and I bought a 2016 Audi A5 in November. I LOVE it. I love how it drives, and it's very quiet. We have had a couple of warm days when I could put the top down. The car has heaters that aim at the head so that helps. Highly recommend!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:50 yo widow who’d like to celebrate her mid-life crisis by getting a convertible. I don’t need to haul kids and my dog hates riding in the car. So a two-seater is do-able. I don’t know how to drive a manual, though. I’ve been driving a 2004 Toyota and deserve a treat.

Any advice or recommendations welcome...

Go for it! Buy a three year old Mercedes, Audi, BMW and you will save a ton of money and they all have automatic transmission. Don’t listen to the naysayers. You deserve to have some fun. Go on CarGuru and search for used cars in your local area.

+1. You can get a good deal on a luxury car coming off lease. Most of these cars have very classic shapes and will look good for a very long time.

I agree that DC doesn't have the best convertible weather. However, there are fall days that are gorgeous, and a good luxury convertible is quiet with the top up, so it's not a big deal. The Audi "Quattro" will have all wheel drive, which is nice if its your only car and you're concerned about driving on snow.

I like the look, but it appears to have a soft top? Which ones have a hard top?

I live in DC and am on my second convertible and my top is down late spring through early fall.

Anonymous wrote:I used to drive a Wrangler. I’ve since had the top of my head shaved and had skin cancer removed from the top of my head. Unless you plan to fill wrap your head, covering your ears and neck, I’d never suggest just baking in a convertible.

I just keep extra hats in my car, along with powder brush-on sunscreen that is quick to apply.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:50 yo widow who’d like to celebrate her mid-life crisis by getting a convertible. I don’t need to haul kids and my dog hates riding in the car. So a two-seater is do-able. I don’t know how to drive a manual, though. I’ve been driving a 2004 Toyota and deserve a treat.

Any advice or recommendations welcome...

Go for it! Buy a three year old Mercedes, Audi, BMW and you will save a ton of money and they all have automatic transmission. Don’t listen to the naysayers. You deserve to have some fun. Go on CarGuru and search for used cars in your local area.

+1. You can get a good deal on a luxury car coming off lease. Most of these cars have very classic shapes and will look good for a very long time.

I agree that DC doesn't have the best convertible weather. However, there are fall days that are gorgeous, and a good luxury convertible is quiet with the top up, so it's not a big deal. The Audi "Quattro" will have all wheel drive, which is nice if its your only car and you're concerned about driving on snow.

I used to drive a Wrangler. I’ve since had the top of my head shaved and had skin cancer removed from the top of my head. Unless you plan to fill wrap your head, covering your ears and neck, I’d never suggest just baking in a convertible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do not have a climate in DC that is amenable to convertibles. California, maybe. Here, it is either too cold for the top down or too muggy/hot to enjoy it. The spring/fall temps are fleeting.

Get a fun car like a Mini Cooper or the like but skip a car that you won't be able to enjoy most of the year.

Not true. Sure, we have some hot and muggy days but we also have days like today. Perfect convertible weather!

Yup. And I use mine all year. AC unless it is over 95ish works just fine and running the heat until below 50. I love it.