Surely not just for sunny days.......
 

.... over here in the UK I see many drivers of convertibles with the their roofs up even when it's sunny..... why do people buy convertibles if they're not going to take every opportunity to get it down...? Posers perhaps......waiting for just the right temp.?

I for one, subscribe to the theory that if it's dry...get the roof off.

I see plenty of users on here mentioning "the end of season" time of year.

How often do you guys and girls go topless and what temperature is your limit..?

Admittedly she's not my DD but I do try to drive her at least twice a week including at least one day a week to work on lovely, quiet, twisty, Shropshire B-roads.

Last year, before I consulted the user manual, I had the roof off at minus 2C...won't do it again due to the risk of damage to the roof mechanism but that's the only reason... after all, the heaters in these cars are exceptional and with the deflector and windows up, it's not a buffeting cockpit.

Just curious is all.......hats and scarves were invented for a reason.

Happy topless motoring :)

Si.

Temperature range: (F) 55-85
Sunny or cloudy, day or night, as long as it's not raining.
However, since it's my daily, the top stays up if I have to arrive somewhere 100% fresh and neat of appearance. (ex. For a meeting with the boss or a client, etc)
The climate control does a good job of taking the edge off of the extremes of the above temps. ;)

I used to be more extreme, but I must be getting softer as I get older.
Also, I have never driven with the top down and the windows up. I have to have the full open car experience or not at all. ;)

Simple answer as to why I keep mine seasonal, SALT! They love to skimp on the actual plowing of the snow and instead just dump loads of salt on the ground to melt it in Chicago. As far as top down driving, the Box is pretty much top down every time I pull out of the garage.

Why do people always go to the 'posers' argument just because someone does something different than them? I love driving my car, but there are times putting the roof down makes no sense, such as if I'm heading to a business meeting and need to keep presentable.
As to temps....well, temp itself is not the deciding factoR alone. It's a combination of temp and sun. A nice clear sunny day? Top usually goes down if temp is in double digits (Celsius).

I used to not drive with the windows up, but now I have tried just leaving the passenger window up and it's great. The wind is way down but you don't feel enclosed.

Also below 40 F, I stop driving the car because I have summer tires and it would get dangerous.

On the track, its roof up, windows down cuz that's the rules. On cool sunny days, it's roof down, windows up. A few degrees warmer, laid bare! Really hot and sticky in the city, all up and a blast of AC! That's the beauty of having an electric roof: an easy choice. Drop the top at the drop of a hat! :cool:

The simple answer is that Boxsters only came as convertibles :rolleyes:! It doesn't mean you have to take the top down. Sometimes I don't feel like getting cooked, or freezing, or I'd rather listen to the radio than the wind, so I leave the top up. In winter (November through March here) I use my hard top to keep out the cold, snow and slush.

Besides, why do you care whether or not other people drive with the top down? Do whatever blows your hair back ;)!

It gets really hot here in Texas during the summer. No top down for me during that time. Maybe an occasional night drive, but those are rare too when it is still in the mid 90's F at night. There are many convertibles here, some people drive with their tops down even on the hottest days. The top is down for me all fall and winter though.

No offense to those that do, but I can't understand putting the top down then rolling the windows up.
If it's too hot to put the top down, don't put it down.
I do leave my AC on when the top is down, but with the temp set on 80 degrees.

Actually since I don't use the Porsche as a DD, the top stays down WAY more than it is up.

The top is only used for parking in questionable areas and/or getting caught out driving when a shower pops up.

The only time the top is up is when I am parked where I can not see the car or it is raining.
Being in San Diego, we don't get much rain, nor does it normally get below 40. It does get hot, sometimes 100+, but not too often. When it is hot, AC is on and closer, heater is on.

Of course at the track, top is up for the rules and safety.

It's a roadster, so top and windows down is the proper configuration

"Hater-blockers" as I refer to them(have 5% tint on mine) ;)

Sometimes I push top down beyond uncomfortable
Last night my wife and I were driving home top down (3 hours, top down, into a 4 hour drive)
It was dark, about 56 degrees. We had the heat going, windows up. My wife had her hoodie up over here head.
I was just about to get onto the highway and drive 75-80 mph.
I'm either getting to old or just smarter - I put the top up

We even commented before I pulled over - Why do we have the top down with the heat on, windows up and bundled up at night???

Also sometime the trip isn't long enough (15 mins or less) to justify (my mind) putting it down just to put it right back up

It is out of habit for me from living in Germany. Out on the autobahn, cruising at 130 mph, you get nothing but loud wind noise. Both in my Boxster or my BMW, the roof was down any time possible but the windows were always up when I was really moving. I do the same thing here if I have to go out on the interstate for extended trips. Now back roads and such, all windows are down. Esp. with the BMW, with the roof down, windows up, you can have a regular conversation without having to yell at each other.

That exemplifies the two different types of driving we do.
I rarely take the highway when in the convertible.
Here in Florida the roads are set up in such a linear pattern that many roads all go to the same place.
So we can cruise up the coastline for a slower, but quieter trip.

Thanks for the clarification.

My top is down if it's 50 F or higher. Or if I have a broad in the car. And you can safely assume that by my using the word "broad", I don't have many female passengers.

The weather can be absolutely perfect and I will keep the top up and the AC running.

Why? Allergies. On our most gorgeous days in Houston, the pollen count and ragweed spore count are off the charts.

And people wonder why I so desperately want to move away from Houston.

LOL classic!! :cheers:

Top down for the most part till it gets down to 40 f. Sometimes on a long ( over 100 miles ) hi way trip I will keep it up. If it starts raining I just go faster and put the windows up.

Last year we were up in the Adirondack mountains checking out the fall leaves. About 50 degrees and kinda raining. We were cruising around 65 mph, so the rain was not getting into the cabin. We come up on a road block for an immigration check point. The boarder patrol cop asks if we are getting wet with the top down. My wife shoots back, not as long as we keep moving. The cop just laughs and says have a nice day :cool:

My top down range is 65-80 (used to be 85). I don't do the top down, windows up thing.

And don't call me Shirley. ;)

I guess you picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue

Only time top doesn't go down is when pollen season is off the charts, like I can see the pollen flying off the car from the wipers.
I also take the top down if there's a light drizzle and I'm going at least 65 mph.
I've done top down with snow on the ground a few times, just have to make sure the car is in a warm garage when the top is lowered.

Don't have to worry about snow or a cold garage here in beautiful sunny San Diego

Here you are a member of the TopDown365 club :dance:

Here in Hawaii I always keep the top up from 10-5, otherwise you'll burn up. Nighttime is awesome especially under a full moon! Rain squalls also can be an issue. Funny how many tourists rent convertibles and must open them no matter what. Many of them get burned to a crisp...

yeah but "Ring of Fire" club = Earth quakes... and worse, no 93 octane.

Ill take the rare earthquake any day over hurricanes and tornadoes
Earthquakes are few and far between as well as pretty rare down here

No 93, well that's really not a big deal, runs fine on 91. If I'm at the track, I can get 100 or use octane boost if I want. There are also stations that do sell higher than 91, just not that many

You can't buy the weather.
Well I guess actually we do pay for it as the cost of living here is higher, but no matter what you might be willing to pay, ya just don't have San Diego weather other places

Right, which is especially fortunate if you like to ski :dance:!

Ahh yes, but there is reasonably good skiing just 2 hours away and great skiing 5-6 hours away.
In fact you can go surfing in the morning and be skiing by lunch in the same day

Here in Los Angeles top down almost all the time no problem, even on the way to Big Bear Mountain ski resorts this time of the year.

It's coming right at us!!!!!!!!

Gasp! There's a sale at Penny's!

Car gets put away in November. I don't have to drive her so I don't. Summer tires, snow and cold Temps don't mix. Other than that the top is down unless I'm on a longer interstate trip somewhere. It gets tiring driving 80 with the top down for 3 hours. It's back down when I get where I am going.

I've been fishing, shooting, and played golf all in the same day. Need to work skiing into that, but I have not skied for about 20 years, easy.

I need to tour the gas light district of SD. Heard all about it. I service / rebuild them occasionally. Love old gas lights.

yes, but I don't think you can surf in the Great Salt Lake LOL
Not sure about hunting, but we do have a LOT of golf courses including Torry Pines

Let me know when you get to San Diego, the Gas Lamp area is nice.

I have an overly-optioned dealer demo car (launch car), so I have air-conditioned seats. Plus I have heated seats. :dance:

Which means I can stretch the top down days to about 270 a year. If the temps are over 92 or below 60 (BRRRR! Fireplace weather!) then the top stays up.

It depends on mood. Mine is my DD, and some mornings I'll leave the top up. If the weather is very hot, I'll leave it up. Or if it's raining..

Really, some of the most enjoyable top down driving happens in the evenings and at night. I'm looking forward to top down winter driving with the seat heater on high!

Below 55F the top stays up. Plastic window.

So top down like 3 hours per year?

Land must be cheap that far north in that cold of weather.

Top down
 

I am in the UK also. My Boxster S is on the road 6 months of the year and it becomes my daily driver. It has to be heavy rain, snow or hail for me not to have the top down,. Its on the road from July to December each year, this will be my sixth year. I did crack the original window in the extreme cold one year, but I was able to take it off and stitch another one in. If it is extremely cold now I heat the car up first before I put the top down. I find with heated seats and the excellent Porsche heater its a great way to drive. I can here my exhaust better to, its awesome.

If I think it's too hot or cold...88F or higher with sun blazing, or below 65F, I put the top up cause I don't want to be uncomfortable just for the sake of having the top down. The car is still fun to drive with the top up. When I see folks with their top down below 45 degrees or so, I think they're a bit too desperate to show others that they have a convertible.

Top down
 

I put the top down today....so I could put the hard top on :p. It's starting to get cold (it is almost mid-October after all).