Top down motoring tips

[alpinamike]

at the mall,

People were

I just put the key in my pocket while pushing the button like i was talking to my car like Knight Rider..

-alpinamike

[lastrega]

Yeah,

but when I am motoring on the motorway or on a wisty road ... I am motoring ... my calls can wait

Rarely, I will answer the phone and say.. "call you back !!"

MD STREGA2

22 GS

[FUNMNI]

If there are no passengers in the back, I buckle the seat belts to minimize the noise of the clips moving.
(Since it's usually just me, I keep them buckled at all times - so I can just jump right in and go!)

[cubbyr]

ok stupid question. is a wind deflector the same as a windscreen that you put across the back seats? which is better if they are not the same? where do I get one?

[zzMini]

Originally Posted by cubbyr

ok stupid question. is a wind deflector the same as a windscreen that you put across the back seats? which is better if they are not the same? where do I get one?

YES it is the same! Not a stupid question, as "wind deflector" also can refer to something that deflects wind for an open sunroof on the coupe.
Go to the Mini dealer in Ohio - he sells brand new ones for 20% discount for NAM members. I spoke to him - he thinks they are absurdly overpriced, and is making it a little bit easier for us to buy one.
He guestimated about $10 to ship it, though that was not a firm estimate.

[BlueBonnet]

So many opinions. I find that below 20 degrees F a down lap blanket is very handy. The wind deflector is the only way to keep the back of my right arm from feeling cold, even with layers, below 30 degrees. In those conditions, I wear a hat . . . with the top of my head cold none of the other mitigations have much effect. Above 30 degrees all that is needed is a towel and stickers on the hubcaps saying, in large friendly letters, DON'T PANIC.

In subfreezing weather it isn't pleasant driving with the windows down above 50 mph. I'm sorry, but I get the whole year in comfort (hat, windows up, down lap blanket, jacket, leather gloves, wind deflector and heated seats) with the top down. No one else had their top down in my sights for months (including other MINIs).

Of course, I received my MINI in September. So, at 80 degrees F Sunday, well, that was as hot as its gotten. T-shirt, shorts, wind deflector and windows down, radio blasting, sun glasses, and the sweet blue sky. Oh, and DON'T PANIC written in large freindly letters on the hubcaps of the none runflat wheel/tires (no spare). Oh, and the towel for my son to use on the way to school, 59 degrees F, t-shirt, shorts, no judgement.

[Jersey_Bill]

I had to spend a Saturday running out to help a client with a project but got to motor a couple hundred miles in the process, and with the weather being rather turbulent and variable, here are some observations and experiences -

• When I left the sun was shining but I drove through two thuderstorms (complete with lightning) before arriving at destination. I had never tested the advice on motoring top down through the rain before but it worked like a charm - as long as you can keep the freeway speeds up, I had no more than a few drops hit the interior, other than for a bit of drip from the edge of the windscreen. It is an amazing experience to have your wipers on high speed with all the dark and gloomy clouds above but to be safe and dry.
• I got back late at night and had the chance to motor under the stars at high speed all the way back. The temps had dropped from 70s to high 50s but I was more than comfortable with the heated seats and a little heater activity. The wind at highway speeds (averaging 75 to 80 mph) makes for a different calculus of top-down motoring below 60 degrees, since the wind can draw off a lot more heat than at lower speeds, but the experience was great. I am not sure I would enjoy topless motoring at high speed in 30 or 40 degree temperature but may try it to confirm.

Bill

[DeeSquare]

Never user the windshield washers when the top is down.

[bblatt]

I love all these tips.....

Here is one that I learned early on when I bought mine last year.... I know the feeling of pulling up to a red light in town and the wrong music just happens to come blazing out....so I made up 2 CD's of "TOP DOWN TUNES". One is full of great rockin' guitars and drums, and the other has a good old collection of "Sing Along Tunes" thats good MOTORING music.

Yea....it turns heads.....but they are also smiling along with me as I motor on down the road!!

Happy Spring Everyone!
Barbara

[umberto]

really dumb question: when the cabrios first came out, I sat in one at the dealer while my MINI (hardtop) was being serviced, and the salesguy told me that this is the only convertible that you can open or close the top while moving ( I think he said up to 20mph).....what was he thinking?...I read on this thread that the mechanism is inactivated if the car is moving( forward ).....is there any scenerio where you can use the mechanism while moving?

[mmatarella]

Yes, you can move the top from closed to the full open sun roof position, or anywhere in between while driving. I believe they say at up to 75 mph. The first press with a closed top will start it opening and stops at the full open 'sun roof' position. Or you can release with the 'sunroof' part way open. You release and press again once the sunroof is fully open (if not moving) to have it release the front latchs and complete the process. The second phase from sunroof to top down won't work while driving forward at more than a dead slow crawl.

[MichelleN]

Do all verts have the convenience opening mode for using the key fob to put the sunroof/windows and then top down? I can't seem to get it to work, if this is true. I can only unlock the doors & boot. i've tried quite a few times and am guessing i just cant do it!

help!

[MiniTron]

The convenience open option has to be turned on for the Cabrio. On the Hardtop it is defaulted to on. You would have to talk to your dealer.

[zzMini]

Just learned something else new about my ragtop!! Most of you probably know already, but for those like me who, in spite of reading the manual, didn't quite catch this...

If you hold down the button to lower the roof, and after it is down, keep pressing without letting go, the windows all start going back up!!

Kinda neat if you are preparing to go on the highway and it's below 0! It saves you all that ernormous effort of releasing, finding th window up button, and holding it down - phew!!

[mmatarella]

Originally Posted by bblatt

I know the feeling of pulling up to a red light in town and the wrong music just happens to come blazing out....

Hmmm. You mean like Soft Cell's 'Sex Dwarf'?

[ImagoX]

Here's a tip, guys (thanks to the wife for this one)...

The next time you're at the grocery store, buy a cheap-o $3 hairbrush and keep it in the glove box or door pocket. married guys, you'll score extra points with the missus after a windy drive ("Here you go, hon- I bought this for you!") and single guys, you'll score QUADRUPLE points for thinking about her needs ahead of time.

Plus, "hat head" on sweaty days can be easily tamed with a few quick swipes.

As for music, the AUX input cable that I just put in allows me to pump tunes via playlist form my iRiver MP3 plyer- fits perfectly into the cup holder (but I'm pondering how to mount it elsewhere), so it's dead simple to make all your "Top Down Playlists" ahead of time and just cue 'em up!

[mmatarella]

...that fits in a standard cup holder. It is a spongy foam and has a hole in the center meant for a cell phone. Holds them nice and snug. They sell for about $5-6. Works well for FRS radios for runs or MP3 players. Got mine at Pep Boys, saw them at Target too.

[Mishka]

Originally Posted by ImagoX

Here's a tip, guys (thanks to the wife for this one)...

The next time you're at the grocery store, buy a cheap-o $3 hairbrush and keep it in the glove box or door pocket. married guys, you'll score extra points with the missus after a windy drive ("Here you go, hon- I bought this for you!") and single guys, you'll score QUADRUPLE points for thinking about her needs ahead of time.

Plus, "hat head" on sweaty days can be easily tamed with a few quick swipes.

My wife has long hair, so I keep a ball cap and a couple of hair clips(different sizes) that she can use to keep her hair under control. Unfortunately, her hair is long enough that a brush just wouldn't help!

As for me, I don't have enough hair to need a brush either.

[Banjo]

As a single guy I will tell you that is a major no no. Women do not think like men and this will backfire on you in a HUGE way. If you whip out that brush..she isnt gonna say "aww you are so sweet for thinking of me and my comfort". She is gonna say "Who's is this? Did you give this to some other girl when you were driving with her?" " You are so sleezy...is this your "move' you do with all girls? Trust me it won't be pretty. This advice is the same as keeping anything for a woman in your apt that she didnt bring herself.

Originally Posted by ImagoX

Here's a tip, guys (thanks to the wife for this one)...

The next time you're at the grocery store, buy a cheap-o $3 hairbrush and keep it in the glove box or door pocket. married guys, you'll score extra points with the missus after a windy drive ("Here you go, hon- I bought this for you!") and single guys, you'll score QUADRUPLE points for thinking about her needs ahead of time.

Plus, "hat head" on sweaty days can be easily tamed with a few quick swipes.

As for music, the AUX input cable that I just put in allows me to pump tunes via playlist form my iRiver MP3 plyer- fits perfectly into the cup holder (but I'm pondering how to mount it elsewhere), so it's dead simple to make all your "Top Down Playlists" ahead of time and just cue 'em up!

[ImagoX]

Nice tip. Although, due to the design of the iRiver, the cup holder all by itself is nearly perfect.. the rubber "fingers" grip the player very well- even during "spirited manuvers", it never budges. I'm thinking something like this, actually, mainly because I know the missus uses the cup holder:



I THINK that the suction cup can attach right to the dash panel under the vent... They say that a bit of curve does not affect the suction cup, so long as there are no channels or cracks to break the suction. Plus, holding it up in the air will allow me to plug in a power adapter, so I'll never run out of batteries again.

Sorry- not really Cabrio-specific, but still fun.

[ImagoX]

Hair clips! Another fantastic suggestion for that "special someone". Great idea, Mishka!

[meg]

I am a girl and the 'vert is mine, so I keep bobby pins, hair clips and a brush in the car at all times. Good call guys!

[cubbyr]

Hey, is this a record? It was 98 degrees here today and I rode with the top down. People looked at me like I was crazy. It WAS HOT. but If you have a vert use it.

[litabelle]

Sorry, 98 isn't a record. I was out on a run with my group last week: Coming down out of the mountains it got to 119 - Top Down. Sounds crazy, but now, the 90's are soooo bearable!

[BlueBonnet]

My temperature range with the top down is 9 to 105 F. It is definately easier to deal with the cold than the hot.