I was cruising down the highway today, top down, and passed under some ominus looking clouds. My first thought was, "where can I dive off the road to put the top up if needed?" Then I remembered reading that if you're driving fast enough, rain won't fall into the car. Considering how much air is blowing from the back between the front seats I'm a little skeptical of this.

I know someone out there has been caught topless in the rain...let's have those stories so I know if I should be concerned about this.

Thanks...

Paul

 

. . . Gee, haven't they tackled this question yet on MYTHBUSTERS?

 

No concern as long as you dont stop. It REALLY DOES work to keep the top down in even heavy rain, and you dont get a drop in at all!! My wife has the windscreen and that may have something to do with helping, but it was such a weird thing to see, wipers going pouring out, and my wife's top down. When we pulled into the gas station she had a few drops inside from slowing down and stopping, but she had the top down and it was raining for a good 40 minutes, and she was dry as can be!!

 

I know what you meant, but that's still pretty funny.

Thanks...I don't think I'll look for rain but if it finds me I won't be too worried.

Paul

 

I have driven in pretty heavy rain with the top down. You don't get wet really, but the backseats get soaked.

 

Yeah, backseats get soaked. Front seats are fairly dry but not if you don't have your windows up. Then you'll get wet. Good thing the water cleans off the leather well.

 

With the windscreen, nothing gets wet inside the car at all....

 

Haven't tried this with the MINI, but did it once in my Sebring Convertible. The rain wasn't getting in the car(front seats), but the windshiled wiper on the driver's side would push the water to the top left corner of the windshield, and then it would pour right into my lap.

Darn that rain was COLD!!!!!!!!!!

 

I only had the top down in the rain on my drive back after picking up my car in Utah. Along the freeway to California, I was racing against a thunderstorm. I didn't want to stop, since the thunderstorm was moving in my direction of travel, and I was outrunning it in my Mini. Hardly a drop of rain on me, and with the wind deflector, the backseats were quite dry.

It's quite an experience to drive topless in the rain, particularly if you enjoy attention - there's bound to be quite a few people looking at you funny.

 

I haven't yet tried this, just got my windscreen a few weeks ago.

 

When I had my Jeep i had a Summer top on, (Flap of cloth over the driver & passanger), and my mom and I got caught in a MASSIVE quick rain. We where getting a little wet, until I had to stop at the light, and a HUGE column of wather came off the flap of cloth, and right into my lap.

Lets just say the lights on the controls never worked again. During the middle of the night I get a phone call from the guy accross the street telling me my garage was open, and there was this horn blowing.

So its me, at 3am in PJs trying to remember where I put the wrentch, and getting the battery off. Oh yeah, entire electrical failure. I could drive it, but the lights and horn and things would go on and off, and just go crazy.

Turned out it just need a few days to try, and that was that. Still things didn't work 100%, but now I have a better car. =)

 

I did it. I unexpectedly tried the "roof open in the rain" experiment. The rain was not a downpour, more of a light sprinkle. I had treated all my windows with Rain-X. I was travelling at freeway speeds. The net effect was that the water would bead up and slide upwards and fly off the edge of the glass on the windshield. On the sides, the water would slide off the windows and fling into the back seat with the windows all the way up or onto my shoulders and the headrests with the windows only partially raised. My conclusion is that you can run in the rain if you have the windows up and wipe down the back seat.

 

What neilgj said.

I was driving at approx. 90 MPH on the highway in Colorado, pouring down rain so hard it was going sideways, big ol' semi trucks with their wipers flinging left-right-left-right as fast as can be, and me with my top down just singing at the top of my lungs to my CDs. Not a drop of rain came inside, just some minor dribble from up the windshield (pushed by the wiper blades) and up over the top, but I kept a microfibre towel to blot it when needed. When I finally did stop, I noticed some water droplets on the rollbars, but nothing else (I have the windscreen).

Needless to say, the truckers just thought I was a stoopid California girl. Must've looked pretty darn silly at that!

 

I've done it a couple of times now. Love it!!!!! I keep the side windows up just to keep the residue of the front windshield from wrapping around. I only have two lights on my way to work and they generally are green my way, so I feel free to go topless on raining days.

Did it one day on the freeway too. Loved all the looks from people as they saw BABY topless with the windshield wipers going. Had maybe three drops on the passenger seat. Heck, I would get more drops on me walking from the car to wherever, so, I would do it every trip that has minimal stops.

I keep my top down as much as possible, otherwise, might as well have gotten a hardtop car.

 

what about the huge splashes that come from cars on the other side of the freeway? They splash all over my Blazer and onto the sunroof (My mini hasnt been delivered yet but i want to be prepared

 

I haven't encountered any big splashes like that to date. I rarely do in my other vehicles really. If you are talking about the mist that comes up pretty thick from the tires in front of you, that seems to go right over the car just as the regular rain does.

 

you silly Cali girls

 

I was driving down the interstate when up ahead I saw it..."I wonder if that's rain." My husband in the pass. seat and daughter in the back. Then it hit, a good summer quick downpour. The people in front of me slowed down and I couldn't get over, other cars. Most of the rain went over us, but some did trail around from the top of the windshield area onto the gauges, they were just kinda damp, not even enough to wipe of really. It was a good thing we had to slow down, water was standing in the road and at spots I could feel the MINI wiggle. It was one of those downpours thats real quick, but so much rain the roads can have standing water and people wreck.
The funny thing is I had just told my husband about someone leaving a message on here about getting caught in the rain with the top down.

It was fun! We were laughing and having a good time.

 

I was driving to a meeting in Westchester County NY a few weeks back via the Garden State Parkway and over the Tappan Zee bridge (a looooong bridge over one of the widest points of the Hudson River) and halfway up the Parkway it began drizzling a little. I had the windscreen in and the top down so I decided to try out this Science Experiment.... I was amazed but it really worked !! At highway speeds of 65 to 75 mph very very little water got into any part of the car - a few drops on the roll bars but that was about it. Auto windshield wipers often went on high speed and still no problems. Going over the bridge in the pouring rain was a real treat (glad I had EZ-Pass so I didn't have to stop !!)

I always have the windows down when top is down - a personal statement - but I was lucky that there were no strong cross-winds. That might have diverted some water inside, especially curling from the windscreen. Having windows up would certanly provide extra insurance.

I am not sure I would do this much on purpose - but if you are traveling quickly with few stops and get caught in a storm, then just relax and go with the experience !!

Bill

 

Well this is an interesting and encouraging thread since I'm considering getting a MCc and live in Seattle. Storms can come out of nowhere here. I could keep cruising home hit the garage door opener and pull the hand brake. There's only 2 stops from the hwy.

 

Go for it, Crusoe!!

 

Check out the 1st Film on page 3! :-)
http://www.mini.com/com/en/download_gallery/index.jsp

 

We definitely checked out the top down in the rain theory this weekend. We were driving back into town from a road trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York and hit rain as soon as we got back to Ohio. We did feel a small amount of spray, but stayed quite dry considering the pouring rain. When it was time to get off the freeway we made sure to pick an exit with a bridge where we could put the top up as quickly as possible. It was fun to see all the looks we got as we drove along in the pouring rain with the top down!

 

It has been very dry in New Mexico this year but yesterday I had a couple of rain showers on the way home. I've folded up my wind deflector (thanks to cabrio posts) and have been motoring without it in the warmth of late spring. I still had no trouble with the rain drops, as long as I kept above 55 or so. I did pull off under an overpass bridge as I approched town, low speeds, stoplights and, in this case, lightning. I pulled up behind a pair of motorcyclists. With my finger on the top up botton, I mentioned "I'm cheating!" I was off in a few seconds while they waited for the shower to end.

 

Here in ATL we have really quick, really heavy thunderstorms that sneak up on you. I was going about 75mph on Hwy 285 (yeah the speed limit is 55 but NOBODY goes the speed limit. Not even the old ladies.) A thunderstorm started with some really heavy rain. The top was down, auto-wipers on, and the only water that got on me was from the water flipping in from the driver's side of the windshield... where the wipers push the water to the edge. Other than that, not a drop from the sky! I did hit some traffic, and had to slow to about 45mph, but I still stayed dry!

I never really wanted to test that, but now that I know it really works, screw stopping to put the top up! HA!