{"id":5979,"date":"2019-05-23T00:36:11","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T23:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/?p=5979"},"modified":"2019-05-23T16:09:55","modified_gmt":"2019-05-23T15:09:55","slug":"convertible-chic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wheelsforwomen.ie\/index.php\/convertible-chic\/","title":{"rendered":"Convertible Chic . . ."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"convertible\"<\/a>It seems nothing beats wind in your hair driving, Geraldine Herbert finds out why convertible drivers love their cars so much!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

On a sunny day, nothing comes closer to instant glamour and sex appeal than driving an open-topped car. When a curvaceous, red convertible nudges up to you in bumper-to-bumper traffic the appeal is instant.<\/p>\n

Convertibles are the very epitome of cool, whether petite, practical, old or new they are certainly one of the most glamorous ways to beat the summer heat and more and more of us are opting for style rather than boot space.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just love the feeling of the very rare Irish sun on your face\u201d<\/i> says Suzanne Sheridan proud owner of a 2007 BMW 630i \u201cI have to admit for me, the roof only comes down in good weather but it is nice driving into work on those cold but sunny autumn mornings, you just need to put on your heated seats\u201d<\/p>\n

And Suzanne is not alone, this summer; people all over the country will be hitting the roads with their tops down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d always loved the look of the SLKs and I made it my goal to work hard enough to be able to afford one\u201d says Charlotte Ashton PR manager, who last year purchased a 2004 Mercedes Benz SLK her first convertible.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy Father had a BMW Z3 and I still remember the feeling of being thrown back in the red leather bucket seats as he accelerated away \u2013 it certainly made the drive to the supermarket more exciting\u201d<\/p>\n

After years of driving ordinary cars, Charlotte is now a devout disciple of the convertible and has no plans of going back.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the first glimpse of some rays, the roof is down\u201d<\/p>\n

Like many Irish convertible owners, Charlotte and Suzanne fall within the largest convertible-buying demographic. Females are a third more likely to drive convertibles than men and are the targets of many clever marketing ploys in a bid to turn win their affections.<\/p>\n

Melanie Morris, Editor of Image Magazine, admits to being a marketer’s dream and only chose her BMW Z4 \u201chaving been loaned a similar model by BMW’s canny PR department as a trial\u201d. Despite the allure, the reality of convertible driving may be more Bridget Jones than Grace Kelly \u201cbirds nest hair, watering mascara eyes, sunburn on the forehead and nose.\u201d Says Melanie \u201care the reality\u201d.<\/p>\n

But for Mags Reynolds, a solicitor from Dublin, one of the many women who purchase convertibles, “It’s just fun.”<\/p>\n

\u201c I picked a convertible because my previous car had been a Peugeot 205cc with a hard top\u201d says Mags who drives a 2007 sapphire blue MX5 with metal folding roof \u201cI adored it and was \u201chooked\u201d and just could not contemplate going back to a regular car, even one with a sunroof\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBest thing about driving a convertible is the absolute joy of having the open sky above, even being stopped under trees draws the eyes upwards and you feel much more connected with your surroundings\u201d<\/p>\n

These days almost every car maker has one in the family, ranging from tiny two-seat roadsters to the larger more practical four-seaters. \u00a0Inside convertibles are also safer places to be thanks to fixed or pop-up roll bars and front and side airbags.<\/p>\n

Hard-tops convertibles offer the best of both worlds with the solid roof of a coupe that can be folded away into the boot. The only compromise is added weight and sometimes evens less boot space than with a soft top.<\/p>\n

Still it doesn\u2019t stop convertibles being used for a host of activities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are very few limitations I\u2019ve hit with my car and I do a lot of adventure sports \u2013 diving, biking, climbing in very remote locations and in all sorts of crazy weather\u201d says Michelle Clarke, an IT Professional and owner of a Beetle Convertible \u201cI can put diving tanks in the back and I have an external bicycle mount that works great. The one thing I can\u2019t do is attach a surfboard to the soft top!\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not only women who are great optimists; men too are buyers of convertibles. \u00a0Who can forget the immortal image of James Dean leaning against his sleek silver Porsche 550 Spyder?<\/p>\n

Ryan Burke, a petrol head and car addict drives a MGF VVC. \u201cApart from it being fantastic value, it is mid-engined and great to drive\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you’re stuck in traffic jams on a daily basis, driving can become more like a chore than anything else so there’s something great about being able to put the roof down and head off for a drive just for the fun of it\u201d<\/p>\n

For Brendan McCoy, an IT Consultant, convertibles have been a lifelong passion.<\/p>\n

McCoy drives around Dublin in his Mazda MX5 roof down all year round.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you have a wind blocker and a good heater driving on a crisp winter night is great\u201d<\/p>\n

He does, however, recommend \u201cUnless you have a Jaguar or a Porsche convertible then there are the dreaded \u2018hairdresser\u2019 associations its best to have some AC\/DC on the stereo\u201d.<\/p>\n

And some convertibles are more hardcore than others. Will Baxter, a brand consultant with a background in transport design, drives a Toniq R, a kitcar powered by a 2 litre Ford Mondeo engine \u201cIt doesn’t even have a windscreen let alone a roof, so I have to wear a full face motorcycle helmet to drive it \u201csays Will.<\/p>\n

But maybe the love of convertibles is all in genes. \u201cMy favourite co-driver is my 93 year old Grandmother, Eleanor Baxter, born in Derry in 1920\u201d says Will \u201cShe\u2019s the only passenger who’s refused to wear a helmet. A fan of convertibles as well, owning a Fiat Spider in the 1960’s. So maybe risk taking and convertibles are in the blood\u201d.<\/p>\n

Everyone should own a convertible at least once in their lives. Nothing beats the feeling of open-top driving but wind-in-your-hair driving only appeals to about one per cent of new car buyers so second-hand cars are not abundant. If you decide to indulge take the time to choose the right car for you. Check the roof goes up and down smoothly but most importantly, talk to your insurance company first. Then drive it as much as possible year round and have fun!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Geraldine Herbert<\/strong><\/p>\n

23rd May 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It seems nothing beats wind in your hair driving, Geraldine Herbert finds out why convertible drivers love their cars so much! On a sunny day, nothing comes closer to instant glamour and sex appeal than driving an open-topped car. When a curvaceous, red convertible nudges up to you in bumper-to-bumper traffic the appeal is instant. 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