Convertible experts: So you're driving to the store/market with the top down and park your roadster. Do you usually just leave the top down or do you put the top up? When would you want to put the top up (assuming nice weather conditions)?

By the way, I was thinking about this the other day as I was filling up...if the top is down and you park the car and lock it with the FOB, can't someone access your hood? I assume the alarm will go off? (as you can see, I haven't tried this yet with my car)

Or how about someone unlocking the doors from the inside--will this set the alarm off as well? If not, wouldn't that be easy trunk access?

--convertible newbie

 

I have putting my top up if I go in anywhere that I can't still see the car. I don't trust anyone. I think if someone unlocked it from the inside, your alarm would think everything is ok. I am thinking about putting an alarm system with sensors on mine. The alarm dealer says that would keep your car safe with the top down.

 

I'd put the top up. You don't want bird poop on your seat, do you?

Les

 

I leave the top down. Never had a problem. If I'm going to be away from the car for a few hours, I do throw a car cover on it. More to prevent the UV exposure than anything else.

 

If you lock the car with the fob and someone reaches in and opens it the alarm will go off. I put my top up mostly cuz I go somewhere and I can't see it from where I am. If I can see it then I will leave it down, but even at home I pull into the garage but if I'm home a short time and leave in the driveway I put it up so dust, pollen and crap dont settle in. Here in Orlando it can be sunny and you leave the car a few minutes and whammo it pours down rain for 3 minutes. There is the psychology that if you leave the top down at least thieves won't cut your top to get in, I keep nothing in my car except the radar and I cann unclip it and throw it in the trunk or carry it with me if I really want to. They do have car alarms that have motion sensors so if someone even reaches in your car it will go off too.

 

if you reach in to unlock the doors with the top down, the alarm will sound. As far as up or down, it just depends on where I am, really. I don't want some jealous nimrod to spit in the seat or throw trash in there, or something like that. For goodness sake, I have people throw trash in the bed of my pickup sometimes. If they'd do that, it would only take one jealous, ruthless moron to mess up the interior. It's sad we don't have that freedom because of a few idiots, but that is the reality. More often than not...the top goes up!

srm

 

I work on a gated compound on a military facility, so I feel pretty safe leaving the top down at work, although I do worry about little gifts from the birds.

If I'm out at a 7-11, or the mall.. up goes the top.. too many ****** around.

 

I always put the top up, unless its real quick.

1) Stupid People as mentioned above.

2) Sun is deadly on interior.

3) When the top is down it is FOLDED up into a tiny space. Leaving something folded over time causes wrinkles. Like your clothes when you travel.

4) Why not its quick up/down.

 

I have owned convertibles since I;ve been driving back in the 60's(yeah I'm an old fart) and own a few now including my roadster. Normally I have no problem leaving top down if it's for less than an hour or so. Obviously, it also depends where I am at, but a convertible top is not exactly Fort Knox. I grew up in NY city and never locked any of my convertibles. I figured it was easier to deal with a missing car than with a top that was slit to gain entry. Never were any of my convertibles vandalized or stolen. But, my locked hard tops were both vandalized and stolen. Seems kind of odd.

 

I love to drive my Z with the top down but, as with everyone else, I don't trust anyone as far as I can throw them. I've heard too many stories about crap that gutless morons do to innocent "Z" cars. When the car parks, the top goes up!!

As far as the question about accessing the hood while the top is down and the alarm is on, all you have to do is reach in the car and pull the hood release and wammo...you've got your hands on a 3.5 litre Nissan motor and any mods you might want to take. The sorry folks at Nissan did not hook up the hood to the alarm system.............

 

I've been putting my top up now at night when I garage it just cuz someone mentioned wrinkling earlier in this thread. I'm wondering if you can get the top tightened every few months if it does start to get wrinkles or whatever.

 

yeah someone can throw trash or worse some smooties. But wont the top break eventually if you keep puting it up and down wont the motor fail-newbie

 

The top is meant to go up and down. I have owned convertibles almost since before there were power tops. Just sold my 1966 Mustang convertible with power top, had it for 17 years no problems with the motor. The only thing I don't like about the new tops like the Z's--- toooo many moving parts, tooo much stuff that can potentially fail. On the other hand I guess I've got faith (hope) that they really tested these mechanisms as to their durability.

 

I have a proximity alarm on mine, anyone puts their hand inside top up ot down it will go off. Still I put my top up unless I run ito the store for a couple of minutes. Becarefull, some ******* could throw a cig. butt in or something.

Cheers.

 

Totally depends on where I'm going, where I park it, and how long I'm going to be where I am.

Given the weather will be ok, I usually leave the top down if I'm going to be away from the Z for less than an hour.

It also depends of course on where I am and my comfort level with leavnig the top down. If you don't feel comfortable with the top down while you're away from the car, then by all means, put it up.

 

I see 'verts parked with the top down all the time, and always wonder about it. I almost always put it up, unless it will be in sight, like right outside the window of a restaurant or something. The bird poop point is a good one though! I almost got pooped on while stopped at a light a few weeks ago! Heheh, that pissed me off at the time (it hit the windshield) but now that I think about it, it's kinda funny.