Kids, Don't try this at home.

Caught in a rain shower today on the freeway with the top down. Rain was fairly light, only lasted about 5 minutes. Remembered seeing a post somewhere claiming we don't get wet if we keep the speed up, so I kept going.

NOT.

I was doing 70+, windows up. 1st my hair got wet, then the water started moving along the side window and start dripping off the back of the glass. Didn't have a chance to check if the water on the windshield travel up over the top of the windshield and dripped into the inside yet.

And of course the people beside me, with their wipers going, looked at me funny!

 

Hmm. I've done it many times w/o getting wet in my 911 and in my Z. If the window is down at all, the water runs along the side of the window and into the car. Last Saturday I was driving in the mountains and went through a torrential downpour for a few miles with the top down and my hair was moist but not wet. Try it again
rich

 

I drove my 2000 Trans Am with the t-tops off in the rain, only 10% of the drops make it to the interior (mind you t-tops not convertible).

Still I ruin an AMP becuz a rain drop hit the power connector.

Omer

 

i am fine when it rains even with the windows down. the only water that gets me is the water that is pushed in by the windshield wipers on the drivers side. it drips in. my hair is fine.

although, of course when it rains hard, then i would get wet with the windows up or down.

 

sorry, but WHY would you guys do this?

 

i dont think anybody does it by choice. it usually happens if i am on a freeway and it starts to rain. if it is a light rain, i just keep on going, because i dont get wet... but if it gets heavy, then i try to find someplace to pull over and put the top back up.

 

how about your guys interior is it ok to get it lightly wet? cloth or leather interior?

 

I've owned convertibles for years and have unfortunately gotten caught in the rain with my top down more than a few times. As long as you can maintain at least 50mph you are not going to get wet. All of my cars are treated with Rain X, same story as long as I am going fairly fast I don't need my wipers.So I don't get any water coming in the sides due to my wipers. Sometimes some water may come up over the windhield but that is pretty rare. But, once you slow down you are going to get nailed. It is kind of fun to catch a glimpse of the drivers around you who think you must be some kind of idiot.

 

I did drive with the top down in the wet more than 10+ times, I never see any water going into my interior. not even from the wipers. But usually have my windows up and doing 60+km/h. I think it is depending how you detemine how heavy the rain is lol!!!

 

I wish we have rain here in California so I can test it out........

 

hope this is not some prank to fool the gullible Z owners.

A little scared to jeopardize the leather in the car just to see if water gets in my car.

I guess it's good to know that if a little sprinkly developes while I have my top down is not the end of the world....

 

u Guys R crazy LOL

 

Just got caught out in it tonight. It wasn't too bad as long as I could maintain 60 MPH. I put the side windows up and the only noticeable water intrusion was at the very trailing edge of the sides. Slowed down even slightly for traffic and it got (predictable) bad.

There's a saying in air-to-air combat aviation, "speed is life". Anecdotal observation of the fuselage vorteces of the ZR body in the rain would seem to bear this out.

No matter - jamming in the roadster with the top down is the greatest.

 

You guys that ride in the rain w/ top down....do you guys have clothe interiors?

 

leather.

yeah, the looks you get are kind of funny. "look at that idiot driving in the rain, he must be getting soaked!"

 

HAHAHAHA...

I MUST TRY DRIVING TOP DOWN IN THE RAIN THEN!!! I want to see those looks...maybe i can snap some pics....hehe

 

Got caught in the rain today with my top down on the way to the NJ Z Club car show at Warnock Nissan in Morristown. Had the top down maintained between 65-85mph no water in car at all even with my windows down.Had to put top us as soon as I got off of the highway. Rain had stopped by mid afternoon. On way home had top down and it began raining again. Stopped below an undepass just before extiting highway and put top up. Stayed completely dry.

 

any engineers that can explain this incredible phenomenon?

 

I am not an engineer, but it simply seems to be the result of your winshiled moving forward, hitting the drops of rain, clearing the space behind it (the car's interior). The drops of rain are simply not dropping fast enough to hit your interior after they have cleared your windshield. Hence, your interior stays dry. The faster you go, the longer your cabin can be.

Makes sense?

 

in addition to the windshield clearing the way out, does the car create some sort of air pressure stuff around the car that prevents the water to get in?