help me make up my mind - fastback or convertible

[MaskedRacerX]

I have owned both convertible and steel roof Mustangs. I have two steel roofs now, including a 15 fastback. Convertibles are great, when they are great. That means when it's sunny and 75-80 degrees, or a little warmer on a soft summer night. Convertibles are not great in the winter, when it's too cold to enjoy the top down, and they are awful in the heat. You haven't been hot until you have sat in traffic, in 100-degree heat, in the sun, in a convertible with black leather. Just say no.

Yeah, I'd agree it's a little dependent on your location.

In my neck of the woods summer, is a bit hot, there's a couple of months the top stays up during the day if were on the way to dinner or a school event, AC on, no problem, cool as can be, top gets dropped in the evenings or if I'm just cruising around.

We also have a month or so where it gets pretty darn cold, even the windows up, heat on trick isn't enough.

However, our fall, spring, part of winter and summer are all pretty amazing. Last December it was mostly mid-to-upper 70s, with many days in the low 80s. I go +weeks+ without putting the top up, really a convertible is usable (like 90% of the time with the top down) a good 8 months out of the year

Cool, sunny, low humidity, top down, cruising down A1A, heck, doesn't get much better than that

Is that a tow hitch on a mustang :frusty:

Heck, I've seen people drive Mustangs, Corvettes, you-name-it to track events towing a small trailer for their track tires. Doesn't seem like a big deal[?]

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[TheDivaDanielle]

Fastback. GT. Performance Pack.

pfffft. :shrug: :doh: addle:addle:addle:addle:addle:

Convertible. GT. Performance Pack. :cheers: :first:

 

[TheDivaDanielle]

I love to hear the laments of its too hot or its too cold for a convertible. It helps me realize how really fortunate I am to have been able to ride all over the US and part of Europe on a motorcycle. I learned not to complain about not having the comfort of a steel climate controlled cage.

Face facts, convertibles are for tough outdoors type people. If you almost die waiting for the AC to get up to speed in your car on a Summer day, Convertibles are not for you. If you are terrified that at any second you could flip your car on its top every time you drive it, Convertibles are not for you. If you are constantly on the lookout for symptoms of frostbite when the temperature drops below 50degrees, Convertibles are not for you.

But! If you enjoy the open road, the sun, the moon, the wind and smiling cuties at the Bus Stop asking for a ride then.... aw heck, you know the rest.

yeah but the beauty of the convertible is that the top can be up or down.

it has been over 100 lately for most of the month. I've kept the top up on insane days. I don't feel like I'm losing anything here, my AC blows super cold and it's just as good as a fastback on these days.

When it's less insane the top is down, and the fastback can't do that.

As for winter driving..

I do it and have in past Mustangs. Again, I never felt i was missing anything or that the car didn't adequately stay warm. /shrug.


Here's a picture of my '13 GT. A few days before it was here in the Rocky Mountains it was on the beaches of Malibu.

Not afraid of winter driving. As for my '16 GT, I only avoided it because it was brand new and still on summer only tires with all of 150 on the odometer at the time, but it shows here, i still drove it.

 

[seth21w]

Yeah, I'd agree it's a little dependent on your location.

In my neck of the woods summer, is a bit hot, there's a couple of months the top stays up during the day if were on the way to dinner or a school event, AC on, no problem, cool as can be, top gets dropped in the evenings or if I'm just cruising around.

We also have a month or so where it gets pretty darn cold, even the windows up, heat on trick isn't enough.

However, our fall, spring, part of winter and summer are all pretty amazing. Last December it was mostly mid-to-upper 70s, with many days in the low 80s. I go +weeks+ without putting the top up, really a convertible is usable (like 90% of the time with the top down) a good 8 months out of the year

Cool, sunny, low humidity, top down, cruising down A1A, heck, doesn't get much better than that




Heck, I've seen people drive Mustangs, Corvettes, you-name-it to track events towing a small trailer for their track tires. Doesn't seem like a big deal[?]

To each his own i guess :shrug:

 

[Foxtrot]

Hi everyone, I am new to the Mustang world, about to get probably a 2015 convertible, but the more I cruise the aftermarket, the more I find that none of the performance parts fit the convertible... suspension and exhaust especially. What gives? I see that the convertible has this neat little frame brace on the underside that ruins everything. Is that it? what does that have to do with the suspension? are there workarounds? I live in northern california, and being able to put the top down is very appealing to me, but I still like putting go fast parts on my cars. I'd love to hear from convertible owners if there is some choice in the aftermarket... Also, if you had it to do over again, would you go coupe or convertible? I've always been a coupe guy, but the weather here is too good to pass up.

Thanks!

I live in the LA area and a convertible would be cool around here for that reason too, and SF is stinking beautiful (worked in San Mateo a few years ago haha), but I still prefer the Coupes. I feel like they just look better. Idk, get what you want, but the coupe imo just looks more solid.

 

[Armen]

Mine works for me. Great cruiser. Fun track car. No complaints.

 

[Redcruzer]

OK Robert, listen up. Tips from your neighbor. Get your GT vert. Get it with premium options. 401A would be good. Some of the best top down driving we have is evenings on. These cars have nice heaters and heated seats. Half Moon Bay? No problem. Hwy1,35,9 84,92, 101? Their calling your name. Santa Cruz, Napa, Monterey, Yosemite, Fort Bragg, Tahoe, Sonora, Sonoma, Oregon Coast, Las Vegas Pheonix Grand Canyon in the spring and fall. All doable in a convertible from here. This is a great touring car in a part of the world convertibles were made for.

Wife and I can do ten days trips with the dog in this car. If you want to do twisties while still actually seeing the Redwoods or the sunset and actually being enveloped in theIr essence and having a blast at the same time, then a convertible will be a good choice for you.

Just remember that in a convertible you always have a choice, unlike the coupe. So if you can afford it and your wife is adventuresome, go for it.

 

[popz41]

You live in California, the best place to possibly own a convertible!

I was in San Jose for a week and rented a V6 convertible loved it. Ordered one a few weeks later, can't wait till she gets here.

I would suggest you test drive one and see how you feel.

 

[lemers]

With performance minded vehicles; I wouldn't even consider a convertible.

 

[BlackGT]

With performance minded vehicles; I wouldn't even consider a convertible.

Why should convertibles be limited to economy cars? Can't you have the best of both worlds? Why limit yourself?

 

[lemers]

Why should convertibles be limited to economy cars? Can't you have the best of both worlds? Why limit yourself?

I wouldn't limit a convertibles to an economy car. But when there is a choice between a coupe and a convertible of the same car and performance is your priority then take the coupe. If your priority is driving around with the top down, then only compare convertibles.

Convertibles based on performance cars generally add weight in structural reinforcements to counteract structural integrity issues that occur when the coupe top is removed from the design.

 

[15wile]

Answers:

"I want to go really fast, and don't care about other things." - Buy a Fastback.

"I want to cruise, like a grand tourer of old, and look good doing it." - Buy a Vert.

"I really want to do both." - Either choice will probably satisfy, but the Vert will be more tricky to race with at the dragstrip (plus the added weight), and the Fastback won't be quite as much fun cruising as a Vert with the top down. Make your choice according to how much you will do one or the other.

 

[Monopoly]

I chose coupe b/c I like coupes and my g/f would kill me if I got a Vert. Also, live in Canada. Vert would be good from June to August.

Some people like Verts. I see lots of each.

 

[lemers]

Answers:

"I want to go really fast, and don't care about other things." - Buy a Fastback.

"I want to cruise, like a grand tourer of old, and look good doing it." - Buy a Vert.

"I really want to do both." - Either choice will probably satisfy, but the Vert will be more tricky to race with at the dragstrip (plus the added weight), and the Fastback won't be quite as much fun cruising as a Vert with the top down. Make your choice according to how much you will do one or the other.

What [MENTION=15323]15wile[/MENTION] said

 

[16 GT MM/Auto]

I'd say get whatever pleases you/what you can afford.

Used to be back in the day I would never consider verts as they were considerably slower than their hard top counterparts.

But examining reliable, repeatable, and unbiased tests show that the diff is now negligible:

15 GT Manual
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-ford-mustang-gt-instrumented-test-review
Zero to 60 mph: 4.5 sec
¼-mile: 13.0 sec @ 113 mph

15 GT Manual Vert
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-ford-mustang-gt-convertible-manual-test-review
Zero to 60 mph: 4.7 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec @ 110 mph

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