Convertible for two week trip ?
 

Hi ! Planning a two week trip that includes LA, LV, Yosemite and SF, the LA again, my aim is to rent a Sebring convertible or so. But I wonder about safety ( in case of an ... ), luggage space ( will be 2 people ) and hiway noise. It's very posh and must do, but for this long ? any coments ? I could also rent it fot the LA days and a standard car for the rest. what do you think ?

Convertibles are fine, however, if you are fair skinned or worried about the sun, you will get burned. That is one of the reasons that I don't rent one. I own a convertible and you would be suprised how burnt you can get in a convertible. Especially in LA with all the traffic.

I know it sounds crazy but something to think about.

I have a Sebring convertible and love it! But I never put the top down in the summer during the day - it's just too hot when the sun is directly overhead. I love it in the late afternoon and evening though. There is plenty of space (and trunk space) in the Sebring, as opposed to other convertibles we have rented (such as the Firebird and/or Mustang which are very cramped and have little space for luggage.) Alas, some road noise is always a problem for any convertible. Out of all the locations you mentioned I would recommend a convertible for Yosemite to be able to get the most out of those gorgeous mountain vistas. Depending on what time of year, Las Vegas might be too hot to have the top down. We had a Prowler convertible there in late May and only had the top down cruising the strip during the evening.

I agree with Maggi. I also own a Sebring Convertible, and last year took a 1400 mile trip with my 13yr old daughter. Luggage was no problem, but we only had the top down when we were going to or from resturants in the evening. I cannot drive on the interstates with the top down....way too noisy. As for city driving, if you're sitting still at stop lights, it can get very hot, not to mention the fumes from the cars around you.

Having said all that, when you can take your time, on a less traveled road, NOTHING beats a convertible. My bet is you will see amazing things with the top down in the evening at Yosemite that will make the rental worth it!

I've always had convertibles, and agree totally with happytrails2u.

For 2 lane highways and backroads, nothing compares to that feeling of whizzing along with the breeze in your hair. But, on large highways, the wind at high speeds will beat you to death, and the road noise and fumes are no fun at all.

In town, stopping for lights can turn you into a sticky mess in just a couple of minutes, and the feel of your wet shirt stuck against your back and the leather interior (which also gets ungodly hot) is not a pleasant one.

That having been said, driving through the countryside in the late afternoon and early evening are a delight, and the sights and smells are much more evocative than in the confines of a non-convertible.

I've had many different convertibles, and we did rent a Sebring once to drive to Key West from Miami. I found it to be adequate, though I don't think I would want to drive one on a long trip unless I were not driving more than 200 or 250 miles per day.

I too own a Sebring, and it's a great car, in that it's much easier to live with than any other convertible out there. It has true room for four adults, which the Mustang barely does, and room for two adults' luggage, which the Mustang does NOT. Plan on wearing sunscreen on most trips. I got burned on a recent weekend driving Hollywood to Long Beach (well, we spent an extra half-hour getting through an accident site on the 101), so now I'm sporting a farmer tan.

The cars are quite safe-- good emergency handling, airbags, four-wheel disc brakes, tight body. Wind buffeting is a bigger concern for those in the back seat, in my experience (my SigO also has a Sebring). And highway noise is part of the convertible life. Just turn up the stereo (mine has Infinity speakers with the CD system-- very posh!!) and you'll be fine. Go for it!

I drove from Kansas to northern Michigan and back in a convertible. At the end of the day that I drove at highway speeds for 10 hours with the top down, it felt like I was on drugs.

Don't forget the sunglasses. Nothing like having something go in your eye when you are driving in traffic.

Keith

Just some thoughts to weigh your options:
Having lived in LA for 3 years, I noticed (esp in the summer) very few people actually drove with the top down because of the heat,fumes and noise on the hwy (which is the main way to get around). Although Sf can be perfect for a convertible (if it isnt foggy/cold or rainy.)

Mote,
I just noticed that you did not mention the time of year of your trip. That could make a big difference!

Er, JVS, where do you live in LA? I live on the coast down in Long Beach, and I can tell you that in my town and heading south (by the coast), the drop-tops have the tops dropped in summer. Mine included. For that matter, Santa Monica's ragtops are usually wide-open when I'm driving home from work on a sunny weekday afternoon.

Might be due to the fact that it's 5-10 degrees cooler on the coast that inland.... Makes a difference with potentially-sticky leather seats.

It all depends on the dimensions of your luggage. We did the California coast drive around 3 years ago and had rented a Sebring convertible. We couldn't fit our 1 of our 2 cases in the trunk. We even tried that beautiful 2-door Volvo convertible (trunk was even smaller!).
We didn't want to have our luggage in the back seat so we bagged the convertible..what a bummer!
Anyway, maybe one of the previous posters who owns a Sebring can post trunk measurements..and you can measure your luggage and figure it out that way..?
The drive is beautiful by the way, so if you don't burn easily, do the convertible.

According to the specs the "cargo volume", which I assume means trunk, is 11.3 cubic feet.

OK, I will try to describe the trunk on Red Angel II (Red Angel I being my beloved old Mazda truck). The main compartment is definitely large enough for a typical 30-inch Pullman suitcase-- if you carefully stow the boot for the convertible top. A 21-inch carryon bag could probably fit as well, but it will be tight. There is a small "cubbyhole" going under the top (whose width is narrowed by the top's internal mechanics), into which duffel bags will fit.

This is a large, workable trunk for a convertible, but I will agree that two full-size (i.e., 26-inch Pullman-type) suitcases will have a hard time fitting in. I've done it, but I feel like a member of the Army Corps of Engineers building a dam....

Uauuu ! I've beaten my answers record with this one ! Thanks to everybody. Our trip, honeymoon, will be in late september. Me myself can stand the top down almost year round ( so I did with my rabbit cabrio ) but not so for my bride. I agree that the feeling of a convertible i.e. in Yosemite must be almost an orgasm ! But we have much road ahead and in the end I think I'll get a standard. anyway, for sure I think my trip will be a success ! Thanks again for your help. Jaime. Mallorca. Spain. Well, it comes to my mind, any rental company in special ? Do you get what you pay fot at Hertz and Avis ? I've read of rented cars with 60.000 miles on it !