Why are convertibles declining in sales despite advances in roof technology and insulation?
Posted by EvelynClede@reddit | askcarguys | View on Reddit | 200 comments
Lunatic_Pandorum7@reddit
Convertibles are boomer shit
Hot-Development-9036@reddit
Practically. In very hot or very cold climates convertibles don’t insulate as well as a fixed roof car. You also have the additional complexity of the roof mechanism to deal with. Risk of theft is much higher with a convertible. A sharp knife can slice through the roof quite easily. Structural rigidity is another concern.
Cars with a sunroof are much more practical.
crazymonk45@reddit
Because they are 100% of the time an uglier version of a car compared to the hard top. Because the luxury of driving with no roof wears off quickly for a wide array of reasons. Because “advances in roof technology” really just means “more complicated electronics and linkages”, and both those things really just mean “expensive”. Because they take up a shit ton of trunk space. Because a sunroof is a happy medium that you can get on almost any vehicle.
Krilitane1@reddit
Unnecessary cost, modern car styling makes any soft top look like shit so folding hardtop is the only way to look good and that's even more expensive. Nobody has the money for extra stuff like that
Users5252@reddit
Soft tops have always looked bad though, I've never seen a good looking one on cars of any era.
timmeh-eh@reddit
Pretty much all Miatas except the folding hard top NC models, the Honda S2000, the BMW Z8, personally I think the Lamborghini Gillardo convertible looks better than the coupe. There’s many examples of good looking convertibles. What are you talking about???
Users5252@reddit
The tops of those cars does nothing for the design, the only good looking Miata soft top are the Spyder concept, but the concept traded the utilitarian functions of the soft top in favor of aesthetics
timmeh-eh@reddit
The gallardo spider would like a word.
I realize this is a silly internet argument over something that is absolutely subjective.
BUT
You’re wrong! 😁
Billz3bub666@reddit
They looked so bad that car manufacturers put fake ragtops (landau) on sedans for years
Users5252@reddit
Worst design trend ever
daan944@reddit
BMW E64 6 series has a very good looking softtop. The rest of the styling is very love it or hate it though.
Although they don't look great in general I do prefer soft tops over folding hard tops. The proportions of the car are just better. Especially cars like the Focus CC with that huge rear end looked just wrong. But on the other hand, some cars still looked good when closed, e.g. BMW E93.
Ashnyel@reddit
Just to add to this, also added weight, to cars that are heavy as fuck nowadays, with all of those safety features built into them, even more reinforcement is required if you want a car that loses structural rigidity due to no longer having a roof…
Better-Credit6701@reddit
Except for when the car was built first as a convertible. Like my Miata
IBringTheHeat2@reddit
I mean the C8 convertible only weighs like 80lbs more than the coupe. Thats like half a persons weight. You don’t go omg this car handles so bad if you have passenger?
El_mochilero@reddit
That’s a pretty exceptional example of a very unique car frame. I think we are talking more about normal cars, like Chevy Cavaliers that were made as convertibles.
rcheneyjr@reddit
Didn’t a lot of Cavaliers turn into convertibles via rust?
_MadSuburbanDad_@reddit
The rigid spaceframe of the C8 Vette is what enables the roof to be removed with no additional frame bracing. That's not the case with most convertibles, where the weight penalty is in the hundreds of pounds.
Ashnyel@reddit
Where did I mention handling?
7eregrine@reddit
Shitty take. Ragtoos are beautiful.
DaChronisseur@reddit
Old ones, sure. But I agree with Kril, modern convertibles look bad with the top up unless it's a hardtop.
7eregrine@reddit
I don't agree with that at all.
DaChronisseur@reddit
Fair enough, but you couldn't pay my to drive a soft top Z or 911 of any generation; whereas the T top versions of those cars I'd happily own. Something about the convertible roof just completely fucks the lines up for me on modern sports cars, they lose the aerodynamic look of the hard top.
7eregrine@reddit
I've had 2 soft and currently a hard top. Her choice. She prefers hard um... 😎... I like the ragtops. What about the 2 door BMW? I was going to share a photo of my coworkers car, but you can't share pics in comments here...
Wtf mods?
DaChronisseur@reddit
The Z4 soft top is about as good looking as modern sports cars can get, but it still looks stupid to me next to the hard top unless the top is down. The latest Corvette, which is very much a convertible hardtop, is the best looking convertible sports car on the market to me.
I do like full-blown topless cars, though. The Shelby Cobra and Lotus 7 are two of my all-time favorite designs.
7eregrine@reddit
Fair enough. Love a Lotus too.
Good chat.
Here's our hard top;
https://www.reddit.com/r/Volvo/s/K1cVw6ZE6t
DaChronisseur@reddit
That's a convertible? Looks great. I guess I just really like the round roof that metal provides. Good chat, indeed. Have a lovely day.
this_is_not_the_cia@reddit
Most manufacturers of affordable hardtops went soft top only. BMW, Mercedes, etc. There are fewer and fewer hardtop convertibles these days.
RustBeltLab@reddit
I'd never consider a hard top.
OneCruelBagel@reddit
That's interesting - I'm more or less the opposite. I have an MX-5, and I chose the soft-top version over the RF because I prefer the look of it, especially with the top down, and I like a roof that goes up or down in a couple of seconds, instead of about 30.
I had a Mercedes SLK as a temporary car while I waited for the ND MX-5 to drop in price a bit and the hard drop on that was frustrating with how long it took to go up or down... I couldn't do it at traffic lights if it started raining because the light might go green, whereas in the MX-5 it's up almost as soon as the car's stopped.
Still, each to their own! I'm glad there's a variety of cars out there.
TheStrongTaint@reddit
I prefer the mx RF when the top is up but I didn’t buy a Miata to have the top up all the time
The soft top is significantly better with the top down than the RF
As far as the looks…I don’t look at my car when I’m driving it
OneCruelBagel@reddit
Yeah, my top's always down unless there's stuff falling out of the sky! I have to admit that I've not driven, or even been in an RF so my opinions are entirely formed from what I've heard and seeing them from outside, but I feel like I made the right decision for me!
this_is_not_the_cia@reddit
I live in Florida and have to park outside under a tree. Between the brutal heat, the winds, the tree sap, and other environmental factors, the soft top would get absolutely destroyed. I don't want to have such an important part of the car be a wear item I need to replace every year or two.
OneCruelBagel@reddit
That's fair - I used to live in a place where there was a parking space under a tree, and I always avoided it! It was pretty bad for any car, but yes, much worse for convertibles. I also don't have Florida weather to cope with!
Educational_Fox6899@reddit
Hard disagree, but I'm pretty biased with my m240. I like the look more with the top down but it's still a really good looking car top up.
yll33@reddit
depends on what you want. it's an unnecessary cost if you want to get from a to b as cheaply as possible. it's a necessary cost if you want to enjoy that same drive
I've had a few post-2015 convertibles, and well, assuming you mean top up, for 2+2s, i love the way the b9 audi a/s5 convertible looks (before they killed it for the current gen). and molerat grille aside i love the way the m4 convertible looks too. well out of my price range, but the aston martin volantes still look stunning. the trusty mustang imo looks pretty good too, though i prefer the s550 over the s650.
and for roadsters, the 718 i still love, and the mg cyberster looks great to me, as does the jaguar f type that only recently went away (2024). the amg sl also looks good to me.
top down, i think most modern convertibles look great.
meanwhile i actually hate the look of most hardtop convertibles, and they often have such a small opening that they don't even really feel like convertibles anymore (c8 corvette).
but well, aesthetics are subjective
not nobody, but definitely dwindling. i had to sell my s5 because of kids, and only have a 2 car garage (don't want to driveway park any of them). but i guess a space shortage is in effect also a money issue.
lingenfelter22@reddit
I would say #1 is the affordability and general budget of entry level convertible buyers. Many people don't have room in their budget or garage space for a toy, and as a daily 2 seater ragtops are generally not that practical.
2 is probably fear of a roof repair they feel may be a big ticket, or leaks and mold mildew risks.
3 probably the relative lack of security you get with a soft top convertible.
_MadSuburbanDad_@reddit
Sorry to fart in the elevator here, but...convertibles are vastly overrated.
I've owned several (and still have a NA Miata) and there's zero chance of buying another. They're noisy, top up or down; heavier than a slicktop roof; less safe (even with strengthened A pillars or roll bars); retractable tops eat up trunk space and just have more shit to eventually go wrong.
When it's blazing hot, you're asking for melanoma. When it's cold, it's still draftier than a hard roof and otherwise useless. Of the three I've had, my favorite was a sweet Saab 900 Cabrio that was great maybe a week out of the year, ditto with the Miata.
There are very few legitimate use cases for them.
PerformerBrief5881@reddit
I own 4 cars and soon to add a 5th for my wide and myself. We would never get a convertible tho. Any fast weekend car is made less sporty when it has a floppy top. Wife doesnt like them because they let the sun on your head and the wind blow your hair around.
ElderlyChipmunk@reddit
They're meant to be second/third cars, not first. Driving them with the top up is just a waste unless you got caught in an unexpected storm.
I'd buy a caterham if I could.
_MadSuburbanDad_@reddit
I would gladly make an exception for a Caterham
Cool-Bunch6645@reddit
Got a rental as a convertible once. Was bright and sunny out. I said to myself, wouldn’t it be nice if there were something I could place right over my head to keep the sun out of my eyes while driving…
BS-75_actual@reddit
They remain expensive to insure with a knife slash requiring a costly replacement.
ThePurch@reddit
Where you living that a knife slash is an actual concern?
Murky-Elderberry-761@reddit
The places where convertibles are the best to own: California, Hawaii, South Florida. All hot spots for car break ins.
I have a convertible and have lived in 5 different cities. My top just got slashed when I stopped in Sacremento for a day when I was going from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe. And I wasn't even surprised.
ThePurch@reddit
Is California really that bad now?
Swimming_Agent_1063@reddit
40 million people live there… some parts aren’t going to be great
ThePurch@reddit
I mean, Japan, South Korea, Spain and Portugal all have similar population density but far less crime. Blaming it on population and not politics is odd.
Swimming_Agent_1063@reddit
Japan, South Korea, Spain, and Portugal are all significantly poorer and worse places to live lmfao
ThePurch@reddit
If they are significantly poorer, than how are they significantly safer with significantly less crime, given more poor nations and regions are riddled with crime?
Swimming_Agent_1063@reddit
Idk. I said significantly poorer not significantly less safe. Learn to read
ThePurch@reddit
Are you suggesting all of those countries are poor and all of California is well off?
Swimming_Agent_1063@reddit
I’m saying all of those countries make significantly less money per capita vs California… are you stupid?
ThePurch@reddit
Japans gdp (money) is the same as California. Why do you people always resort to insults when anyone questions you with reasonable facts.
SeaPeanut7_@reddit
"California" is a hot spot for vehicle break ins.. lol. You do realize how large the state is, right?
Murky-Elderberry-761@reddit
Yes, I do. It's bigger than Germany.
Doesn't change the fact that "California has the highest per capita vehicle theft rate among all 50 U.S. states, according to recent World Atlas and FinanceBuzz data." and according to autoinsurance.
Sure some places in California more than others but the data shows it's all of California. I don't what to say, the size doesn't mean the state can't have statewide problems.
eldofever58@reddit
Back when convertibles were more popular it wasn’t unusual to stick up a sign when parked: “Don’t cut top - Not locked” or “No radio”
Optimassacre@reddit
Probably England.
BS-75_actual@reddit
I can think of quite a few places where property theft is an actual thing
ElderlyChipmunk@reddit
That is why I always leave mine unlocked with nothing of any real value in it.
ObviousAlias7@reddit
My convertible is my 4th car in terms of practicality in my fleet. One day my wife asked me to pick up the groceries and I was maxed out at 3 bags in the trunk before I started loading them into the backseat.
But I do enjoy driving mine, but I admit it’s just a luxury at this point.
dontbeslo@reddit
People like to drive boring appliance SUVs
willmaineskier@reddit
Most people buy SUVs. There are very few cars left, and very few of those are offered as convertibles.
powaqqa@reddit
Because cars are so insanely expensive these days most people don’t have the money to get fun cars anymore. They’ll buy 1 car that does it all. And a convertible doesn’t do it all.
Graywulff@reddit
Yeah I got a hybrid and I love Miata’s. Just isn’t affordable to have summer and winter tires and a car with a tiny trunk that I’d need to tow a trailer for if I needed to move stuff.
few have the budget for a Sunday car, I daily drove an NA in my 20s, but it was $2000 and parts like NB tops were cheap and plentiful.
Miata’s aren’t 2k for a California car with 100k and no rust.
That car would be 14k now, ND is like 20k, and that’s the most affordable convertible.
I considered an eco boost mustang, but worried about the top leaking or needing to replace it.
I love convertibles, but I only have one parking spot, limited budget, etc.
hibikir_40k@reddit
It's perfectly reasonable when you are married: You don't need 2 cars with cargo, so you might as well have someone daily drive their miata. But yes, being single.. not so much
Graywulff@reddit
Good reason to get hitched a Miata and the so can drive a maverick.
Krispythecat@reddit
My first Miata I bought in \~2015ish was an NA, with a hardtop and a smidge over 100k miles. I got it for $1600 - These days the hardtop alone is worth more.
cfbluvr@reddit
This is why I drive a jeep gladiator
Say what you will but I have a convertible off road pickup and there are no alternatives to that
boxedwinedrinker@reddit
Same! Love the Gladiator.
JollyGreenGigantor@reddit
People are saying this like everything else isn't also 20-30% more expensive.
ZestyBlankets@reddit
I mean that only add to the point, no? Everything is so expensive, including cars, that people are opting for utility and function over enjoyment in many areas, cars being one of them.
JollyGreenGigantor@reddit
I'll agree but it's not that cars are more expensive proportionally than anything else these days. They just tend to be one of the most expensive purchases any of us make outside of our houses
corsa180@reddit
I’ve owned a convertible as my daily do-it-all car since 1987. Currently own two convertibles and nothing else. And I live in Nebraska, so it isn’t a “nice climate” thing. :)
To get back to the topic though, I think more people these days see cars as appliances, and not lifestyle or “fun” things, so less demand for the fun of a convertible. You mostly just see soul-less boxes driving around.
aph64@reddit
Our convertible does all we need/want.
newtonreddits@reddit
Wealth gap indicator. At the upper level there are still plenty of convertibles to choose from.
powaqqa@reddit
Yep, pretty much.
TheBobInSonoma@reddit
Cuz everyone buys crossovers.
just1dawg@reddit
In the US, the Boomers and Gen Xers that can afford them are fat and old.
maybach320@reddit
Well most convertibles are now made by luxury auto makers and the majority are cars. Similarly the luxury auto makers all decided that the tops needed to be overly complex because the top definitely needs to function at 35mph.
Better-Credit6701@reddit
Miata. The world's most popular convertible cost less than the average vehicle by $15k
maybach320@reddit
I said most, the Miata and the Mustang are the most notable exceptions.
ImplementLogical4130@reddit
What advancements? Cars are increasingly worse quality
pwnageface@reddit
Comfort. Think about climate control and sound systems in cars these days. They're very tuned in and make the ride comfortable. A convertible is the polar opposite, and really, for most of us (in the US anyway) the good weather days where you might actually want to put the top down are few and far between. It could also be argued that you'll be at exhaust height for 90% of the trucks and suvs on the road these days.
Better-Credit6701@reddit
I've seen some crazy answers here. Quick, what is the most popular convertible with over 1.2 million? The Mazda MX-5/Miata.
The roof on the soft top hasn't changed much over the years. Same insulation, or lack of insulation that it has always had with little improvement.
Too hot in the summer. I will keep the top down until around 95f/35c. That's when the A/C comes in handy.
Only luxury models. That doesn't describe a Miata, you know the most popular
Unnecessary weight, 2,400 pounds which is much less than the average vehicle sold in the US by nearly 2,000 pounds
Unnecessary cost. Average vehicle cost is north of $50k, Miata club $33k.
Only 2nd or 3rd car. Yes, my wife does have a SUV but I've been daily driving a MX-5 for over 12 years with 7 in a 2010 NC and 5 in my 2021 MX-5. Most adults have a car per adult, husbands and wifes usually have two vehicles.
No one can afford a car. The US will sell between 15-17 million vehicles per year
Real reasons in the US. It isn't a SUV or pickup which is by far the most popular vehicles.
doc_55lk@reddit
Convertibles are very much a second or third car and most people these days don't have that kinda money to spend on a depreciating asset.
They're also not super practical, they're a bit more higher maintenance, a bit more expensive to fix if something goes wrong, and they're largely a seasonal driver, neither of which align with the wants of the average car buyer.
On the enthusiast side, most don't like them either because their chassis' are less rigid and that gets in the way of chasing laptimes. I don't think the average enthusiast owner will ever get enough out of their car to need the extra stiffness of a coupe, but that does tend to be a big talking point.
Also, even for those that do have the money, the marketing machine for crossovers and trucks is very powerful. The average car buyer is convinced that they HAVE to have something that looks rugged, sits 4 feet off the ground, and has some form of AWD even if all they'll ever do with it is haul groceries once a week and drive to work alone in it.
WizeAdz@reddit
Going even deeper: air conditioning makes a convertible unnecessary.
Better-Credit6701@reddit
Yeah, my wife will not only run the A/C when the top is down, she will keep it on recirculation
outline8668@reddit
Totally. Go look how many convertibles are running around in summer with the AC on and top up. It's 90%. Take your woman out with the top down and hear her complain about how it messes up her hair, too hot, sunburn and melts her makeup.
RobArtLyn22@reddit
The great thing about convertibles is that they… convert. For some reason I had to often point out to people who were surprised I was driving it on a particular day, top goes up, top goes down.
eldofever58@reddit
Don’t know why you’re getting downvoted, this is literally why convertible sales fell off by the mid 70’s. Hard to imagine today that almost every platform had a ragtop option.
TikiTribble@reddit
I love convertibles. I’ve had one or another since the mid-1980’s. Here you will learn that - strictly speaking - convertible sales in the US exceed total sedan sales in the US.
The history of convertibles is easy to look up, but briefly:
The US was expected to ban convertibles in the mid-70’a for rollover risk. Car makers scrambled to replace them with other forms of removable tops. We got T-tops, Targas (see Porsche) and similar. Tech improved, pop-up roll-bars proved to be more effective rollover protection than many so-called hard-tops, talks of a ban were dropped. Instead, we got mpg requirements (CAFE) in 1978. Trucks and SUVs were exempt, so auto-makers “pushed” those into the American mainstream. And they became better and increasingly attractive. Fast forward, in the last 10 years sedans fell from around 40% of sales to around 15%. About 20% of that 15%, (or 2% of total US sales) are now 2-door sedans.
Convertibles require “stiffening” reinforcement to drive well. This adds weight, expense and complexity. Large or 4-passenger convertibles are difficult and expensive to build. They are now very rare, limited to “exotic”brands. So the target market for convertibles is some fraction of 2-door sedan buyers, which is already down to 2% of the market.
The glaring exceptions to all this are the Jeep Wrangler and the Ford Bronco, which have are heavily marketed for their removable roofs or convertible tops. This is by far our largest “convertible” market in the US with sales exceeding TOTAL sedan sales, (around 2.5% of all vehicles when all variants are included). Notably, most of these are four-passenger vehicles. One could easily argue that convertibles are still hugely popular, it’s simply that sedans have fallen out of favor.
RobArtLyn22@reddit
As someone who had two convertibles with A/C, I can assure you that A/C complements a convertible top, it does not replace it.
Aggressive_Ask89144@reddit
Mercedes does some crazy stuff too with their Airscarf system and all on their Cabriolets. A lot more viable in cooler weather.
doc_55lk@reddit
A take that only someone who has never been in a convertible would have.
AC or windows down + sunroof open are very poor substitutes for removing the roof.
Heavy_Law9880@reddit
Because they suck to drive, they always leak, and people just don't want them.
Turbulent-Dentist-77@reddit
Because nobody has any money because salaries haven't really gone up but everything else is 10x.
Ready_Albatross_9860@reddit
Because there is no convertible SUV
doesnotexist2@reddit
Convertibles had a purpose when ac was shit. Now, people wanna be in ac, not in the heat.
largos7289@reddit
Not sure i love mine. The option of taking the roof off, is honestly something that was missing from my life that i didn't know i needed.
Due-Effect-3543@reddit
I’m driving a 2015 MX-5 Miata and I love it.
MaxPanhammer@reddit
What others have said (cost in a tough economy, trends, desire for space and ruggedness) but I think another big one is less willingness to be outside, or in non conditioned air. More and more houses have ac, and people just go from one conditioned space to the next.
I live in New England and during springtime and early summer there are perfect days after months of miserable cold, the fresh air feels so good, and 98% of the cars on the road have their windows locked closed. Crazy to me.
Chris_Kez@reddit
Weather in New England has been great but at least here in CT it’s also like peak tree pollen season and if I leave the windows open all day there is a fine green dusting throughout the interior 🫤 The other problem is I swear we get fewer of these great weather days. It really seems like we jump straight to 90+ degrees and just stay there much more so than thirty or forty years ago. At that point I want AC.
MaxPanhammer@reddit
Almost as if there is some sort of change in the climate? 🤔
Chris_Kez@reddit
Yep. And as a bonus, tick season is roughly twice as long as it used to be 🙃
Ok-Woodpecker-223@reddit
That's a good one.
I don't remember when is the last time I drove sedan/coupe/anynontopoff windows down.
Only now when you said that I even thought about it.
Yet I do drive my miata and vette without roof whenever possible.
I can think somewhere safety can be an aspect but in nordic europe it really is not something to worry about.
More I try to think less any excuse I come up with makes any sense. I guess it's just about being used to do so, while whole point of getting a convertible is to drive it roof down 🤷♂️
MaxPanhammer@reddit
To be fair, modern cars don't make it easy to drive with windows down because of wind buffeting, but still
Logical-Self-3072@reddit
People are getting smarter and not taking the automotive dick up the ass as much
Reality_speaker@reddit
Most people don’t even roll their windows down, you think they want a convertible?
The market has spoken, the same way most buyers don’t want economy cars or manual transmissions
Odd_Activity_8380@reddit
Can't justify the price with the cost of newer cars
Weak-West-3433@reddit
Because the Sun it burns, in Australia anyway
CauliflowerTop2464@reddit
They have hard top convertibles which are painted to match.
Mite-o-Dan@reddit
As a whole, the temperature in the US has only risen roughly .35 degrees were decade. The amount of sunshine and/or cloudy days, has basically been the same. Also, depending on the person and state, amounts equally to the amount that want to drive in the sun and those that don't.
Basically...you made a irrelevant moot point and doesnt answer the question because heat and the sun were basically the same 20-40 years ago during the peak of convertible usage.
Albert14Pounds@reddit
Heat waves are getting hotter and longer though. Weather in general is getting more extreme. The threat of climate change is not so much that average temperature, but the more extreme weather it causes.
pinellaspete@reddit
I live in Florida where the temperature is 90° with 90% humidity 5 months of the year. You will fry your ass off driving around with the top down. The only people driving convertibles here are either having a midlife crisis or are recent transplants.
MrPogoUK@reddit
I think people are much more aware that too much sun exposure = bad though, so are more likely to be seeking shade rather than a tan compared to 20-30 years ago.
No_Topic5591@reddit
Nobody wants saloons or even family hatchbacks any more, and modifying a crossover/SUV to be a convertible will result in something so ugly that it makes you want to gouge your eyeballs out, like the T-Roc or Murano convertibles.
While not proper convertibles, the number of cheap small cars with soft tops, like the Fiat 500C, Citroen C1 Airscape, DS3 Cabrio and Toyota Aygo Air Edition, has increased massively.
And virtually every car on the market comes with a panoramic glass roof as an option, which provides some of the same of the benefits, without the additional cost, unreliability and massive loss of boot space.
Stock_Block2130@reddit
Lack of trunk and rear seat space. We have a Beetle convertible but it’s a fun car. Have a wagon and SUV for moving things and people.
The most interesting convertible I have had was a Renault R5 LeCar. It was a 4 door hatchback with a fold back rubberized canvas roof, similar to a Jeep. That was a good mix of practical and fun, although a bit small. A larger version of a car like that, made on an SUV body and with an insulated top, would be a lot more interesting than an SUV with dual moon roofs.
Ragnar-Wave9002@reddit
You know what I love when driving? So much light blasting the interior that I can't see anything.
Apprehensive-Read989@reddit
Most soft top convertibles look stupid with their top up, always have.
HtmlHonda@reddit
Because you're paying more money for something that's practical 20% of the time for most people.
KarmaPolice6@reddit
Soft top convertibles force functionality sacrifices that most people aren’t willing to accept.
Hard top convertibles rock.
FordF150ChicagoFan@reddit
They're not declining if you remember the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco are both convertibles.
Wild-Highway-8739@reddit
Convertibles, moon/sun roofs, even the old T-tops all have the same thing in common, once a seal fails or something breaks ot wont ever work right again. Plus the motors and gearing for convertibles can add a couple hundred extra pounds of weight over a hard top.
Agharinagh@reddit
Everybody buyng a new car on PcP and cares about return value. Before people would buy a car cos they like it and want to keep it. Now is just for 3-5years paiment and of to the new one.
morelsupporter@reddit
convertibles are second cars, or third cars.
ActiveShipyard@reddit
Panoramic sunroof options are available. You get the sun, the wind, the stars, but not the buffeting or the theft risk. For most people, that's enough.
eddyb66@reddit
Because people are buying Suvs, Jeeps and pickups. Sedans and coupes are getting phased out in the US.
YeahIGotNuthin@reddit
As a guy who loves convertibles and has had one on hand at all times (mostly NA Miatas) over the last 35 years:
Because most things are SUVs, and there are not many convertible ones of those. Wranglers, and for a glorious moment the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, plus the British version of that, they actually made a two door Evoque and also a convertible one of those.
Today, we have the Audi a5 and competing BMW 4-series, lovely things but not cheap.
The current mustang is better than ever, and those are available as convertibles. Same with the Camaro until very recently.
We have sports cars where the top goes down or comes out, but those are a tough sell to the general public. (Dude, it’s just you and a laptop, you don’t even need a back seat, let alone a pair of extra doors for them, WHY NOT get a two seat convertible?)
7eregrine@reddit
So many bad replies. I've also had many and currently have one. Everybody is reading far too much into this. It's the exact same reason nobody buys regular cars anymore.
I want to sit higher...
I want a car that's easy to get in and out of....
I want to feel safer......
I want an SUV.
FlatSixFun@reddit
You got it exactly right. To add to this, SUV’s used to be much more of a compromise. All cars were really. Most daily drivers were slow compared to sports cars, and didn’t handle well. Those compromises got reduced over the years, and for a lot of people, having a secondary, single use case car makes less sense than it did before. Luckily for those of us enthusiasts who want one, we still have some options left.
7eregrine@reddit
Right on. I went from a wagon, to an SUV (our current convertible was the wifes daily for 10 years), and back to a sedan.
I didn't regret the SUV... Until I fell back in love with sedans. I admit, I fell for the "got a family now, better get an SUV" trope when my wagon was totalled.
FlatSixFun@reddit
I still lust after an e63 wagon. All of the space of an SUV with AMG performance and handling. But I’ll have to make do with my 911 and SUV daily.
Visible_Structure483@reddit
don't forget "I want to fit in and prove I'm successful too"
that drives more vehicle sales than anything. people would rather look rich than be rich.
Nervous_Hurry_9920@reddit
Fuck man I daily drive a lowered car. It's tough to get out of.
For my truck the seat is right where my butt is. As I slowly approach my 40s I understand the easy to get in and out of thing more and more.
Still waiting on my midlife crisis to buy a convertible tho
7eregrine@reddit
Bro/Sis, I'm 58 and daily a sedan. It's not that hard for me. You're...not even 40?
I do yoga though. 😂
Mines not lowered either... And it's not a Corvette or Miata.
Did you lower it? I had one lowered car... Bought used, I didn't lower it.
Loved the look... Hated the drive.
Nervous_Hurry_9920@reddit
I broke the fuck out of my leg when I was younger. Hip, femur, kneecap exploded.
7eregrine@reddit
2 inches, God damn. I scrap my car as it is. 😂 I don't miss my lowered car. ... Well I miss it. But I don't miss it's lowered-ness. Cornered like it was on rails, but I swear I could feel a dime if I ran over one. 🤣
jondes99@reddit
Right, people want boring crossover blobs which greatly reduces the number of potential convertibles. Look how many companies don’t even make a sedan, let alone a coupe.
7eregrine@reddit
Everybody coming up with so many bad reasons.... It really just comes down to this. Fewer and fewer people are buying cars.. even fewer are buying cars with retractable roofs. Convertible sales declining are nothing new. It's been going on for at least 15 years. Volvo made their last convertible in 2013 Volkswagen made their last convertible in 2013.
Hersbird@reddit
Meanwhile Jeep sold 180,000 convertables last year in just the US.
7eregrine@reddit
That may be a "convertible" by definition but it is not truly classified as one. The last one of those was the Murano, I think?
But let's call it a "Convertible"... still proves my point.
"Convertible CAR? Eww, no way...too low, hard to get in, and not safe. Convertible SUV? YES PLEASE!"
Uncle-Istvan@reddit
VW made their last convertible in 2019
7eregrine@reddit
Misremembering.
Looks like 2016 actually. At least in USA.
That makes sense why I thought it was the same as my Volvo. Our lease expired in 2016 and when looked at what else was out there... VW had discontinued there's.
So we bought out our lease.
Uncle-Istvan@reddit
I didn’t DV you but it’s probably because you were wrong.
VW sold the a5 beetle convertible in the US through the 2019 model year. They’re selling used now for similar prices to MSRP.
7eregrine@reddit
Ohhhh... Forgot about Beetle. We looked at the EOS.
YandereValkyrie@reddit
There's plenty of convertibles available for sale these days, they're just in a different price bracket now. The cheap ones are gone. Also you don't really want a convertible as your only car, its a weekend car and fewer people these days can afford to own multiple cars.
One completely different note, I had a convertible for a bit, and while it was fun a couple times, I really didn't like having the roof down and I was really glad it was just a car work lent me for awhile. Its noisy, and if you have long hair, its just miserable.
JT-Av8or@reddit
Skin cancer awareness coupled with air conditioning. Convertibles were great in the 50s and 60s because AC was almost non existent so airflow was the only good way to stay cool, and because breakfast was coffee and cigarettes, lunch was scotch and a steak, you’d just die naturally from a heart attack around 65 years, before that squamous cell carcinoma really had time to develop into melanoma. 😁
CLSonReddit@reddit
The middle class no longer has purchasing power to afford a second or third “fun car” to complement their practical family hauler crossover/suv.
Vegetable_Sample7384@reddit
I participate in some local amateur motorsports and convertibles usually have extra rules, then there are things like torsion to account for. I run a modified ecoboost mustang in autocross and hill climbs.
My 23 corvette is a convertible though, but just barely. More akin to t-tops really. The 2 foot roof moves out of the way.
On a personal level I just don’t like the way rag tops look. Hard tops are a lot rarer and for me usually don’t justify the price difference.
surmatt@reddit
Because convertibles aren't SUVs and everyone is buying SUVs.
Hersbird@reddit
Have you ever owned a convertible? They seem like they would be amazing then you end up driving around with the top up because it's too hot, too cold, too windy. Modern car shapes and aerodynamics also make a convertible design more complicated and difficult to make look good.
SenorISO54@reddit
I think it’s all the marketing that gets thrown behind crossovers. You need the cargo space! You need AWD for snow! You need rugged looks for gravel roads!
When you look at how many people across the various car subs post about how they need this stuff, then think about how many convertibles are the opposite…
poorperspective@reddit
I caused a borderline revolt in r/middleclassfinance pointing this out.
People don’t buy cars they need. They don’t buy cars because they are practical. They don’t buy cars they can afford. They buy cars as status symbols that marketers told them are status symbols.
Jakomako@reddit
Everything is easier with a big vehicle. No one is buying a rav-4 as a status symbol, but people sure as hell are buying rav-4s.
poorperspective@reddit
My parents just got a new 2026 Rav-4.
Empty nesters, no pets, allergic to outdoor activities, don’t travel, live 20 minutes from work in town.
Besides the occasional Costco hall, all they have done with it is show it off to the neighbors.
The SUC market isn’t a 1% status symbol, but it is an upper middle class status symbol. At least it is marketed that way.
Jakomako@reddit
Old people have an even more important reason for preferring tall vehicles: You don't have to bend down as far to get in.
poorperspective@reddit
Comfortably was a factor, but my 6’4” dad likes his Chevy Impala. They have also have 2017 Solverado. They just paid off the house, big deal for them…and thought they could afford another car payment.
It’s a factor, but my mom liked the RAV-4 because her co-worker drove one. It was an anniversary present…..instead of jewelry or vacations, or other luxury spending people do to show off.
Jakomako@reddit
You sound like you’re mad they didn’t buy you a car, so you’re begrudging them the small joy they get from showing people their new car. She bought the rav because she liked it when she saw her coworker drive it.
poorperspective@reddit
I don’t blame people for buying things for status. I’m happy for my parents. Hell, I do it, but I’m also self aware enough to know that I do it and others do also. SUVs are being and have been marketed as status symbols just like muscle cars, sports cars, convertibles, and trucks.
If you can’t you don’t buy things for status, well I guess you pick your own nose too. And there to types of people in the world; people that admit to picking their own nose; and ashamed hypocrites.
SenorISO54@reddit
Ehhh be careful saying everything. I prefer putting the bikes and kayaks on my sedan vs my wife’s SUV because lower is easier. I also run track days and autocross and 99% of SUVs aren’t allowed and/or wouldn’t perform.
Jakomako@reddit
Everything that 95% of people care about, let’s say.
SenorISO54@reddit
I am indeed a unique and admirable figure, good point 👍
jondes99@reddit
“Everything is easier with a big vehicle.“
Except parking, paying for fuel, turning, stopping, etc. There’s little a compact CUV can do that a midsize sedan can’t do better if you widen the scope beyond getting in and out.
Jakomako@reddit
Parking is not easier in a sedan. A rav can do anything a Camry can do. A Camry however, cannot hold as much stuff as a Rav.
e90t@reddit
I was going to disagree with you, then realized you were right. I bought a 535i not because it was better than the 335i, but because I got older, make more money, and having a 3 series is what you start with, not “aspire” to. But, the 335i I considered was perfectly suitable to my driving needs.
_MadSuburbanDad_@reddit
You have one kid.
SenorISO54@reddit
Yeah, but if I had two I’d still be able to do what I did. Just need a couple more bike racks.
I’m not saying nobody needs a big car. I’m saying marketing is making everyone think they need a but car.
7eregrine@reddit
Absolutely cannot believe how many wrong answers there are. Let me over simplify your post: because SUVs. Period. People don't want cars anymore. That's really all. It is.
BreakfastBeerz@reddit
Jeeps and Broncos are very common. It's not just tiny cars that are convertables.
SenorISO54@reddit
Yeah, but I didn’t think the OP was talking about those. Because they mentioned declining sales. And when you search a car site for convertible those don’t come up.
Anachronism--@reddit
And you get a wrangler! Of course most of them have never been off road or had the doors off and roof down.
Shot-Patience3719@reddit
They’re ugly and make people inside them look like giants
ForwardFIRE2030@reddit
Convertibles were Great back when A/C wasn’t. Now they are loud, more expensive. Less comfortable, worse performing versions of a hard top and they are really only nice to drive with the top down during a limited number of perfect weather days (unless you live in Southern California).
Great for weekend cars and collectibles, terrible daily driver choice.
cmbtmstr@reddit
Cus I’m bald and ion want everybody behind me to see it :(
Educational-Bass-444@reddit
I am selling my convertible and won't buy another for these reasons:
Heavier and floppier chassis
I live in the rain forest of SW Pennsylvania so I dont use it much
A lot of track events don't allow convertibles
DJrm84@reddit
After not clearing the garage out for at least 10 years, trying to own a convertible would throw any middle aged man off their feet. It's like hi-fi equipment, nobody cares about cars any more. Looking at today's most popular color scheme (variations of a grey) - nobody wants to stand out.
BabyIllustrious1576@reddit
I think most people just stopped wanting the compromises 😂
SUVs are more practical, panoramic roofs got really good, and a lot of people don’t wanna deal with soft tops, less space, or extra noise anymore. Convertibles are still cool… just harder to justify as a daily now
AcidReign25@reddit
Cars in general are declining in sales vs SUV’s, trucks, and cross overs. The only “convertible” SUV is the Wrangler and Bronco. Car convertibles have terrible truck space and just aren’t that practical as an everyday driver.
7eregrine@reddit
1st sentence. Yes, agree. 2nd yes. 3rd... Wtf? My wife has been daily driving convertibles for 30 years. Only now is she ready to sell hers...
Revolutionary_Cry884@reddit
It’s because they aren’t a massive two-lane SUV to go to Starbucks and back.
Ok_Development_495@reddit
I think the roof replacement cost has become unaffordable.
scrappybasket@reddit
Cost of living is still increasing while wages are not
Mash_man710@reddit
Because they're too hot or freezing and too windy and people don't want them anymore.
cactusjackalope@reddit
Because everyone wants giant SUVs. Nobody wants small fun cars anymore
Whiskeypants17@reddit
Is the roof tech and insulation in the room with us now?
Sedan sales made up 80% of vehicle sales in the 1970s. 40% in 2015. Today only 15% of usa sales are sedans. Most verts are sedans.
Jeep is still selling 200k wranglers a year, up from 100k in 2005. Broncos come with hard or soft tops,sold 100k in 2024 and 150k in 2025. Verts are still around but its the off road crowd that keeps them going. Tiny sporty sedans are getting rare in general.
ChemistRemote7182@reddit
Convertibles are a compromised in terms of practicality, and people on strict budgets don't need that. It's the same reason single cab pickups are mostly full size cab allows it to play the family car as well.
Murky-Elderberry-761@reddit
10 lane highways and the road noise from that make them basically require you to keep the top on.
In Orange County when my dad had a convertible his 20-mile drive to the beach would consist of a 2-lane street with a couple streetlights and a bunch of orange trees that would take about 35 minutes. Now if I want to get to the beach, it's a 25 miles 6-8 lane highway ride with huge ass trucks no sign of greenery and it takes about 45 minutes to an hour due to traffic.
Unless you're driving highway 1 everyday, it just doesn't make sense anymore.
Downtown_Reward_6339@reddit
Convertibles no longer have all weather tires, usable back seats or affordable prices. They are a third car, not a second car anymore.
Once they were a modest upgrade, now an expensive toy.
rottentomati@reddit
Women typically do not buy them because of our hair so that’s 50% of the consumer base you will struggle to sell to.
GhoulishGuitarist@reddit
Convertibles are very ugly compared to the same car with normal roof
Channel_Huge@reddit
Because they still fail.
DudeThatAbides@reddit
That roof technology costs more than people want to pay for. Especially when it requires repairs.
PLEASEHIREZ@reddit
My opinion, not the world's opinion....
1 - Convertible of any type with the top down, the car looks like it loses it's sporty shape. Then it just looks like a bar of soap with wheels, and a head coming out of the top. Could be a rounded dove bar, could be a old school square bar.... It just looks like a rectangle with wheels (side profile).
2 - Due to convertibles usually marketed as sports cars, I think many enthusiasts would prefer the generally lighter fixed roof coupe variants, or the chassis being generally more solid with a roof versus the general flexing found in drop top and hard top convertibles.
3 - No one wants a manual drop top, and the electronic ones usually suffer quite badly from trunk space loss. If the convertible is your second car, then it doesn't matter. If your car is your only car, then having some level of practicality in your primary vehicle is required. A convertible may not even allow you make large grocery runs. That is to say, the person who purchases a convertible may not even be doing their own grocery, but the idea of having some practicality is still a positive to most if not all car owners.
4 - Someone mentioned the C8, and I do like it as a convertible, but looking at third point, you lose the whole rear trunk.... You also lose so much visibility that the 1LT had to come with a digital rear view mirror.
IllustratorMobile815@reddit
It drives like shit... So they say
MirageGarage16@reddit
Living standards are declining due to growing wealth inequality. Back in the day a post office worker could by a daily driver and a Miata Sunday driver. Now middle class folks can afford 1 car that does everything…and so it’s gotta be an suv. If you look at rich people cars there are plenty of convertibles to choose from in the porche, lambo, Ferrari…etc lineups
lunchbox651@reddit
They've always been polarising but car trends always change.
HOMES734@reddit
Because, to use a certain turn of phrase, they’re gay.
ZweetWOW@reddit
Put simply - gay
kamikaziboarder@reddit
I actually had this conversation with my wife yesterday. I use to love convertibles. A few things changed that. First of all…motorcycles, then just it’s the wind noise and longer commutes. Like another one commented, soft tops vs hard tops. Also the marketing of crossovers, when I have to haul a family around with stuff and dogs. My wife finally got a mid-size EV SUV that she loves. So I’m looking to go back to a coupe or a sedan for my next car.
I’m also tempted to change our Forester into manual turbo charged vehicle.
Business_Signal2425@reddit
Low demand forces even lower offer.