'92 Chrysler Le Baron Convertible

[Darrell]

If I ever roll my MG, it's because we were meant to die together. But unless it hits something going sideways, it will always slide before it rolls.

See, I thought that, until my brother rolled his Porsche on the way to HS graduation - it was a back country road (the one we lived on), and he was going slow, but it has just started to rain, and the rear end slipped a little in the mud that was washing down the hill, the bank caught the wheel square (it wasn't properly shaped), and dumped the thing over.

Aside from the windshield being broken, the car actually looked fine. I don't even recall a tail light being broken - but everything got twisted.

It sounds like he hit something going sideways.

Perhaps you saw this recent video from Saudi Arabia of some guys rolling while drifting. Bodies and parts flying everywhere! Caution, very graphic:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrNPoEjds6I

[308Mike]

If you get T-Boned in an intersection (even if it's NONE of your fault), and your car gets slid into the curb, it'll most likely flip over. With the traffic we have down here, I wouldn't have a convertible without one, but up there with a HUGE difference in traffic, I might make a different choice. I wouldn't know until I'd been up there for a while.

I can tell you I've been to enough accidents to KNOW that roll-bars save lives, even so, I'd fight any effort by the government to make them mandatory for convertibles. People should be allowed to make their own choices. In some places, not having one wouldn't be a problem at all, and in other places, you'd be absolutely crazy and/or almost suicidal to not have one. I'm also in STRONG disagreement regarding motorcycle helmet laws.

Screw the "Nanny State".

[Aglifter]

I agree, even though I don't understand why American covertibles don't have them... (One of the two promises my mother asked for was to never drive a convertible w.o. a roll bar.)

[slowpoke]

The miata is the top choice if you can fit it.
As for the mustang, the 2005 and later is a MUCH better convertible platform. The body is much stiffer, and car handles much better. Avoid sebrings. The Opel/Saturn sky isn't bad but they didn't really have the bugs worked out before they stopped making them.
Also don't forget to look for older lexus sc430's, don't know how cheep they'll get though.

[Jered]

The miata is the top choice if you can fit it.
As for the mustang, the 2005 and later is a MUCH better convertible platform. The body is much stiffer, and car handles much better. Avoid sebrings. The Opel/Saturn sky isn't bad but they didn't really have the bugs worked out before they stopped making them.
Also don't forget to look for older lexus sc430's, don't know how cheep they'll get though.

I have a Saturn L200 series. It's a really good car.

[Kommander]

Deutschland über alles!

[Aglifter]

6 series might be cool - Dad bought an M3 convertible last year, and decided he didn't like it very much. I think he said he's planning on trading it on a 6 series convertible.

[evan price]

Avoid sebrings.

I have a friend with one. I also rented one once when I was doing a trip from Nashville through to Owensboro and back. Half throttle to full throttle does nothing except increase the mechanical noise from under the hood, no increase in speed proportional to throttle angle. OK for poking around in town. Terrible for long distance cruising.

[Netpackrat]

Would you put a roll bar in this?



Or this?

[skb12172]

What about a early 90's to early 2000's Celica GT? Or a mid 90's to early 2000's Pontiac Sunfire? I've also seen PT Cruiser convertibles. Opinions? I know Chris will have a good opinion on each.