From the category archives:

Convertibles

Spring into a Convertible – The Pontiac Solstice vs. Saturn Sky

by Jeff on October 17, 2007

Whether we are talking about the sun or sky, we can’t help but think of summer. As we are thawing from frosty single digit temperatures, and rising from our winter slumber, hot cars are on the mind and back on the road.

Think convertible, think roadster think of the new 2007 Saturn Sky. Debuting this spring, it’s a more stylish and more expensive (by about $3,000) version of the Pontiac Solstice - both manufactured by GM. With differing design cues, the Sky showcases an edgy more aggressive look while its sister, the Solstice, offers a round and curvy exterior

As Halo vehicles for Saturn and Pontiac, these convertibles were made to be the Hawaiian shirt in a line-up of grey suited automobiles designed to compete with the likes of the benchmark Mazda Miata. The base-model Solstice nearly ousted the Mazda MX-5 Miata in a comparison test, and the GXP model took rank over the former ruler. [click to continue...]

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The 2007 Volvo C70 Convertible

by Jeff on September 26, 2007

My parents are a trip. Aren’t all of ours? You gotta love them, and as they get older they get more and more zany. For instance… My parents have a friend that has been buying Volvos for the last 30+ years. After thinking he was a nut job for all of those years, they caved and this year they secretly bought one. A Volvo that is. They wouldn’t even tell me about it!

Well, they bought a Volvo C70 Convertible and I am definitely interested in what this vehicle is all about. I was hoping they were going to stick with Acura for the rest of their lives… A sure thing.

Here is what automobile magazine had to say…

“Volvo’s all-new replacement for its previous-generation, 850-derived C70 coupe and convertible is based on a longer, wider version of the same platform that underpins the European Ford Focus, the Mazda 3, and Volvo’s own S40/V50. The C70 also shares its 218-hp, 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder engine with other Volvos. At $39,405, however, the C70 checks in as the most expensive car built on its corporate Ford architecture.

Part of what you pay for is the folding hard top. Even if you’ve seen this show before, Volvo’s version is still entertaining to watch. It raises and lowers itself in a gloriously complex fashion that suggests a man pedaling a bicycle underwater or a hundred squirrels in hard hats running a steam shovel. Predictably, the three-piece roof cuts down trunk space by more than half when retracted, but the noise reduction and the increase in isolation are compensation enough. With its long, delicate C-pillars, the hard top even pulls off that rare feat among the folding-roof crowd: it makes the car look better when it’s up. It may take a somewhat lengthy thirty seconds to raise, but the end result visually is worth it, and the process remains quick enough to head off any sudden thunderstorms.”

As far as meat, I had such a difficult time finding any hard-core stats about this car? Every article I found was either a comparison to another vehicle or some whimsical story about this car? At least it is putting everyone in a good mood… including my parents. And good for them…. this is their first convertible!!

Does anyone have any input?

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Driving a Convertible

by Jeff on September 19, 2007

One day I was doing some research on convertibles to write an article on the Saturn Sky. After milling through various car reviews, which was getting kind of boring. I ran across one of the funniest articles I had ever read! The anonymous author of this article was commenting on his experience driving a convertible for the first time. (In fact it was a rental convertible.)

In spite the articles foul language, which I bleeped out. This guy is hysterical. Check it out below and let me know what you think!

Just like anger turns Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk and alcohol turns Mel Gibson into a ragin’ racist, I recently found out that driving a convertible turns me into an *&^hole.

Although thankfully it didn’t turn me into a super punk *&%hole, like Simon Cowell is with tone deaf American Idol hopefuls.

I didn’t choose the convertible, it chose me, thanks to the free upgrade courtesy of Budget Rent a Car. It was the first time I’ve ever driven a convertible, and it wasn’t just any old convertible, it was a RED Ford Mustang. I don’t know about you, but I think a red Ford Mustang convertible is a total chick magnet, although not so much when I’m driving it and definitely doesn’t even come close to attracting the women as effectively as either Brad Pitt or George Clooney in a loincloth, or if they’re a lesbian, Angelina Jolie in a loincloth.

The only other memory I have with a convertible was the time when I was with an ex-girlfriend in high school and we threw a couple of live crabs onto the back seat of a tourist’s convertible who conveniently left their top down while shopping. I guess even being around a convertible will turn me into a punk.

Anyway, once I placed myself into the driver’s seat of the convertible, I instantly had the urge to be an *%#hole. As I revved the engine, it sounded like it had the enough power under the hood to easily make up for my physical inadequacies and insecurities, like most *%@holes have.
I thought about using that power to burn rubber in the rental car parking lot, which would’ve caused a cloud of smoke and an aromatic “%@#* you” in the scent of burnt rubber, but I couldn’t do it because my car had an automatic transmission, which makes it kind of hard to burn rubber. Although, even if it did have a manual transmission, just like my *%@# when I’m in bed with a woman, I wouldn’t know how to use it.

Since I couldn’t burn rubber, the next #@%hole-ish thing I wanted to do was pick up chicks and finally be able to use the pick up lines, “Hey baby, I just put the top down on my ride, but now I’d like to put your top down” or “Hey cutie, how’d you like to ride something red, smooth, and fast, but I’m not talking about my car.”

Unfortunately, after driving around for a little bit, it seemed like all the chicks were at work, which reminded me the reason why I needed a rental car in the first place, because had to travel to another rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean for my job. My destination was only a few miles away from the airport, but because in the convertible I’m an @*#hole, it felt good to take a little detour so that I could be stylin’ AND profilin’.

As I drove with the top down, my sunglasses on, and a smug look on my face, I wanted to play some slammin’ music that would make everyone look in my direction and see how much of a bad*%@ I was, but unfortunately I only had my Slow Jamz CD with me.

Even my hair was being a punk and wasn’t taking s*%# from no one. My stiff gelled hair did not waver as the wind tried to blow them down like the big bad wolf facing the pig’s house made of bricks. The wind huffed and puffed but could not bring my Viagra hard hair down since I use enough gel in my hair to make it meet U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission standards for bike helmets.

Sure driving a convertible turns me into an *#@hole, but there are some positive things about driving one, like not needing to use the air conditioner, being able to let the sun’s rays tickle my skin, and possibly being able to drive around Miss (insert beauty pageant name) in a parade.

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