Soft or hard roof?

Surely more than one heart beat harder when facing the dilemma of what to buy – a soft or hard roof? I don’t know a convertible fan who hasn’t looked at a soft top. After all, this is the essence of fun and fun, nowadays slowly forgotten due to technology, because “soft” was usually a tarp roof!

Usually it is the heart that is our advisor, so we buy with a soft roof, and reason tells us: “Take sheet metal” (today also glass panels, which are used to make convertible-coupe roofs). Since Mercedes released the SLK hardtop model in 1996, many brands have taken up the challenge of applying this solution to their cars, and there’s probably nothing wrong with it, whether you meet it in the Volkswagen EOS or the Peugeot, Renault, Mitsubishi, Opel and even BMWs popular on our roads. After all, this just goes to show how practical it is becoming to use this solution in cars that were previously reserved for the few.

Cabriolet has long ceased to be synonymous with luxury. In countries such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom (where it has the highest number of convertibles per the number of inhabitants) it is an everyday car, and hence this interest among owners toward all-season solutions. The soft-top, or fabric roof, is no longer what was found in the phenomenal Alfa Spider, the sporty BMW Z3, or even the iconic PORSCHE 356.

The technology of roof construction has gone so far that today, practically driving a car at 120km/h, we don’t feel much difference whether it’s a soft roof or a hard roof, and the discomfort that might have been caused by excessive noise disappears. Instead of one layer of material, there are often three, soundproofing, impregnation, etc. All this sounds nice, of course, but the dilemma still remains, which model to choose? Soft or sheet metal?

If you’re buying a convertible as a vehicle that you’ll drive every day, and you don’t have a Skoda FABIA or other “point A to B mover” in your garage, and you’re not aiming to buy anything else besides the aforementioned convertible, consider the sheet metal. Although you will find less space in the trunk, but without the hassle you will get rid of the eternal questions: “Lord, and in the winter it’s not cold under that canopy there!”. You will also own a car that will perform just as well in summer as in winter.

On the other hand, if you can afford to buy a second or third car “under the house,” don’t hesitate to buy a convertible with a soft top. Both the newest ones and the aftermarket ones with 15 years of age have a bit more charm and still have strong references to the first models. I don’t know about you, but for me it’s a kind of convertible standout.

Finishing:

• either solution is worth considering;
• Both soft roof and hard roof require maintenance, and care regardless of the age and origin of the car;
• Consider before buying what you will mainly use your convertible for;
• When you buy a soft roof on used cars, you see most of it as if it were on your hands;
• with a hardtop, don’t just trust your intuition, go to a dealership or recommended workshop for a check;
• groups and forums, will sometimes help to diagnose the fault, but remember that it is a professional who should take care of it, if you do not want to later write on the fey: ” Ziomeczki, rescue, my roof is not closing in PEŻO”.