[4lindamar]

Last week, the day I bought Charlotte (2017 classica) was a perfect day, weather-wise, for a convertible. However since then, she has been banished to the garage to wait out the rainy weather. Yesterday I simply couldn't wait any longer and decided to take my chances taking her out for a 90 minute road trip to visit my mother. It was dry enough when I left that I opened the top. About half-way it started to rain, at times pretty heavily. I was on the freeway and didn't want to pull over so I left the top down. I was surprised to find that I didn't feel the rain at all and actually found it quite refreshing!
I am wondering if there are any risks of doing this-- primarily I'm concerned about water getting into the compartment where the top folds down. Is there any reason I shouldn't take her out, top down, in a rainstorm?

 

[sharkcohen]

It’s ok to do, drive faster and you stay dry LOL.

 

[Kain]

Generally not a good idea to have standing water in the floorboards as this can cause rust over time. That said, there are drain filters from the soft top that need occasional maintenance depending on your conditions. Mine is garaged, so I inspect the drain filters as part of my Spring maintenance.

 

[124Scottish Abarth]

Don't do it.....if it starts to rain anything more than a light sprinkle pull over and put the top up. The convertible top drains are for when the top is up. They do not keep the interior dry and are not there for driving in the pissing rain. Convertibles aren't designed to be driven in the rain with the top down although the interiors are more hardy....i.e. cheap and plastic for the most part so they don't suffer too badly when wet.

 

[Aldo]

It’s okay. If you are like the rest of us, you are pretty water resistant and rust proof...

 

[SteveP.]

I agree with @Kain , don't do it. There is insulation under the carpeting, when the carpet gets wet, the underlying insulation also gets wet and will stay wet - this promotes rust and mold. Also, I'd worry about console switches and what's inside the console, seat frames, etc. Whereas a quick light shower probably won't hurt anything (and stuff will dry out quickly) my ultimate recommendation is to put the top up in the rain. Best, s

 

[Destination Loco]

are any risks of doing this

the video might appear in your opponent's campaign ad

 

[pikeman]

Despite the temptation to keep going, stop and get the top up. getting active mildew/mold/fungus in the car is a serious issue. You will probably never get rid of it and the car will stink.
Best regards
Pete

 

[MegaMike]

Despite the temptation to keep going, stop and get the top up. getting active mildew/mold/fungus in the car is a serious issue. You will probably never get rid of it and the car will stink.
Best regards
Pete

This. Bad smells are easy to get out of a house carpet, but cars are much harder. My parents actually sold a car(i think it was a Mustang) because their cat peed in it and they could not get the smell out even after a professional cleaning detail.

 

[Tazilon Brenner]

I don't think some respondents understand when you drive top down in a light rain, the inside of the car does not get wet. Obviously, if the rain is reaching the inside of the cabin, you should put up the top. However, if it is one of the many times the rain isn't hitting the inside, why put it up? It's fun to drive top down in the rain - and the looks you get from passers-by are hilarious!

 

[stevet]

Just a week ago we were caught in a brief shower (light rain for just a couple miles) at freeway speed, and like you (the OP), we felt nary a drop inside the cabin. But, as soon as the rain started I got into the right lane and prepared myself for a shoulder pit stop to bring up the roof. If it would have kept going with this light rain, I would have deployed the roof.

Related subject #1- regardless of what the owner's manual may state, only raise or lower the roof at a dead stop, the thing is an uncontrollable parachute when the car is moving, and is also the ultimate driver distraction for you and others around you.

Related subject #2- a fine choice with your (the OP's) Spider purchase, it's the same as mine. 5 seasons and mid-20000 miles of carefree open top motoring. Enjoy your new car!

Steve.

 

[SteveP.]

I don't think some respondents understand when you drive top down in a light rain, the inside of the car does not get wet. Obviously, if the rain is reaching the inside of the cabin, you should put up the top. However, if it is one of the many times the rain isn't hitting the inside, why put it up? It's fun to drive top down in the rain - and the looks you get from passers-by are hilarious!

I understand that when moving along in a light shower that little rain water gets inside . . . not much to worry about. But around here, and I'm sure it's the same in your area, that a light shower can quickly turn into a torrential downpour and that is a worry of mine. One thing that may be different is that we often have high humidity, SE and NW the same. . . Things do not readily dry out. They stay damp, that's where problems occur. I'm thinking Taz, being in the SW, you do not have to worry so much about things staying wet/damp for long periods? Not wishing to argue here, just to clarify a very slight difference of opinion here, so as to give @4lindamar the absolute best advice we can collectively give to her. Happy Spidering, Best, s

 

[Tazilon Brenner]

I understand that when moving along in a light shower that little rain water gets inside . . . not much to worry about. But around here, and I'm sure it's the same in your area, that a light shower can quickly turn into a torrential downpour and that is a worry of mine. One thing that may be different is that we often have high humidity, SE and NW the same. . . Things do not readily dry out. They stay damp, that's where problems occur. I'm thinking Taz, being in the SW, you do not have to worry so much about things staying wet/damp for long periods? Not wishing to argue here, just to clarify a very slight difference of opinion here, so as to give @4lindamar the absolute best advice we can collectively give to her. Happy Spidering, Best, s

I live just outside of Dallas. It can rain quite hard. Plus that, I am a retired meteorologist. I think Linda already has discovered the way to do it: at speed, you can leave the top down in rain as long as none is coming inside. Once that happens, then throw the top up. Very easy to do and if you ware watching as you drive, you can easily tell if you are about to hit heavy rain. Unlike so many cabrios, our top goes up so fast, it lets us take some joyful liberties

 

[2020 Nordamericano]

My thought for what's it worth.
Your car, you do what you want to do!
My additional thought for it's worth.
I rode motorcycles for over 50 years. I have ridden motorcycles all over this country from north to south and east to west and much of Canada, multiple times. When it rained I got rained on and oft times very, very wet! When it was cold much of the time I got cold and oft times very cold! I now own an Abarth 124 Spider. Now when it rains I put the top up! Now when it's cold I turn on the heated seat and set the heater control on Auto with a coorsponding appropriate temp setting!
As I said, your car, you do what you want.

 

[4lindamar]

Thanks for all the great advice! I appreciate all of your thoughts. June is notoriously rainy in the Pacific NW (along with many of the other 11x months!) Summer is just about here- I will do my best to be patient and wait for some better weather! Better safe than sorry!

 

[Aldo]

This spring has been extremely wet, even by Pacific Northwest standards.

I was driving to Seattle a few weeks back with the top down, and got hit by passing showers along the way. As long as I kept my speed above 60 MPH, the wind kept me completely dry.

 

[4lindamar]

This spring has been extremely wet, even by Pacific Northwest standards.

I was driving to Seattle a few weeks back with the top down, and got hit by passing showers along the way. As long as I kept my speed above 60 MPH, the wind kept me completely dry.

Agreed- the rain has been merciless this year in this corner of the country! Hopefully this will result in fewer forest fires in the coming months! I experienced the same thing, didn't feel a drop of rain while driving in a rainstorm yesterday- I did note a lot of water driven back from the windows towards the soft top compartment though and didn't want to get water down in there....

 

[124Scottish Abarth]

I think Linda already has discovered the way to do it: at speed, you can leave the top down in rain as long as none is coming inside.

No, no, and no. Of course water is getting inside the cabin no matter your speed. Rain comes down....or sideways in Scotland, and no matter how fast you drive you will get some inside with the top down. Your logic would have your car not getting any water on it if you drive fast enough in the rain. In a light shower it will likely dry very fast with air moving around the cabin but nonetheless water is getting inside.

 

[Augerhandle]

That's what tonneau covers are for.

 

[Adenzeno]

Go fast enough and the rain doesn't fall in the cockpit. I learned this in my Alfa..😁 don't be worried!