I suspect there will be some overlapping opinions here...but when is your favorite time to hit the tarmac?

In New England, I spend much of the long, bitter winter dreaming and pining for nights like the ones we have had lately. Warm, humid, sticky, calm air.

I love to roll down the windows, turn off the music, get down to the wonderful business of turning 93 octane gasoline into kinetic energy, sound, heat and joy.

 

I live in the midwest. Spring and fall are my favorite times of year. Temperature wise I like the 45 to 75 degree weather. The white stallion likes the cooler range.

 

As long as it's above 40F and it's not snowing or hailing it's game on. I'm also in the north, so I have to take advantage of non-winter weather for 8 months out of the year.

 

75-80 degrees is ideal, but I'll drop the top anywhere from 45-105.

 

No rain, no pain......Ice not nice.....snow no go


The whole purpose of a rag top is to drive in warm dry weather as often as possible. I even run the A/C when the top is down. We convertible owners have limited year-round driving opportunities, but I'll drive top up in freezing weather as long as I can. But once the first snowfall happens, it's all over.

I'm not concerned about rain corroding anything....it's just such a major ordeal detailing if I get caught in a storm. I keep my car clean because I want to, not because I have to, so I avoid intentional wet driving. I'm fortunate to have a second car.

 

On the gulf coast, our weather can be great one weekend and hot and humid the next. My favorite would be 60 to 80 degrees, partly cloudy, low humidity. That could be anytime between September and May. And like the OP, windows down, radio off. Yesterday I had my windows down and it was 89. Then it started raining so the windows went up but the temp went down to 78.

 

When the temp is around 50 degrees in the afternoon.

 

I'll add that if the top is down, the windows are too. I do not drive top down and windows up...ever.

 

At 70mph with the top down, the only way I can light a cigarette is to put the windows up for a few seconds.

 

I live in SW. Il. just a few miles north of the Shawnee Nat. Forest and about 50 miles east of the St. Francis Mts. in Mo. so I have a variety of roads to pick from . We have some long fast isolated straights where you can safely run at fairly high speeds and plenty of curvy roads with good elevation changes for the inner road racer in you. Temp and weather wise I prefer Spring and Fall when it's usually between 50 and 80 degrees with generally clear or partly cloudy skies. Even though I am old [ 71 ] I can still see just fine at night so that dosen't bother me, but having to clean mass amounts of bug splatter off the front of the car the next morning does. Also we have a really large deer population, especially on the Il. side of the Mississippi, so that has to be taken into consideration as well. I drive in all seasons, but since I have an old SN95 six cyl. to drive for everyday I generally avoid taking either my '14 GT or the '72 'Cuda out when there is rain, snow or salt residue on the road.

 

After re-reading the OP's original question, I realized that he's referring specifically to certain weather/driving conditions.

So then, my fav is top-down on a summer night, mid 70's to low 80's, clear skies and lots of stars. I tend to drive the speed limit, even a bit under, just so the ride takes longer. It's why God gave us convertible Mustangs.

This is my top-down face:

 

Early morning or dusk in the fall for me. Favorite time of the year to drive. Spring is always nice too.

 

Early fall when the leaves are changing and it's warm enough for the top to be down. Best time of the year other than it ushers in brutal New England winters.

 

:toast:

I love it!

 

I live in Canada, where the Winters are brutal and the Summer can get pretty Humid, so I would have to say Cruising through the Muskokas in early to mid Fall. Beautiful roads and Fall scenery.

 

unfortunately i have to wait for winter to get mid 70s to have nice window down cruise... all the other days it is 95+ microwave heat in texas.

 

I'm a "glass half full" kinda guy, Shiaz. I'm reading NO EFFIN' SNOW!!!!

 

I actually enjoyed driving my mustang in the snow last year. A big percentage of you guys will never know what that's like which is a good thing in a way lol. the car handles really, really well with limited slip. Best time is when its cool enough that you can keep the windows cracked and hear the exhaust and just cruise along with minimal bug splatter against the windshield.

 

I like early evenings and into the night since most car guys are out at this time. Downfall to nights are **** bugs, but that's the only time I get any challengers so the bugs are worth it.

 

I agree. Summer storms can also have hail - that would not be nice. But she goes in the garage for the winter and doesn't come out until there is no snow, ice or salt out to hurt her.