My favorite personal car has got to be my 1986 Mustang GT convertible, which was the first car I ever bought. It might not have been the fastest, but it was surely the most fun, driving with the top down:
My current ride is likely to become my favorite soon:
Great Bronc pic there @beowulff. Great Bronc too. My late first wife and I had sorta-matching His n’ Hers 91 & 92 old-style Big Broncs both bought new. I’m glad they brought the line back.
And yeah, the rattiest convertible is more fun than the finest hard top.
IIRC the mid-80s Mustangs were still recovering from the late 70s - early 80s reincarnation of Mustang as a cheap gutless economy box with a smidgen of speedy styling, rather than as the sporty performance car it had been and would one day become again. A sorry era indeed, for Mustangs and for much of the US car industry.
But it was a convertible, so all is forgiven! 
I’m sure I’m an outlier here. But I really don’t like convertibles. Too distracting from the job of driving. Both my Wife and my cars have sun roofs. Was aggravated that the trim model of my 4Runner automatically came with a sunroof. Never use them, waste of money.
Agree that sunroofs are a pretty pale imitation that brings most of the reliability and leak problems of a convertible with about 5% of the out-in-glorious-Nature benefits.
For darn sure the value prop of a convertible depends heavily on where you live. Your area, and maybe International Falls MN, are two of the best poster children for “great idea, but not for around here.” Sorta the opposite of where I grew up and where I now live.
1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra Brougham.
Dang I loved that car. It had wire wheels and an automatic sunroof, an aftermarket CD jukebox, and tons of trunk space. But honestly, the best thing about it was the driver’s seat. The size and shape fit me perfectly, as did the space and ratio between the steering wheel and the pedals. It was just SO comfortable.
It looked all formal but I slipped it on like a comfy cotton sweat suit. I could take a ten-hour drive and be perfectly comfortable when I stood up again. It was also the only vehicle I’ve ever owned that allowed me to fully extend my left leg from the driver’s seat. There’s a feature I may never find again, but if I do, be assured that I will buy that vehicle.
No argument there. I will however open it a few inches it the car is parked on a hot day in say Denver. Especially if I have dogs in the car and I have to dash into a store for 20 minutes. The windows of course get cracked a few inches too.
100% with you there. Santa Barbara is just made for convertibles.
My M240i didn’t make it onto my ‘favorite ever’ list because I haven’t had it all that long. But I bet it will ultimately be up there. It’s a rare breed these days, a convertible with a manual transmission.
My parents bought a custom 4X4 Chevy van in the mid-70s, and in the mid-80s I got to drive it to high school. My parents let a teenager drive a fully custom van with floor-to-ceiling carpet, custom lighting, a kick-ass stereo system, and a couch in the back that folds out into a bed. Lucky for them I was a “Neo-Maxi-Zoom-Dweebie”. The 69 Camero was my brother’s car that he rebuilt from the ground up.
IOW
If this van is rockin’, don’t bother knockin’
Those were the totally in thing when I was in HS. 72-76. Yours even has the almost obligatory porthole!
Score!
thats automobilistic AMERICANA, right there …
I hear ya. I’ve got one, but the top stays up. When I want wind, I’ll ride a bike.