Christmas is all about visiting friends and family. So, what better excuse for cabriolet drivers to get their beloved vehicles on the road to take for a spin? Many make the decision to embrace the cold Christmas breeze and drop the roof. But this can lead to a number of challenges when it comes to the practicalities of a festive trip.
In this guide, we run through these practicalities. We also give some tips on how best to take advantage of limited space in your car, before finishing off with a few of our favourite Christmas gift ideas for the passionate car owner.
Roof down, boot out?
If you are one of the brave drivers deciding to drop-top this Christmas season, you are likely to face one major challenge…limited boot space.
Of course, when your roof is neatly stored away in your boot it leaves you very limited space for crucial tasks such as Christmas shopping or packing for a trip to visit friends and family. However, this doesn’t need to mean your boot becomes useless.
By smart planning and packing, you can fit a surprising amount in your car boot, even when your roof is taking up the majority of the available space.
Of course, the first thing you need to do is make sure you are only packing the minimum amount you really need. This can be done via planning. For example, if you are going away, work out exactly what clothes and other items you really need to pack rather than simply chucking everything you can in your bag.
Once you have your load ready to pack, it is important to make sure you utilise the space as best as you possibly can. Consider your full load and plan where to put each item to make sure every inch of space is used to its best advantage. Items with cavities such as shoes can also be filled with soft items to utilise every available bit of space.
Mechanism clearance
One area which you must remember when packing your boot with the roof down is to use your boot divider correctly. Some boots have a thin sheet divider and others have a more substantial wall.
When packing the car make sure that none of the items packed underneath are poking through as this may cause rubbing which can cause significant damage to the roof material. Equally, you should make sure that all items are kept well clear of the roof mechanism as this can lead to jamming.
We often find small items such as coins and even kids toys lodged in our customer’s roof mechanisms. Not only can this lead to roof malfunction but also increases your chances of doing serious damage to the roof.
Champagne Christmas
Another element of boot packing which cabriolet owners must be aware of is the correct storage of liquids. Although no car owner wants sticky, potentially smelly liquids sloshing around in their car, this is of even greater concern for those with an electric roof.
When packing your car, make sure any liquids (including that all-important bottle of Christmas champagne) is kept upright and wedged in a position so that it will not fall over. For extra good measure, it is worth keeping all liquids in a waterproof bag in case of a leak.
Car owners who fail to do this will not only have an unpleasant mess to clean up but also run the risk of the liquid saturating through the electrics, control unit or pump area. This can lead to roof malfunction and costly repairs – not the best Christmas surprise.
Tree trouble
We see many drivers taking advantage of their removable roof during the festive period in order to transport their Christmas tree. However, this can lead to difficulties with the hood operation, with the roof getting stuck down.
Image source: https://www.jdpower.com/
For those with a properly maintained system, it is unlikely this will happen.
Drivers deciding to use their roof facility for transporting large items like Christmas trees should also make sure that they are aware of the rules and regulations which surround the correct use of the road.
Cabriolet enthusiasts Christmas gifts
Now we have covered the practical part of Christmas for cabriolet owners…now for something a little more indulgent. Here is our quick guide to Christmas gifts for the passionate car owner.
(Yes, it is ok if you want to buy these for yourself)
Christmas often calls for getting dressed up. We love these turbo cufflinks, letting you add a little personality and individuality to your festive outfit. (£11)
Never has a t-shirt summed up our opinion on the stylish and occasionally quirky cars we work on. ‘Life is too short to drive boring cars’ T-shirt. (£11.99)
With all the madness of Christmas, there is little more frustrating than running out of battery on your phone. This is (especially true when you are using it as a satnav. That is why this iPhone Lightning Car Key Powerbank is such a great gift for the car enthusiast. (£13)
With winter comes harsh weather and that can mean a large amount of strain being put on your car roof. This is especially true for soft top owners. A simple gift of Renovo Ultra Proofer will help to keep it in top condition. (£21.95)
A gift, just for the fun of it. Who doesn’t want their car to sound like a Lamborghini? Well, now it can with the Lamborghini Sounds Through Your Speaker. (£40)
Cayman Autos Christmas
Here at Cayman, we will be closing over the festive period for a well-deserved break. Therefore we will be unreachable from midday 24th December and will resume usual service on Jan 2nd 2019.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our customers and friends a very merry Christmas and a happy 2019.
