all day while at work. I've always been a little nervous that someone is going to try to jump in and steal something. But I figured what the heck, took my sunglasses into the office with me, and now just have to hope that no one REALLY wants to steal my Family Guy hat or any of my generic passenger hats. *crosses fingers*

 

Good for you! I almost always leave the top down at work- I have an office with a window, but it's to the point that I sometimes get calls when the weather looks like rain in the afternoon, from people I don't even know well, to let me know I may need to put the top up. You'll get a reputation as a truly dedicated cabrio driver pretty quickly.

 

I wish I felt as comfortable as you two do about leaving the top down, but regardless of where I am (work, shopping, movies, etc), I feel compelled to put her top up when I leave her. I can control what might be available for someone to steal (hide it all in the boot)...but I can't control the mean, heartless, selfish, jealous, and/or evil people that might dump a coke, ice cream, etc etc in one of her seats.

It's sad that I have such a cynical view of so many in humanity....

 

True, those things can happen, and where I work is a single company parking lot of a few hundred cars, so it's less open to the public. Shopping, etc. is less controlled, but in 1.5 years of leaving the top down frequently, nothing bad has happened. Perhaps it is inevitable, but then the top could be cut, door keyed, etc. so my attitude is that if people want to vandalize, they'll do it and leaving the top down doesn't make me that much more susceptible.

I should add that I was tipped off last week that my top-down practice at work has given someone the idea to start plotting a practical joke on me. Something about blow-up dolls being left in it. Adult blow up dolls- for adults only. I'm going to take my chances.

 

I park right outside the big glass window in my office at work so I leave the top down all the time. I dunno if I would if my MINI wasn't visable from my office but I do constantly leave it down when shopping. I live, work, & shop in good neighborhoods though. I probably wouldn't leave the top down if in a less than good neighborhood

 

I recently left my top down at an uncrowded shooping mall in the morning figuring that my stay would be short. However, I came out and saw that someone had taken my "SADE" CD. I had the case with the CD on the passenger seat. You can take my wife's "Dixie Chicks" CD, but not my SADE CD.

 

Top is down between Feb. and Nov. - whether at work, home, shopping . . . Everything stays locked in glove box, and I just take my shuffle with me.
I hate to see what kind of creases I have when I finally put it up in 4 months.

 

You people are brave, leaving your tops down unattended. Last time I left the top down "unattended", it was parked outside my apartment in the driveway. I came back a couple of hours later and it was FILLED with those dangly seed things from oak(?) trees. I spent the next hour vacuuming it out.

I haven't left the top down unattended since!

I also have a paranoia about bird poo.

 

I put my top up almost every time I park. Sometimes at home on the weekends when I come and go I'll put the car cover on with the windows rolled up (but the top down). Otherwise the interior gets whatever the seasonal abuse is (right now it is sap). I have thought about going to a boat shop and seeing what a tonneau cover would cost . . . that would be cool. It might even be able to replace the wind screen.

 

That is the second thing that bothers me about keeping the top down, creases in it when you put it back up. In the old days, 50s & 60s, it was a ritual putting the top down. Unlock, part way down, pull and fold, rest of the way down, pull and fold, flip the cover up, pull, tug, snap. Not like today, push one button for 22 sec and drive.

 

First day i brought home my car, on the drive to a softball game - bird poo straight onto the back seats!! Hasn't happened since, but i'm sticking to the "it was for good luck" theory

 

^ I'm afraid to wish you good luck with future motoring.

 

Y'all must be kidding...or very lucky...
stray birds, pollen, dust, a surprise rainstorm...
Top's down every minute of driving, but always up when parked. Even put it up most of the time when it's in the garage - I just think it's better for it to be left in that position.

 

I hope you have leather/leatherette/vinyl and not cloth seats!

 

All of the above are reasons I ask the wife to put the top up when not in it. But the biggest one is sun......It gets it while you drive sure but letting it hang out for 9 hours cooking when it doesnt have to? Nope.

 

I should explain that, although my top is always down, 8 Ball is spoiled with a garage at home and at work.