If (when) they repeat it, be sure to watch the hour-long History Channel program about the history of the convertible. Keep Kleenex handy to catch your drooling during the '30s segment.

Interesting to note that the first convertible with a power top was a 1939 Plymouth. It also had the first column-mounted shift lever and sold for the outrageous price of ... ahem ... $900!

One segment dealt with the '57 - '59 Ford Fairlane hardtop convertible. (I had a '57, but it was a ragtop - much more handsome than that overrated Chevy of the same year). Of course the program ends showing the current hardtop convertibles with special attention, not surprisingly, paid to our beauty.

 

grrr... I don't have the history channel

 

It was a very interesting show and it made me miss open air driving. Well, at least winter will be ending soo!

 

I hope it ends soon. I have had my sc430 for two mouths and have only 500 miles on it. Two week ago I took it out I got caught in a sudden snow storm (15minutes of white out condition) and slid it head on in to a curb; run-flats are very very unstable in the snow. Fortunately, there were only minor scratches under the front as the snow piled up at the curb stopped me before the curb meet the tires.

As soon as it gets a little warm the top comes down and my wife and I are off the outer banks.

 

You folks in the Mid-Atlantic states sure have had a heck of a winter this year, eh?

 

The first thing my salesperson told me when I picked up my SC 430 was to never ever drive it in the snow!

 

I wonder why the dealer recommended that you never drive in the snow if the 430 has a 'snow' mode? Not that I would do it anyway.

Out here in Calif. don't have to worry about that much. I would never take the 430 up to the mountains in winter though. I try to avoid using it in the rain too (Got an Acura TL as well).

Rear wheel drive cars are notoriously unstable in the snow. I lived in Michigan years ago and had a Mustang that I used to keep a couple of big sandbags in the trunk to weigh it down.

 

I drove my SC430 in the snow once and never again. The dealer was correct, do not drive in the snow. The snow mode is basically useless.

 

I have been driving this car in the snow most of the winter and have found it surprisingly good in the snow. Even with the runflats I am pretty pleased.

 

that seems hard to believe..

which run flats do you have?

.how much tire pressure?

...what type of 'snow' conditions are you talking about? ...already plowed and salted streets or actual slick snow???

 

Actually I have driven in semi plowed snow not in the middle of the snow storm I have dunlop run flats. I havent had any problems and I live in jersey we have been swamped with snow

 

I also have the run flats and live on Long Island. I drove after a storm around Thanksgiving. The streets were semi-plowed and the side roads had packed snow on them. It was amazing that I got home. When I got near my house I had to go up a hill which had some hard packed snow on it and was forced to leave my car at a freinds house. I used to make it up without any problem when I owned my BMW 540 but the SC430 was all over the road. The car is spending the rest of the winter in a warm garage while I drive a Honda. Once all of the snow melts the Honda goes to the garage and out comes the Lexus.

 

For any sort of winter driving I'd look into investing in some quality WInter Tires. They are key in helping control the traction. Snow mode simply starts the transmission in 2nd gear, which can help reduce the power in starting from a stop. Low profile performance tires weren't meant for the snow, or in some cases, even cold weather. WIth my S2000 I have Bridgestone Potenza S-02 tires, which are summer/performance tires. The rubber compound is harder than passenger car tires, and so whenever the temps even dipped toward freezing and below, the tires would be hard and slippery. And forget traction in the snow. Just my 2 cents.. set of some smaller.. maybe 17" wheels with some Blizzaks!