Do you park and leave the roof down?

[Ukpooky]

Just interested in other peoples' thoughts. If you're out and about for the day and the weather is fine do you leave your roof down when you park and can't see your car?

E.g. supermarket, pub, woods, seaside carpark.

I leave mine down and obviously never leave anything in the car.

[DJT]

It depends on where I am. For instance, today I was visiting a reservoir on Dartmoor. I left the Stag in the car park, roof down in full view of the mobile catering van, for two hours whilst SWMBO and I went for a walk around the lake. Insurance companies have differing views on this, with some insisting the roof must be erected, whilst others accept that it is a convertible and just state that "all reasonable precautions must be taken". This, according to my insurers, means that the doors and boot are locked with no valuables on display in the open car.

In reality, if some scroat wants to damage or nick your car, an erected soft top isn't going to stop them.

[trunt]

I would go with whatever the insurance says.

I Never lock the car doors and only put the top up in case of bird $h1t. Neither of those will prevent it being stolen, just more damage should anyone try. There are better ways of preventing the opportunistic thief, pull the rotor arm anyone? A pro will get it regardless.

[022Dave]

It depends on where I am. For instance, today I was visiting a reservoir on Dartmoor. I left the Stag in the car park, roof down in full view of the mobile catering van, for two hours whilst SWMBO and I went for a walk around the lake. Insurance companies have differing views on this, with some insisting the roof must be erected, whilst others accept that it is a convertible and just state that "all reasonable precautions must be taken". This, according to my insurers, means that the doors and boot are locked with no valuables on display in the open car.

In reality, if some scroat wants to damage or nick your car, an erected soft top isn't going to stop them.

Bit unfair on scrotums, Dave, but I get your drift. Burrator? I often leave the top down, but I do lock the car and glovebox (important things such as the dogs bandanas, dog treats, spare bulbs etc. are kept in there), and I have an alarm & immobiliser fitted. I too consider the surroundings when leaving it; pub car park is usually ok to leave the roof down, as with other Stags when parked up on a run out, but never in a multi-storey car park.

Other Dave

[ramjam2005]

When mine was on the road, I made a camping trip back in the 80's to South of France, Once south of Paris and in the sun we dropped the soft top and never raised it again for 3 weeks. Only downside was as the weather cooled overnight, there was morning dew / condensation over tonneau cover and seats. Obviously, nothing of value in the car and I would always remove the HT lead from coil/distributor (which I always done back in UK whenever leaving the car unattended).

[FrenchStag]

Is there the same market for stolen Stags as there might be for more modern cars? I would be pretty devastated if someone half inched mine. I generally put a visible steering lock on if I leave it anywhere with the top down, and even with the hard top on. Wont slow someone down much if they really wanted it.

I used to be very good at replacing drivers door lock barrels on my Cavalier when I lived near Manchester, they would pinch cars the same way you would call an uber these days.

[Philip Wardle]

I used to be very good at replacing drivers door lock barrels on my Cavalier when I lived near Manchester, they would pinch cars the same way you would call an uber these days.

During the 1970s I was a student in Manchester and lived near the Manchester City ground, Maine Road. On match days fans would try to park in surrounding residential streets. Magically, street urchins would appear and offer to "look after your car" during the match for about 25 pence. The basis of the offer wasn't clear, but I think many of the owners paid-up with a wry smile just in case ...

[DJT]

Burrator?

Meldon

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[mike@thenook]

Depends where I park but then I probably would avoid going somewhere and leaving it roof up or down where I know the local clientele are prone to unfriendly behaviour.
Having said this, I normally only put the roof up when I leave it if I think there's a chance of the wet stuff.

Today we had a lovely run out to the Essex Young Farmers Show, hundreds of parked cars and left it roof down all afternoon and it was still there completely unharmed.

[022Dave]

A few years back, we visited Honfleur in Normandy. There were a few ne’er-do-well kids hanging around the car park, so I made a big show of putting up the hood, and removing my quick release steering wheel. Little sods nicked my Stag logo tyre valve caps.

[mole42]

Mine’s been left in the city centre multi-storey car park with the top down. I don’t worry about it too much, the boot is always locked when I’m parked up but I don’t bother too much about securing the doors, let’s face it, if someone wanted my car they’d take it. If they wanted to do some damage the hood or a locked glovebox wouldn’t stop them. I do have a tracker.

[AndyM2]

Hood up or down entry is too easy to justify putting it up as an anti-theft measure. Similarly locking the doors - a recipe for damage with no tangible benefit.

Out it up if it's raining or under a tree.

[MandM]

It depends on where I am. For instance, today I was visiting a reservoir on Dartmoor. I left the Stag in the car park, roof down in full view of the mobile catering van, for two hours whilst SWMBO and I went for a walk around the lake. Insurance companies have differing views on this, with some insisting the roof must be erected, whilst others accept that it is a convertible and just state that "all reasonable precautions must be taken". This, according to my insurers, means that the doors and boot are locked with no valuables on display in the open car.

In reality, if some scroat wants to damage or nick your car, an erected soft top isn't going to stop them.

An erected pineapple the wrong way round up their back passage might stop them

[kev100]

I ran my own car security business in the late 80's and throughout the 90's, finishing around 2000's when the factory fitted car security killed my business, ironiocally factory fitted security is the easiest to overcome, but couldnt tell customers that. anyway to the point, I will never be locking my stag doors, a good quality well fitted third party alarm system, along with a tracker will make sure your car doesnt go anywhere. Most damage is done with the scum damaging the car to get inside, and then damage the dash, steering to get the car started .. I know it goes against human nature, but keep the doors unlocked, when they try the handles, the alarm goes off, a well fitted alarm will keep them busy long enough, if they do get past that, a tracker will alert you if they nick it or tow it, a tracker can also be used as a paging alert device if wired into an alarm output.

It just depends how much cash you want to spend on keeping your car. If indeed you think its at risk of being stolen,most people dont, until it does, aks me how i know..

As toi keeping the roof down, unless its raining, mine will stay down (except at night I guess), get yourself a duel zone microwave sensor on the alarm to warn away random hands leaning into the car

[Rumbo]

I normally leave the soft top down as I use my own mini cover to protect the interior if it is hot or if rain is about.

This cover will be a lot easier to repair if some low life puts a knife in it rather than in the soft top.

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