Since 2005, I have owned 14 convertibles, all foreign but for a Corvette and my new Jeep Gladiator. For me, one advantage for the convertible is that the wife is all-in, too. So, I can buy toys with hardly a fuss as long as the top goes down, including the current Jeep, SL63 AMG and SLK55 AMG. Spring and summer are nice, but our fav is going into the New England fall with top down, heated seats and the air scarf. But the passion for top-down touring started much earlier, with a 1990 IROC-Z. Because of a short production run due to early introduction of the 1991 facelift, less than 1,300 1990 convertibles were produced. It was a beauty in Bright Blue Metallic, and the last year of the IROC-Z. We had 3 young kids at the time, and I added a 3rd seatbelt in the back seat so we could all go for a ride. Trophy winner at many Atlanta-area car shows, including 2nd place at my first-ever show, which was all Camaros (I didn't know to replace the locking gas cap with original before judging). I sold it in 1995 to start a business, and it would be 10 years before I would go topless again. I am now on the waitlist to order a Z06 convertible, but I think about that blue IROC-Z a lot. There was something special about it.
... View more