[evolution]

I'm looking to buy a convertible soon. I used to drive convertibles in the US a lot and absolutely love the experience. Been dreaming about owning one in Mumbai as well.

Now one of the problems is convertibles are only available in sedans. There are a couple of really good options for the Mercedes E350 convertible available, which is my ideal car - I had a fantastic experience with it in the US.

BUT - Indian roads :( I test drove one of these and it hit every damn speedbreaker we tried to cross. This was a nightmare for me. If I choose to buy a new car I don't want to stress out every time I cross a speed breaker.

Couple of questions:
1 - Where can I get accurate information about ground clearance? Is there a trusted source? Or do you guys physically measure it?

2 - Can you suggest which models would have the best ground clearance? My options are Mercedes C class, E class, Audi A3.

In my searches it shows C Class has a 157mm ground clearance whereas E class has a shocking 120mm ground clearance! Audi A3 seems to be at 165mm.. I'm quite surprised to see so much variation as visually all these cars look the same lol.. I guess it is only some 4-5cm difference.. But I'm wondering whether to trust these numbers!

[GTO]

Your concerns are legit. Long story short, if you are looking at touring, buy a CKD adapted for India, and not a direct-import CBU. But you'll see a lot more options for CKD sedans than convertibles.

Originally Posted by evolution

I'm looking to buy a convertible soon. I used to drive convertibles in the US a lot and absolutely love the experience. Been dreaming about owning one in Mumbai as well.

Hope you've considered the weather. Convertibles are fun in India only in the winter, at night and in hill stations. In all other situations, there is too much dust, dirt & heat.

Now one of the problems is convertibles are only available in sedans

Consider the Mini & Boxster. Because they are tuned for sportiness & have shorter wheelbases, they handle speed-breakers better than large barges. You'll see many options for both these cars in the pre-owned market. Since you are looking at spending premium cash, I'm not sure if a Jeep Wrangler is an option for you? Convertible + go anywhere!

Range Rover had also launched an Evoque Convertible (Range Rover Evoque Convertible launched at Rs. 69.53 lakh). That might be a fabulous option for you.

Where can I get accurate information about ground clearance? Is there a trusted source? Or do you guys physically measure it?

Best way to know about GC is either ownership reports (scarce on these niche convertibles) or test it yourself on big bumps. Don't go by on-paper stats. My C220 (~141 mm) and 530d (~158 mm) scraped their underbelly lesser than my Honda Civic did (170 mm rating).

[androdev]

Originally Posted by evolution

2 - Can you suggest which models would have the best ground clearance? My options are Mercedes C class, E class, Audi A3.

All convertibles are direct imports and will have poor GC compared to their CKD counterparts, especially Mercedes increases GC a lot in their CKD cars (so high that you can actually see the fake-exhaust setup on most Mercedes CKD sedans). Like GTO mentioned, your best bet is to go for short wheel base cars.

I can't make head or tail of GC numbers - that number is fairly useless as wheelbase, stiffness of suspension, overhangs, number of people you are likely to travel with, the type of roads/ramps you have play a big role. Best would be to test drive and check it for yourself.

All I can say is that if you try too hard to be practical, you will end up with a car you won't particularly like. It is no big deal to scrape few speed breakers and ramps due to low GC. It doesn't cause any damage to your car beyond some superficial scratches. The inconvenience of having to drive very slowly and carefully over speed breakers is a reasonable trade off to enjoy the wow factor of a CBU convertible.

GC is a bigger risk if you are dealing with flooded roads, potholed roads, etc. - advisable to buy insurance with engine+gearbox protection add-on cover.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by evolution

I'm looking to buy a convertible soon.

BUT - Indian roads :( I test drove one of these and it hit every damn speedbreaker we tried to cross.

Look at Z4, especially in M trim with 6 cylinders. Have seen some examples in resales at 20-30% off in less than a year. You can also look at the Boxter range, due to the recent price increase by Porsche, not sure about the resale prices though. A shorter wheelbase helps in your mentioned scenarios. If you are looking only for a 4 door, try to find a clean 3 series convertible, there were a handful of imports.

[IshaanIan]

Ground clearance always needs to be analyzed in conjunction with the wheelbase as well as suspension damping characteristics of a car. In my experience I haven't noticed much of a ground clearance issue with the E350 convertible (A207). That said, you might need something with a shorter wheelbase so how about a used S4 cabriolet?

[evolution]

Wow, so many insights! Thanks so much guys!

Honestly my ideal car is the E cabriolet - I've driven a lot of different brands in the US and this wins for me.. I think I got too scarred in the test drive because I took it around Hiranandani, Powai (for those who live in Mumbai) and that place has notorious speedbreakers, lol..

Maybe I should reconsider a bit, all your advice is very encouraging in a way..

How about going through bad roads up in the hills and stuff? How do the CBU units perform there?

And it's not a big deal to scrape your car? I kinda assumed it would be terrible lol..

@GTO - Evoque convertible sounds ideal for this stuff! Just not easily available.. @androdev good to know I can stop bothering with GC numbers lol, and thanks for ur inspiration..!

@Ishaan - Woah you have the car! Loll.. Hows the experience been? Are you able to do outstation trips, etc without worrying about GC?

[androdev]

Originally Posted by evolution

@androdev good to know I can stop bothering with GC numbers lol, and thanks for ur inspiration..!

Here is some more inspiration :-)

GC comes with challenges for sure, but it is not from speed-breakers and ramps. I regularly drive some low GC cars - especially S-class which automatically lowers suspension on highways and I sometimes forget to manually raise it resulting in many "holy *&$!" moments but the underbody damage is negligible. The scraping sound is unnerving for sure, but it is harmless. As you know all the important mechanicals (engine, transmission, differential, suspension, etc) are located between wheels so it is impossible for a speed-breaker or ramp to damage them. Even catalytic converters and other exhaust pieces are out of reach for speed breakers due to metal frame along the running boards.

However sharp projections on the road like large stones, pothole edges, etc. can directly hit critical mechanical parts between wheels and cause some serious damage. Unlike speed-breakers and ramps, these projections are less common but still pose a serious risk. I had to replace the transmission on a 5-series once due to a stone-hit, fully covered by insurance though. Regular insurance including zero-depreciation doesn't cover such damages, you need "engine and gearbox protection" add-on cover.

Buy the car you love - suffer an inch and enjoy a mile. Mercedes E cab would be lovely if you like comfort and company :-)

[evolution]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

In my experience I haven't noticed much of a ground clearance issue with the E350 convertible (A207).

Been trying to DM you but it seems I need to have 25 posts before I can do that... Excited to hear you have the exact same car! Lol

Can you tell me a bit more about your experience with GC? Do you have to do that whole diagonal approach thing to avoid hitting speedbreakers? Any trouble going through bad roads n stuff like that? Have you taken it out to hillstations, etc by any chance?

Would love to have your overall feedback on the car as well! Are you happy with it? Most importantly - are you able to take the top down often without being bothered by traffic, etc?

Very eager to know!

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by evolution

@Ishaan - Woah you have the car! Loll.. Hows the experience been? Are you able to do outstation trips, etc without worrying about GC?

Nope just lucky to have been able to drive quite a few such cars through more fortunate friends of mine

I have driven the car only once but that was within the city of hyderabad not on unpaved roads. But I did go over a few speed breakers and they didn't seem to be an issue. Few years ago when the metro was being constructed, an E350 convertible zoomed past me on the fast lane of a flyover that directly led into the path of metro construction and it went off the road kicking up loads of dust but did not hear anything much untoward. Later found out that the car was owned by a friend of a friend and he confirmed that nothing at all happened.

[evolution]

I'm about to purchase a pre-owner convertible in the next few weeks..

Wanted to see if there are any convertible owners on this forum!

Two topics I'd love to discuss:

1 - Ground clearance - I already created a thread on this but would love to know more. Convertibles are usually CBUs with lower ground clearance - do you guys face any issues with speedbreakers? How about going through bad roads in rural / hilly areas?

2 - Top down - how often do you end up enjoying the ride with the top down? I am not expecting to be able to do this most of the times in the city, etc. My thinking is I will be able to enjoy this on outstation trips, and maybe late night drives when the roads are traffic free. In high traffic or on roads with a lot of signals I think it could get unpleasant.

Hope there are other crazy ones like me on this forum lol and looking forward to hearing from you'll!

[giri1.8]

Does it need to be a luxury car? Or is it just to enjoy the feeling of open air. If it is the latter, then Thar would fit the bill. If I remember right, even the door is removable.

[nitrogary]

I am considering one for myself in the near future so I'll keep an eye out on this thread. Regarding the two questions you have, it'll depend on which car you are considering.
Someone I know has extensively used a 330d convertible and toured the country a little bit in it also. It has lower ground clearance but he has never been stranded or regretted the purchase. I guess you have to be super careful with every speed breaker.
Which car do you have in mind?
There are a few Mercedes and A3 convertibles that i know, the owners are enjoying them absolutely!

[AKSarkar1]

I used to own a W212 E class and currently still own a 2014 C Class, both of which I use/used on a regular basis on Mumbai roads. Personally, I haven't found GC to be that much of a problem in Mumbai. Yes of course there are some speed-breakers and road deformities that are mini-mountains in their own right but once again, not much of a problem. I have found curbing your alloys to be a much bigger problem in such premium cars over GC.

In fact, I have only once scraped the underbelly of my C Class somewhere in Goregoan in all these years of owning the car. The only time I see GC to be a problem is during the rains when it is flooded (for obvious reasons), apart from that I don't think such a problem such be a deal-breaker.

I also feel the road conditions have 'somewhat' improved over the past decade or so in Mumbai. While the conditions still aren't optimum for the more premium car brands, this hasn't dissuaded enthusiasts from buying their choice of car which is evident via the healthy number of BMW, Audis, Mercs, VWs etc on Mumbai roads. Hope this helps

[aneesh2M]

@ evolution, not trying to discourage you as I also love the idea of driving an convertible but a convertible in India especially in Mumbai is a daring though if its considered as a daily driver or even a car to go places on weekends. Our roads are too harsh for a open top car, Just consider the heat and dust in the city, if driving on an highway just imagine the trucks without proper covered cargo like sand/cement blowing from back towards the car moving behind it. also if a soft top is considered the maintenance of the same would be high. so a convertible can be enjoined with open top for max 25% of its usage in India. if its for a weekend tool to drive on marine drive and sea-link as a toy then its ok but other wise need to rethink the option.

[Naman_Ferrari]

I personally think that ground clearance is over rated. I've always had cars with 'poor ground clearance' but it's never been an issue really. Driven Mercs and BMWs extensively in pot hole infested Bangalore and hardly ever faced an issue. My cousin from Hyderabad has a E350 Cabriolet and that too is very comfortable to take wherever without a second thought. My Boxster's clearance always amazes me. It's never been an issue.

The only and most important caveat is that you need to drive carefully. Go slow and slanting on speedbreakers and bad roads. You cannot just cruise over them. To me, that's a very small price to pay. All the best :-)