There's been a spate of vehicles given the roofless treatment since 2003, which helped keep registrations of convertibles growing since then. 2007 saw the trend reverse, though, with registrations of droptops sliding by 8.6 percent, says R.L. Polk & Company. Polk's folks contend that while there's now plenty of selection with fancy retractable hardtops, the economic slide is putting downward pressure on some luxury items. While it might be difficult to describe the ghastly petrochemical disaster inside a Sebring as profligate, convertibles are not viewed by consumers as a sensible shoes purchase. Segment leaders such as the Mustang and Sebring still maintain their dominance, with the Mustang taking a 33 percent hit compared to 2006, while the Sebring actually found 2.7 percent more registrants. If you hate convertibles, this news doesn't matter to you. The upside is that as inventory ages on lots, deals get hotter.
[Source: Automotive News – sub req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Allan @ May 16th 2008 9:13AM
The fact that ANYONE is buying Sebrings (convertible or not) is just amazing to me.
Slashlabs @ May 16th 2008 10:21AM
My father-in-law actually has 2 Sebrings, an '06 Sebring convertible and an '08 Sebring sedan... I don't really understand why :(
psarhjinian @ May 16th 2008 10:46AM
The pre-2007 Sebring was at least a decent looking car. It wasn't exceptional--adequate was probably charitable--but at least it was attractively styled. The convertible was probably the best of the mainstream models; not as coarse as the Mustang, compromised as the Beetle or PT and not a total bowl of jelly like the Solara.
The 2008 is remarkably ugly.
Bryan @ May 16th 2008 9:21AM
This is also the last year of the Solara. Orders are going be halted in June..... They may not own the market, but they do still sell.
taipeileviathan @ May 16th 2008 3:39PM
i thought i saw a relatively good-looking solara the other day down at the santa monica pier. turns out it was a beached whale.
BAMF @ May 16th 2008 5:14PM
^ nice
John R @ May 16th 2008 9:22AM
I drove a previous generation Sebring convertible once.
I get nearly the same effect in my current car by rolling down all the windows and sliding the sunroof open all the way.
I will never pay money for a convertible. Sebring or otherwise.
Dryloch @ May 16th 2008 9:25AM
Who would have thought there were 20,000 suckers to buy the new Sebring Convertible. I am saying this as someone who has had 3 Chrysler Convertibles in a row and wotiched out for a 2007 G6 this year. The Sebring in just about all ways is inferior to the G6 and costs much more at the dealers I shopped at. The interior is extremely cheap and they wanted close to 40 for the hardtop.
Chris @ May 16th 2008 9:46AM
I liked the looks of the EOS by VW but I haven't seen a hint of diesel version being made available here. Then there is the Volvo hard top convertible which is over priced as well.
Way of the Future @ May 16th 2008 10:35AM
BMW does a nice job on the look of a convertible, but as a convertible hater I would never buy one...i had driven a '05 Sebring convertible and when the roof was down i thought the car was about to fold in half, I also have driven a '06 M3 convertible and while that structurally was pretty good, it was slow compared to the coupe, therefore the performance degradation is too great when comparing a convertible to a fixed roof vehicle.
psarhjinian @ May 16th 2008 10:46AM
It's the economy, stupid.
Convertibles, like sports cars, are discretionary purchases. In leaner times, they always take a dip.
James @ May 16th 2008 11:26AM
Time to fork over a downpayment on a VW Eos!
Sandy @ May 16th 2008 12:43PM
WAIT ! You mean to tell me that there are other cars made, that are NOT convertibles? I never really realized that! :)
I too lile the EOS as it has it all, and NOBODY else has what that VW has. A hardtop retractable, WITH a poser Glass moonroof IN the hardtop. 3 way car.
Hardtop Coupe > Hardtop Coupe with a MoonRoof or a convertible.
Others I like are the Mustang GT - the Cadillac XLR and the Volvo retractable. Sebring with the new hardtop retractable is okay. Only one I don't care for is the SAAB Convt. Can't stand the back end !!
Frank @ May 16th 2008 12:53PM
The old Celica convertibles were shipped to the US as hartops and then were modified into convertibles. If they had had their tops removed in Japan they really would have folded in half during the trip.
All Chrysler convertibles since the 1987 LeBaron have been designed from the begining to be convertibles with the required extra barcing designed in from the start. They generally have been less prone to rattles and other issues that have plagued other convertibles in their price range (mainstream autos, were not talking about 100k exotics).
Recently The Truth About Cars website did a comparison review of the G6 and Sebring hardtop convertibles. They preferred the Sebring to the G6, and they hate Chrysler products.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008-pontiac-g6-gt-hardtop-covertible-vs-chrysler-sebring-limited-hardtop-convertible/
Chris @ May 16th 2008 1:18PM
Frank,
That was an awesome review you linked too
shirtman @ May 16th 2008 12:58PM
Any one that owns a convertible needs to have another car thats a hard top, because convertibles especially soft tops are more noisey, and they all leak.
Chris @ May 16th 2008 1:12PM
I will give it to you that convertibles can be more noisy, but my Miata never leaked in the five years I owned it - even in pressure wash car washes. It was loud as hell in one but not wet
SoCalObserver @ May 16th 2008 1:31PM
My office is near LAX, so I see a LOT of rental cars pass by while I'm downstairs enjoying a good smoke break.
I recently saw what was obviously a rental current-gen Sebring Convertible hardtop drive by with the trunk and roof panels frozen into place in almost the exact same position as the photo for this blog entry. The thing was going like 50mph. I was just waiting for the wind to either lift the car off the ground and/or rip the panels right off the car!
I think I read somewhere that Chrysler is having a lot of problems with the hardtops malfunctioning. I'm guessing a saw a living-breathing example. Betcha Jim Press and Debra Wahl Meyer didn't have to deal with crap like this in their Toyota ivory tower. Though I am rooting for a big Chrysler comeback. Can't get much worse.
mroverlord @ May 16th 2008 2:58PM
Newsflash - The Sebring AND G6 hardtops both use the same vendor for their hardtop unit, and both were having the exact same problems. I thought they were fixed, but maybe not.
Why does everyone hate the Sebring so much? I think it's a nice looking car, it just has a crummy interior (which is SUPPOSE to get fixed in 2009).
Dan Roth @ May 16th 2008 3:18PM
Nice looking? what? The front and back ends don't match! THe proportions are wacky.
Seriously, it looks like there was a front team and a rear team, and that used up all the budget, so the interior team had to bail them out. Thus, pretty much any way you look at the Sebring, it sucks. It's not good looking, it has a junk interior, it doesn't drive as well as its competition, basically, you'd better be getting a *REALLY* good deal if you actually purchase one of those things