ChrisB

Just thinking this weekend that it is usually either too cold or rainy most days now to get much use out of the convertible top.

For the driving done in the last two weekends ... we could comfprtably drop the top (with varying degrees of heater blasting and seat warmers on) ony 25% of our travels.

We will have to put the hard top on in the next week or two.

At least we have the panorama roof .

I can't wait till early April when it could be time to go soft top again .

SilverSL500

I've had mine on for 3 or 4 weeks. It was 24 degrees F this morning, and has been that way for awhile. Supposed to hit a heatwave high of 43F today

I may be picking up a used 4-wheeler this week to use in the winter, so I may leave the SL in the garage and take the hardtop back off once the soft window gets warm enough to raise.

S

ChrisB

We drive the SL only on the weekends. So we hope for one or two top down ventures each weekend even this late in the season.

The R230 would be more of a daily driver and occacional drop top vehicle for the North West. A panorama roof would still be a necessity in the R230 .

I'm saving up . Maybe 4 or 5 years from now I'll be in a R230.

ChrisB

It was clear, sunny, about 7 to 9 degrees C (44 to 48 degrees F) and dry pavement today. 2/3 of our errands were run with top down, heater blasting 24 degrees C at our feet and seat warmers on

On our way back home it was too dark and cold .

Stole another day from the clutches of winter!.

I should clairify that we park the SL in an underground parkade. So the soft top only get exposure to the elements when we are driving in inclement weather. The temperature in the parkade is arround 65 degrees F. So there is no fear of cracking the rear window when going out on these chilly days.

The concret parkade structure does not facilitate a top hoist as is pictured above. That would be handy for wiping the hard top off for a nice day like today.

Our hard top use can be summed up as on in the fall / off in the spring events for my wife & I.

SilverSL500

It would be nice to have the retractable hardtop, but I don't like the looks of the R230. Way too busy inside also.

That inside parkade parking would be nice, especially at 65 degrees! I would rather leave the softtop up all year to save wear when its folded up for a couple months. Plus, I don't like how the car looks with the pano top on. Too much silver, although I do like the hardtop itself.

ChrisB

SilverSL500

I have always liked the R230 looks from the outside. My wife always criticizes the looks of the R230 due to the high rear end (needed for top storeage).

I have not driven a R230. I look foreward to the opportunity.

I have sat in a few, briefly. Top up I have noticed feeling a bit claustrophobic. The window sills at the shoulder is noticibly higher. The side windows rake inward faster to meet the roof. The R179 feels more open with the top up/on.

Top down the R230 feels very open obviously. But it seems you are sitting a lot lower in the body of the car because the door window sills are higher. I don't know how much the seats can be raised to counter act the "sitting in a tub" feeling I get.

We have a 12 lb Maltese dog who really enjoys the space behind the seats in the R129 as her "den". She walks by the Jeep each time we go out and sits at the driver's door of the R129 waiting to be lifted in.

The R230 does not have the same size of bench behind the seat. Behind the R230 does not seem to be a puppy friendly space.

SilverSL500

Heh heh. I don't think my 107 lb Mastiff/Shepard would fit in my R129, but he likes the van

I'll have to pass on the "puppy friendly space" quote to my salesman. I agree on the "tub" feeling, but I also haven't driven the new SL. The dealer has an '04 with 500 miles on it, maybe I need to take it out

ChrisB

With almost no hope of having clear or warm days for a few months ... my wife & I put the panorama roof on today.

Just 4 more months till we can hope for the odd nice day and take the top off. I can hardly wait.