When I was living in Australia (Brisbane where the weather was awesome) & drove a SLK 350 (R172) as my daily driver, I’d often leave the roof open in my garage overnight & weekends but throw a dust sheet over it. I’m also very fussy with cars and treated company cars as if they were my own.

 

So today I was heading into work and was on 695 (one of the local highways). When I left my house at 5am it was a raining pretty good outside, but not super hard. Hard enough you would likely run in the house, or a store if walking in a parking lot.10 minutes into the ride the rain had slowed to a mist. 10 minutes after that it was raining harder than at the start of the day. You get the point of the changing conditions? Anyway, I am driving my SUV again today, because I always drive it when its raining, or snowing, unless the weather happens to catch me by surprise while out. As I continue down the highway I see a small convertible cruising up ahead in the slow lane, I am in the middle lane. I can't see that clearly, because its further up and the rain is making it a little difficult to see that far. As I get closer I start to think to myself, it looks like he has the top down in this rain, but that can't be. I figured there is no way that is happening, because just minutes ago it was pouring down. As I got closer I saw that sure enough the top was down. I had to try to grab a vid before I went past him. At the point I grabbed the video it wasn't rain hard at that moment, but there was much road spray and highway splashing from 18 wheelers and the lunatic, raised pick up trucks. Minutes later it was raining hard again. Now 7:20am it s clear and sunny finally.

I have driven in sprinkling rain before and more than once. At highway speeds and by some miracle of science no rain seems to get inside the car, as long as you are moving and not stopped. To this day I still don't understand how that happens, because even if the windshields kicks the water over the cabin the rain that is falling from the sky should still get inside the cabin at some point, but it never seems to do that. I have never, ever driven in real rain before and wouldn't do that.

Do you, would you drive top down in more than just sprinkling rain?

 

Probably something wrong with the top and it could not be raised.

 

I have been caught in heavy downpours and thunderstorms with the top down and no good place to stop (under a bridge etc.) and and I found the SL is perfect at 70mph to stay completely dry

 

I get that, but this morning we passed under some bridges that he could have stopped. Also ahem, he was in a mini not an SL lol.
Edit---->>>>After watching that awesome video you posted I stick by my original post which was "by some miracle of science no rain seems to get inside the car" lol!

 

As per Wolfman’s pic the air flow keeps the rain out. You do not have to be doing 70, as that would depend on the amount of rain falling, wind etc. I got caught in my SLK and was staying dry well below 70. I once was once driving a Military Unimog (Grootfonteinn to Ruacana in Namibia) that had no roof and got caught in some rain with it but I had to keep going quite fast for us to remain dry.

 

I think the idea on how the car keeps water out at highway speeds is interesting. The process might work with a drizzle, or light type of rain, but I can now confirm that the prior mentioned wizardry WILL NOT work on heavier rain. This morning I was heading into work. It was 5am and was warm and breezy. 10 minutes into the drive it started raining. Armed with my new found knowledge of science I didn't care about the rain. Bring it on. Well, apparently someone was listening, because 3 minutes later it started raining real hard. I was doing 70mpg and water was clearly getting inside the cabin. Rain was getting in the car and on me. So much so that I couldn't even risk it getting worst, so I pulled over to put the top up. Now was it the same amount of water had I'd been just standing outside in the rain? No, but it was clearly enough water that made me feel it was wayyyy to much for the interior and my clothes. Don't know how it would have been if I were doing 90mph, but 70mph will not keep rain out and I am never trying that again.

 

Did you have the windows and windscreen up?

 

Yes, I almost always do on the highway, because without them my radio can’t hear me say “hey Siri”

 

Curious of what you mean by wet. If you clean your windshield while driving, you can get some spray from that.
We have driven in the rain with the R129, R230 and R231 and the GTC. You get some raindrops that collect on the edge of the side windows, some light dribbles that usually end up behind by the screen/rear deck.
The best was the R230 due to the windscreen design, followed by the R231. R129 and GTC have no rear side windows which create more dribbles. Our GTC was wet on the roll-over bars...

Are you sitting high or are you very tall? Did you take any pics? Not sure how the experience can be different. We literally never close the roof for a shower when on the highway.

 

I sit upright, no slouching. My drivers license says I am 5’11, but like like Mike Tyson I am closer to 5’10.
Windshield wipers on auto and we’re going at high speed. I was doing 70 mph. I could not grab a pic, because I started to panic when I felt the water and saw how much harder it was raining only seconds after starting. I was trying to guess how far the next bridge was, all the while the rain was increasing it seemed every few seconds. All windows were up as was my windscreen. My pants were wet enough that there were hardly no dry areas and it felt like my skin was wet underneath. I have on jeans. My short sleeved shirt was not 100 % wet and I could still see a few dry sections. If I kept going it would have been 100% wet with in minutes.

Naturally I did got drenched when I stoped to put the top up, because I wasn’t moving and had to bite the bullet. Longest 16 seconds of my life waiting for the top to go up.

Within 5 minutes the rain had stopped and it was warm enough that my car dried out by the time I got to work 40 minutes later. All 4 windows being down, as well as the wind whipping around helped.

I don’t know what to tell you, but geeezzzz. I am totally confused.

 

Sorry to hear. Confused as well as my experience differs. Unfortunately we don't have our SL anymore, but I promise to have my wife take a video while driving in the rain with the GTC and post it

 

I can't wait to see that footage, because I am now a fradycat and won't try the top down rain thing again, unless I know it is only drizzling. Maybe 70 mph wasn't fast enough?? Dunno.


As a matter of fact, ANYONE that can post vid of their SL in the rain and a dry cabin please post um up. I gotta see.---->>>Edit, I see there are a few videos of top down driving in the rain.

 

Yeah, 70 mph was probably fast enough. 90 mph on a newly wet road is not a test I care to take. Remember, physics don't care what you are driving! Hydroplaning a 4600 lbs car at 90 mph and your pants might get wet regardless, if not stinky!

 

I never do 90mph on a dry road, let alone a wet one. I was just saying maybe I wasn’t fast enough. Dunno. Next drizzle I will see what happened.

 

That's your story? OK. 🤣
Mine, too.

 

Yep, my car is so slow I would be lucky if I made it up to 71mph. Lol

 

Only in WV where the speedo is 70 mph.