I am a newer owner (bought at the end of July) of a 1988 Vert with 119k miles and love it. I feel like I am 16 again (and my kids now think I have a cool car). My question is do I need (a big NEED) to use the boot when the top is down? The reason I ask is I work in a "ghetto" area and when I drive it to work (about 30% of the time), I like to put the top up no matter what the weather is... to prevent theft, vandalism, sometimes in a time crunch. I am not a lazy guy, but would rather keep the boot in my garage and not cruched half the time. Would not using the boot create a drag problem or any other problems?

Thanks for all replies.

 

I don't use mine. It's kind of a pain to put on and off all the time, so i just leave it off. But as i've only had mine for a month, i'm not exactly an authority.

 

I believe the purpose is to protect the top while its down, from what who knows!

My top seems to rattle a little without the boot cover off, quieter with it on.

 

no you don't need it on. I makes it look alot better with the top down but its not needed.

 

The only way you are allowed to drive a vert is with the boot on and windows down otherwise you will be severly repremanded!...j/k. It just looks better with it, but I agree its a pain for putting the top up and down.

I just leave my top down all summer.

RXDad

 

IMHO, the boot helps stops road dust and dirt for getting all over the interior of the top. Even though the top is down the headliner and targa insert are subject to wind and dirt. Other than that you could leave it off. The new '06 MX-5 doesn't have a factory boot, top is just down.

 

I dont even have a boot cover , but mine seems to ride fine and i dont experience any unwanted drag or wind gusts.

 

I don't use mine either. It's just pain to put it on/off.

 

Yea dont worry about it, i dont even have one with my car. The guy i bought it from kept it
Besides that i like being able to drop the top and raise it without having to get out of the car. If you dont use ur boot then u can sell it to me hehe

 

Convertible LIFESTYLE:

- some people always leave the top down, no matter where they park
- some people even buy "rain protectors" to keep the interior dry when parked with the top down.

- some people are over-paranoid and put the top up while at the gas station.

You might consider adding a motion-sensor alarm that will go off it people get to close or put their hands in the car.

 

Wow, that is over protective. If I was that bad, I would of bought a coupe.

 

The boot, at least on cars with cloth tops, is to protect the top from the sun.

Without the boot, it would supposedly fade in a strange pattern.

I drive without the boot and have never had a problem. :p

 

I don't have a boot on my Miata due to the rollbar. I've near heard of anyone having any ill effects, although some people report a squeaking or rattling.. I've never noticed any, or at least any due to that.

 

I seldom use it and I keep it stored on the shelf in the closet where my washer and dryer are (well away from the dryer, of course). Never been a problem. The previous owner seldom used it either. It tends to be a nuisance for the reasons others have stated, and I like to put the top up when I get to whereever I'm going if I will be more than a few minutes.

 

Damn, I knew I was missing something. I saw many pictures of verts and knew mine didn't look right. Personally though I don't drop the top too often and having to put the cover over it while its down is an extra step I would do even less often. It does look nicer with the cover on though.

 

it makes the car look nicer, keeps the top cleaner, but lets face it, we dont live in a world where you can park a convertable for a few hours and it wont get fucked with, except maybe in front of you house. its pointless for me, but for whatever reason i sell it (NEVER!) ill show off the fact that its the OEM Plush Leather Travel Boot, Thats GREAT for Roadtrips. and charge an extra 300 for it. lol j/k