2009 Ford Mustang Convertible

I wasn’t in the greatest mood as I hunted for my car in Hertz parking lot. I had just come off a long evening flight from Vancouver only to stand around in the chaos of LAX waiting for a packed shuttle to take me to the rental car lot. The long lines and slow customer service at the Hertz counter didn’t help my mood or tiredness so I didn’t pay much attention to what kind of car they gave me (“We don’t have the Mazda6 you reserved, would you like a Prius or a Mustang for only $10 more per day?”). I was focused on getting to my hotel, still an hour’s drive away. Once I got out to the parking lot, I used the key fob to flash the lights and was dismayed to see an electric blue Mustang convertible light up. Perhaps I should have asked for the Prius after all.

via Wikimedia Commons

In the darkness of the parking lot, I couldn’t find how to open the trunk, so I dumped my luggage into the back seat. It took me even longer to figure out how to open the roof, and when I did, I quickly closed it again. Driving around lost in the neighbourhoods near LAX looking for the highway on a cold night is not the best time and place to go topless. I did notice I could cycle through several different colours for the interior lights while I was looking for the trunk release.  I settled on a nice soothing blue to go with the car’s exterior. I also noticed the burbling exhaust note and that the car shook every time I went over a pothole.

It wasn’t until the next morning that I was able to take a good look at the Mustang. The new model is a little more rakish with a more aggressive front that includes smaller headlights. The bright blue colour started to grow on me, especially when I put the roof down. The trunk, once I figured out how to open it, is commodious, the back seats are tiny. There is a large storage cubby between the seats, which is important because as soon as you put the top down, all loose items blow away.

Getting the roof down is a bit of a chore. I had to struggle with two latches above my head that would only open or close in a certain position, but would bend in several different combinations that were no help at all. Getting it up and closed is just as annoying since the power roof only functions while the car is stopped or traveling at less than 5mph. A word of caution: if you are putting up the roof while stopped at a light, when the light turns green, don’t take off, no matter how much honking you get from the cars behind you. You will look like an even bigger idiot getting on the freeway with the convertible top stuck half way up.

The Mustang included Ford’s SYNC system and satellite radio, which worked well with my iPhone after we got to know each other.

by dalexeenko via Flickr

The SYNC system allows you to connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth, USB cable, or an AUX line in. At first I spent more attention on the SYNC system than on my driving, until I discovered I could use the voice commands to place a call, change songs or stations, or save a favourite song on the Sirius satellite radio so that it would beep if the song came on again on a different channel. As with learning a new language, talking to the car using voice commands only works once you figure out the right syntax and structure of the commands. With practice, this gets easier. The system had no problems deciphering my Canadian accent, and forgave my occasional swearing when it got it wrong.

It took me a couple of days to get used to driving around in a bright blue convertible, getting the right sneer to give to tourists, and figuring out how to get along with the SYNC system. Then one sunny afternoon, I found a twisty empty stretch of road going up Mullholland canyon. I pulled over, put the roof down, found a pair of aviator shades (accessorizing is important when going topless in California), told SYNC to shuffle through my top rated playlist on my iPhone, and spent several fun hours driving up and down twisty canyon roads until I hit the Pacific Coast Highway and the beach. That’s when my love for convertibles, California sunshine, and yes, even an electric blue Mustang, all came together.  Put your foot down on a straight stretch of road and the burbling exhaust turns into a snarl, the Mustang rears up and hurtles down the road. When you get to a corner, slow down, turn, and do it all over again.

I drove from Los Angeles up the Pacific Coast Highway to San Francisco and didn’t stop until I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. I crossed the line of fog that separates parched southern California from temperate northern California. I stopped to watch the elephant seals basking in the sun. I put the top down at every opportunity and the Mustang turned a long distance commute into a fun drive. If you live in a sunny spot on the planet, the Ford Mustang convertible is fantastic value.