Test drive: 2005 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

Shake, rattle 'n' roll

In the age of retro, the 2005 Chrysler Sebring Convertible is an odd throwback vehicle, a holdover from the days when "Chrysler" was a four-letter word. With a base price of $31,020 ($31,645 as tested in "Limited" trim), the 2005 Chrysler Sebring Convertible comes with a 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty and a 7 year/70,000 mile powertrain warranty. Does a convertible have to do more than drop its top to be worth your hard-earned bucks? I spent a week with a Sebring Convertible to find out.

First Glance

Cosmetic surgery being all the rage, the Sebring Convertible got a nose job in 2004, and now has an attractively rounded snub nose that displays the corporate grill and flying wing logo. Unfortunately, a little lipo on the rear end of the Sebring would have been a good idea at the same time, as the car is out of balance now -- a little J Lo in proportion. The look is better with the top down than with the top up, as befits any convertible. Whatever Chrysler has done in the past few years to fix quality problems, I applaud the effort. This car has excellent paint, seams and uniform gaps, and there are some nice, quality accent pieces that really look classy. I especially admire the chrome trim on the front grill, which makes the nose pop in the sun. A walk around the Sebring finds some nicely chromed 16" aluminum wheels, fog lamps and a chrome exhaust tip. All of the exterior styling cues attempt to project "class," and I guess they succeed. My overwhelming impression, though, was that the styling projected "late middle age." This is a big, heavy looking car, and there's nothing youthful about it. You're not going to attract attention in this convertible, unless you're hanging around the parking lot after the early bird dinner.

In the Driver's Seat

The interior of the Sebring Convertible is well-appointed, dressed in high quality materials and intelligently laid out. The best feature is the instrument cluster, which is tucked neatly in front of the driver and echoes the deco theme of the Chrysler logo. It's clean and clear. The driving position is set up for cruising, not canyon carving. It's also just a little too low for comfortable entry and egress. The driver's seat has a multitude of power adjustments, none of which can camouflage the fact that it is flat, wide and overstuffed. Try as I might, I couldn't find a comfortable driving position in this car. Enough with the nitpicking, let's put the top down! Two latches, one at each corner of the windshield, release the roof. Unless you've got very long arms, you'll have to undo your seatbelt to reach the passenger-side latch. (How about a center-mounted latch release, Chrysler? There's one in your parts bin.) A toggle in the center console sends the top up and back in quick fashion, its quiet motor doing the job without fuss. You could easily get the top down at a traffic light, evoking jealous stares. Chrysler provides a top cover boot, which is silly and should be discarded immediately, freeing up valuable trunk space.

On the Road

Once you get the Sebring Convertible moving, you discover its Achilles heel: Body flex. This car rattles and creaks and shakes like nobody's business. You'll feel every bump in the road, every bit of uneven pavement, every irregularity. It's noisy and uncomfortable. Any kind of spirited driving is met with protest from the car's body, and mid-corner bumps threaten to unsettle the car entirely. I haven't driven a 2005 Sebring Sedan, but I'd be very surprised to find this kind of problem in the hardtop. Steering is vague and floaty. The four wheel disc antilock brakes perform well enough, one bright spot in the handling. The 2.7 L V6 under the hood is wheezy and sounds like it's working hard to propel the Sebring Convertible down the road. It doesn't give off the kind of engine noise that makes gearheads drool. So, just put the top down and cruise, right? Well, sort of. At any speed above 45 mph, wind noise and blast will render conversation impossible, and you'll have difficulty hearing the radio without blasting. Don't worry about those back seat passengers, because no one will want to ride back there anyway. It's too cramped and uncomfortable, and riding out in the wind at speed would challenge even the hardiest of passengers.

Journey's End

I know, you really have to have a convertible, and nothing I can say is going to talk you out of it. Look, I love convertibles, I really do. But do yourself a favor, and look around a little before you buy the 2005 Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Check out the PT Cruiser Convertible, a fine Chrysler product that is cheaper and better riding than the Sebring. Wait a few months, and you'll be able to drive Ford's new Mustang Convertible, which delivers more youthful styling and better performance. Pontiac has unveiled the 2006 G6 Convertible, which should be hitting showrooms soon. In the meantime, take a spin in the Camry Solara, and see if Toyota has managed the design compromises of a convertible any better than Chrysler. At the very least, rent a Sebring Convertible at your local airport, and live with it for a week. If you love driving around in this drop top boat after a week of real-world driving (as opposed to vacation cruising), then by all means, buy one. It seems as if Chrysler is always running some kind of incentive program, so you may be able to find a nicely equipped car for less than MSRP. Resale value on Sebring Convertibles has been awful of late, so maybe a nice used car would be just the ticket for your cruise.