Nothing connects a driver to the pavement quite like an open cockpit. Whether it's thanks to the absence of a metal roof to muffle raw driving sounds or the rush of the wind and ambient elements creating a visceral illusion of speed, Convertibles offer a driving experience like no other, where the sensory experience is amplified tenfold. There's one caveat, though: You need the sun to be out to get the most out of your drop top, and depending on where you live, that could mean that you only get to enjoy your car fully for just a few months every year.While convertible Sports Cars have long used sophisticated engineering, automation, and materials to ensure year-round usability, manufacturers know that many buyers steer clear of convertibles as they consider them seasonal cars. As such, convertibles are typically produced in far rarer numbers than their coupe counterparts, which not only makes them a novelty on the road but also makes them great options for collectors hunting for growth potential. We did some research and found five affordable convertibles with strong signs of growth in recent years. However, convertible prices are known to spike in the summer, which means the window to get them at the current price may be closing. BMW E36/7 Z3 2.8 Estimated Value: $11,700 MecumBuilt for the masses, the Z3 was BMW's first mass-produced Z Series car when it debuted in the mid-1990s. The Z3 was sold as a coupe (E36/8) or roadster (E36/7) and was only available with four-cylinder engines originally until BMW added straight-six options in the 1996 model year. The Z3 2.8 we're covering is one of the six-cylinder iterations, and it came with the praised M52 naturally aspirated 2.8-liter inline-six sending 189 ponies and 203 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. While the 3.0i that replaced it was more powerful, it moved to an electronic drive-by-wire throttle, making the 2.8 the last true large-displacement Z3 with an old-school, mechanical throttle cable.MecumCombined with the manual, this bimmer offers an analog driving experience that's becoming hard to find in modern convertibles, which is part of the reason why prices have grown by over 12 percent in the last year. Still, with the average price still around $11,000, the E36/7 Z3 2.8 is one of the most affordable classic BMWs on the market. Mazda MazdaSpeed MX-5 Miata (NB) Estimated Value: $15,174 Bring a TrailerThe Mazda MX-5 Miata needs no introduction. The best-selling two-seater roadster of all time, the MX-5 burst onto the scene in 1989, turned the sports car industry on its head by proving that sports cars could be fun, stylish, affordable, and reliable. It has never looked back. With so many generations produced since 1989 and high production numbers, the MX-5 Miata isn't a model that collectors usually target, which is why the MazdaSpeed MX-5 Miata (NB) is so special. The only MazdaSpeed-badged and only factory-turbocharged MX-5 Miata ever made, this zippy roadster represents a historic, one-of-a-kind peak in the model's 35-plus-year history.Bring a TrailerAt the heart of the MazdaSpeed Miata is a 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four producing 178 horsepower, paired with a six-speed short-throw manual with shot-peened gears for increased durability. Mazda ended up building only 5,428 units before a fire at the Ujina production facility abruptly cut the production run short, which explains why collectors are quietly snapping up any well-maintained cars they can find. Considering how rare these versions are compared to the standard Miatas, an average price of $15,174 is arguably a steal. 1998 Chevrolet Corvette Indy Pace Car Estimated Value: $21,400 MecumLike the Miata, the Corvette is known for high production numbers, and it usually takes a while for Corvettes to become collectible. The C5 Corvette range is starting to attract collector interest after years of stagnation, especially if you get a special and rare version like the 1998 Indy Pace Car. Convertible fans also love the C5 Corvette since it was a ground-up redesign and was the first Corvette generation to reintroduce a proper trunk to the convertible in 1962.MecumBuilt to celebrate the Corvette's selection as the official pace car for the 82nd running of the Indianapolis 500, the 1998 Indy Pace Car replica is one of the most visually polarizing, unapologetically bold, and highly collectible variants of the C5 Corvette. It wears a striking Radar Blue metallic paint color and comes with an all-aluminum 5.7-liter LS1 V8 engine cranking out 345 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. It also comes with a six-speed manual option, for those who prefer to row their own gears.Chevy produced a strictly limited run of 1,158 replicas for the public, which is why the 1998 Indy Pace Car has a higher price growth rate compared to the more common C5 versions. Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet Estimated Value: $27,000 MecumThe Porsche 944 was a product of Porsche's ambition to bring its elite engineering closer to the masses. While the flagship rear-engine Porsche 911 was already among the most popular sports cars of the era, it was highly expensive, tricky to handle at its limits, and viewed as an elite, niche vehicle. The 944 was built to be a more affordable, highly practical daily driver with a front-engine layout and an inline-four engine to keep costs low.MecumIn 1989, Porsche introduced the 944 S2 version, which was available as a coupe but also became the first 944 variant to offer a convertible. The 944 S2 Cabriolet, as it was called, had a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 208 hp and was celebrated for its near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution and exceptional handling.Due to the convertible's complex and time-consuming production process that involved shipping standard 944 coupes to American Sunroof Company (ASC) for conversions, Porsche ended up building only around 5,656 units, which is a drop in the ocean compared to the 944's total production count of over 160,000 units. This relative rarity is why collectors should take a closer look at the 944 S2 Cabriolet. Mercedes R129 SL500 Estimated Value: $33,800 MecumBuilt during Mercedes-Benz's legendary "cost-plus" era when engineering trumped budget constraints, the R129 is famous for being one of the best-engineered modern classic grand tourers ever produced. It also has an elegant, boxy design that perfectly captures the aesthetic of the 1990s and still looks cool even after three decades.MecumThe R129 SL500 version is particularly loved by collectors for offering the legendary over-engineered 32-valve M119 V8, which represents the mechanical pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz engine design. This engine produced up to 315 hp in U.S. spec, enough to make it feel fast even by modern standards, especially with the roof down.The 1998 SL500 is often regarded as the sweet spot as it was the final model year to carry the M119 engine and had some upgrades that gave it more modern components than earlier iterations. The average price currently sits at around $33,800, with models in excellent condition having a price growth rate of over 10 percent over the last year.Sources: Hagerty, Classic.com