Summer ragtops!

The Street compiles the 10 Best Convertible Car Deals for Summer 2011.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) — Buying a convertible during the summer is a quick way to drop both tops and account balances, but there are a few models that won’t put the heat on car lovers by wilting their buying power.

Convertibles haven’t had the smoothest ride during the recent economic downturn. In 2008, automotive marketing company R.L. Polk noted that convertible registrations were down nearly 9% from the boom years of the mid-2000s and made up only 1.9% of the total marketplace. Since then, six of R.L. Polk’s top 10 convertibles — the Toyota(TM_) Camry Solara, Pontiac Solstice and G6, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Sebring and Saturn Sky — have disappeared like a ragtop on a 90-degree day.

During that time, they also became the playthings of the privileged classes. Only the base Mazda Miata ($23,111), Mini Cooper convertible ($25,550) and Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet ($17,690) have starting prices below $26,000.

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