Step outside and take a deep breath, unless you live within sniffing distance of a sewage treatment plant or slaughterhouse. Smell that? It’s mown grass, blooming flowers, and budding trees. Depending on where you live, you can even whiff that moist humidity that flows into parts of the country from the Carribean and Gulf of Mexico, carrying with it visions of sandy palm-lined beaches, scents of suntan lotion, and tastes of fruity drinks with umbrellas in them.

Spring is here, and summer is coming. What better time to consider buying a convertible, one of the Industrial Revolution’s brilliant remedies for the demands of daily life?

Liberating and carefree, driving a convertible with the top down drains stress and scatters it to the wind. Taking the long way home, cranking up the music, letting the breeze ruffle your hair, and soaking up the scents lining the road is a delightful way to escape the pressures of real life – if only for a little while.

Here, we present ten affordable convertibles for this summer and next, all with base prices under $30,000 to keep financial pressure at bay. Depending on your preferences and priorities, any of these open-top cars can reduce stress and enhance quality of life. Most can theoretically seat four people, and three are revitalized roadsters that will redefine the term “cheap thrill” after their debut for 2006.

Just make sure to slather on the sunblock before taking your test drives.