i just turned 25... i finallyyyyyyy can rent a car without paying an arm & a leg! yay.

and i'm planning to visit my parents in Charlotte, NC in July.

at first I was going to rent a SUV but i figure, why not rent a convertible?

anyway, a few things:

1) i have a dog. is this a big "no-no"? i know it's dangerous to let them ride in the back of a pickup...she'd be fine in a convertible, right?

2) i live in NYC currently, but i have friends on Long Island, and in PA... so i could potentially (with a little bribery) rent a car from either of those locations. my question is -- where would it be cheapest to rent a convertible? anyone have any experience with this?

3) any "cons" of renting a convertible that i'm not aware of?

thanks!