Hard Top/Soft Head!

[Clarkie]

Was thinking about a hard top over the winter after all the rain we've had last few days. Still trying to decide, original plan was no hard top so I could enjoy sunny winter days with the roof off

The decision maybe out of my hands! Phoned MMC yesterday and they want £1500.00 for a hard top and 4 weeks delivery. John in parts said ' you get it painted for that'. 5 % of the cost price of the car for 4ft x 3ft GRP panel I have to go and weld something

Tried Ebay and you can find around £500.00 but then they have to be painted. Elise spares do black GRP gel finish and carbon fibre. Anyone know the quality of these? Don't know if the carbon looks OTT and it's £1k?

Mmmmm £1k that's new wheels and Yoko 48's for next year

Cheers

Clark

[jj]

Hardtop threads have a set pattern they follow;

First of all, some people will say you are gay / like animals / are not "real man".

Then, I will pitch in (and maybe one or two others) with how they are great and are warmer safer.

Then Si will post 1/2 a page about how his lives under his bed and dribbles water in when you open the door.

That about covers it!

[renmure]

Then Si will post 1/2 a page about how HE lives under his bed and dribbles water in when you open the door.

Now THAT would be worth worrying about!

Jim

[simon]

Then Exige owners come along and try to insist they're not gay for having a roof on all the time and that their cars aren't just Elise coupes.

Don't waste your money though unless you're worried about security and they definitely are not any warmer than the padded soft tops. You can borrow mine for a week to see if you like.

p.s. my hard top doesn't live under the bed, it's in the garage

[dezzy]

I had been thinking about one for a while. I actually really like how they look as well as all the security/warmth/winter reasons.

But I've realised it won't really make much difference. The soft top doesn't leak. It's warm. I have the benefit of being able to remove it when I get a dry winter's day. Plus, regarding security, I figure if someone's going to break into the car, they'll find a way, hard top or not. That's what insurance is for!

Plus, it's a considerable amount of money I could be spending on things like exhaust, induction kit, tyres, service, etc.

If I was buying new, I might get them to include one so that I had the option, but unless I got a really good deal, don't think I'd ever buy one now.

[PhilA]

when i had an elise (:() i used the car in the winter with the roof off alot.
was soooo much fun.
In the snow and all - snow NEVER lands in the car when its moving
security - meh, its a plastic car

padded softtop was always warm.

hardtop looks cool tho

[Stewart]

Bide your time and wait for one in your colour to come up on eBay, Pistonheads, SELOC etc. Would have been best to do this out of season i.e. summer.
Once you have it (and hopefully paid no more than £700) it is as good as money in the bank regardless of whether you use it or not. You can sell it if it lies dribbling under your bed or use it has a selling point if you ever want to sell your car. The majority of first time elise buyers think they need a HT hence the added attraction of a car with a HT.
All of the above is on the basis that you can spare the £700 from the bank in the first place.

Oh an personally I think both S1's & S2's look good with HT's fitted.

[dr al]

If you want one (i presume it's a short roof for an S2) you could try Junks on seloc. - he's selling them for about £500 inc vat new unpainted (a couple of hundred for painting) - quality looks ok judging by the pictures.

I'm going to buy a long tail S2 roof from him as soon as they're finalised (should be in the new year)

I'm not ghay, but my soft top leaks, and i like the look of the car with the hardtop on!

A.

[ninja]

i quite fancy a hard top to be honest but cannot quite justify spending £700-1500 for the privaledge of having one!

i'd rather spend the money on something to trick the car up a bit, i do keep thinking about it thought

ninja

[Gareth]

Then Exige owners come along and try to insist they're not gay for having a roof on all the time and that their cars aren't just Elise coupes.

That's what Exige Envy Elise drivers say.

[s333fee]

[pete]

Our personal experience is (including wife who never takes the roof off unless it is +25 degrees):

S1. Hard top went on every autumn and came off every spring. Leaked less, car lived outside so that was important. Soft top is a bugger to fit, hard top is no more difficult. Hard top can be fettled to fit very well.

S2 (short roof). Soft top doesn't leak at all. Very easy to get on and off. Hard top much harder to fit than S1 roof, design means that it rattles as the car twists around it. Still doens't leak but is noisier (I believe they may have started lining them, ours is just hard plastic inside). Only goes on because it looks cool. 10+ bolts to secure vs 3 on s1 (from memory). Late November and still havent got round to fitting it (although have it planned for this afternoon).


Anyone wants to see/try before buying I'm in Killy...

Pete

[Tom]

I have a hardtop. Was quite keen before first purchase to get a car with a hardtop. Got one. Don't plan ever to fit it... Am quite happy with soft top as i always put the showercap over it = no leaks

and never plan to sell the car or the roof. go figure...

(mind you at least i've emergency reserve if i really need it).

[simon]

10+ bolts to secure vs 3 on s1 (from memory).

Sounds like you've got a strange hard top to me. Mine has 4 bolts to fit it and another 3 to fit an extra lined cover bit (not really needed) that would look stupid if your roof wasn't already lined.