Hard Top

[LotusMX5]

Not that I need one right now, but should a car come up that ticks lots of boxes but doesn't not have a hard top, then where is best to get one and how much do you expect to pay? gotta have one. I rang a dealer today and the muppet there told me $9k would secure one, could be less depending on colour......Told me best buy one with a hard top. Hope he was wrong.......

Thanks.

[Szemen]

Assuming its for NA and NBs? VERY good conditions could fetch 2k+, poorer ones, around 1.2-1.7k mark. Well, that's what I've seen these last couple of months.

[sliq]

cheapest you will find around on the forums is at least $900 to $1200.. hard tops on ebay tend to be sold for about $1,200 also.

you also have to factor in if you want it resprayed to match your car..

[de Bounce]

Although the hardtop from one series will fit the others, you will need to factor the price for the various clamps.
Especially if the proposed MX5 has never been fitted with a hardtop
Have a look here for some more information
http://www.miata.net/garage/hardtop/

[bensale]

The prices mentioned seem about right, I've been looking recently as I'm considering selling my hardtop in the near future.

There are a few main types, the early ones (na6) had no demister or headlining. Later na tops had a rear demister and some headlining (this is the one I have). They were also available in a lot more colours. I believe the NB tops may be slightly different again.

To attach the top you'll need the rear frankenstein bolts and a set of side latches. A good bet would be to find a seller who'll sell you the hardtop as well as the fittings, otherwise a number of forum sponsors could help you out.

[Jeo]

I looked through a bunch of car sale ads that had the hardtop and asked them if they wanted to separate. I used the pitch that I'm giving you a grand now and it isn't going to knock a grand off your selling price so its a win-win. Most people told me where to stick it

One eventually sold it to me before he had sold his car. Ended up paying $1200



Obviously you'll have to factor in paint if you can't find one in your colour. Most quotes I got were around the $500 mark

[Mr Morlock]

whats with the hardtop- its a sports car -thats one of its attractions. Buy a top and paint it yourself or have a mate do it in acrylic.

[Jeo]

And its not a "sports car" with a hardtop?

Mine will be going on within the next few weeks and won't be coming off until after winter. I'm really looking forward to my nice small cosy car, complete with rear demister.

[Jace]

one day, probably early next year if i still own the thing, i'll be going perma-hardtop.
i've heard of rough-ish ones being purchased for $700 - $800 fyi.

[sliq]

just because the mx5 is a soft top, that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a hard top, mr morlock. look at the NC's, they now have power retractable hard tops. i am yet to hear a complaint from someone who has the PRHT.

i want one myself too.. would love it for autumn and winter, when 95% of the time, my top is always up..

[LotusMX5]

Hmmmmm....not really what I wanted to hear. I'm runing out of space to store cars and if I end up with an MX5 she may need to reside on the street (nice neighbourhood don't you know), so a hard top would give me peace of mind. Sounds like getting one might not be all that quick and easy. Unless the car ends up being white, I want the top to be black as IMO they look tough.

If you were me and you had 2 great cars to choose from, all other things being equal, would you pick the one you had to buy a hard top for, or the one you had to retro-fit A/C to? From a cost and hassle and achievability point of view.

[fattima]

It's going to be easier to retro fit a hardtop, if you really want AC I would go for the car with AC.

[Garry]

It's much easier to retrofit a hardtop and if it required colour matching the cost would be similar to getting an A/C retrofitted. If you get the one without the hardtop after driving around for a few months you may well find that you decide that you dont need a hardtop after all.

I have a hardtop and use it extensively in winter and the car functions just as well without it. I also have A/C but wouldn't enjoy the driving experience as much if I didn't have it, not only for it's cooling abilities but probably more important for demisting the windows. I find the small cabin in the MX5 fogs up really quickly at the first sign of rain.

[Szemen]

I find the small cabin in the MX5 fogs up really quickly at the first sign of rain.

This is probably one of my main reasons for looking into getting A/C. Especially recently with Sydney's weather. I've tried that RainX anti-fog, does help a bit...Not an awful lot. Definitely get an MX5 with aircon

[Mr Morlock]

I am inclined toward the MX5 not being a true sports car with a hard top but rather a sports coupe- many will have a different view. The PRHT is convenience and offers more security but if it were my car it would spend more of its life with top down rather than up. If people want hard tops there are many cars to choose from which offer more practicality than an MX5. Agree with Garry. I think AC is a modern must have and I would not buy a later model car without it or only at a price which allows the purchase of one. Still my car is not a daily driver and I would not want to use it as the hack.