Is a hard top worth it?

[Mike 402]

Hi

I'm thinking of buying a hard top for my S1 Elise and just looking for feedback from people who have them.

Do they still leak? Also i've heard they can creak and rattle a bit, is this correct? Is a fitting kit needed for them? I can't think how they fit at the screen.

Thanks in advance for all responses.

[Loudman]

S2 here, but when mine was an only car I loved it, used it every winter, but only at winter - now my motor is a second car and there is no point whatsoever, car is in garage and to be honest rarely ever even put the soft-top on it, let alone consider a hardtop.

Edited by Loudman on Thursday 13th January 22:30

[Fatrat]

I've got a Lotus hardtop for my S1. Its no better leak-wise than the soft top but mine sits outside all year so I think its worth it for the extra protection

Stayed on all last year. No noises from it and I think it looks good. I love the looks of the S1 but taking the soft top on and off is a real pain, so it really depends what you want out of the car.

[Grinnders]

If a year round car then yes. If a weekender then no.

[kambites]

My S2 is my only car and I have a hardtop which I put on for the first winter after I got it and haven't touched since. Completely waste of time if you have a garage, IMHO.

[thegreenhell]

I have one for my S1 that I usually keep fitted between November and March. I use my car everyday and it lives outside in all weathers. The hardtop definitely makes the car a nicer place to be when it's cold and wet outside. If I want to go for a roof-off blast on a sunny weekend then it only takes a couple of minutes to take the hardtop off, and I can still sling the softtop in the boot in case I get caught out by the weather while I'm out.

Mike 402 said:

Do they still leak? Also i've heard they can creak and rattle a bit, is this correct? Is a fitting kit needed for them? I can't think how they fit at the screen.

You may need to adjust your windows to meet the hardtop compared to the softtop, but once that's done it's completely weather tight. Mine creaks a little bit, but there are no rattles. I was thinking of putting a bit of vaseline where the hardtop touches the body, but I don't know if I can be bothered as it's not really a problem.

At the front it rests on top of the screen with a separate panel that screws into the hardtop on the inside, clamping it firmly to the screen surround. At the back it has two clamps that fix to the rollbar in the same way as the rollbar cover does.

[JBanx]

well worth it.

No longer to fit than the soft top, much more water tight and looks ace!

[Mike 402]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I agree that they do look great with the hardtop. I will keep an eye out in the classifieds for one.

Thanks again

[Oscar the Grouch]

I find the hardtop captures a lot more noise from the motor and road however I do prefer the car with the hard top on most of the time.

The manual mentions there was a modification to the cars from May 1998 when the factory hardtop came out and some early cars may need it retrofitted for the factory roof to be used
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lotus-Elise-S1-later-roof-co...

Aftermarket hardtops may be different???

[Bebee]

I must have taken the hardtop off my Elise 3 or 4 times since May 2009. I like the hardtop on even in the summer, though I do have AC on my JC SC Loti.

[noddynitro]

Having come from driving a Caterham R400 with aeroscreen 99% of the time I'm surprised that I actually love my Elise so much with the hard top on, probably because the car is so great to drive.

I've also done 3 European trips already and like the security aspect of having the hard top on.

[simpo555]

Yes!

[Geneve]

The Elise looks chunkier and more purposeful with the hard top.

Also think black or graphite grey wheels improve the appearance of the Elise - looks less 'pretty-pretty'.

[HereBeMonsters]

What's the best way to go about buying a hard top? Look for one and respray it to match the car, or hold out for one already in the right colour?

[kambites]

HereBeMonsters said:

What's the best way to go about buying a hard top? Look for one and respray it to match the car, or hold out for one already in the right colour?

Depends on how urgently you want one, I suppose. It could take you quite a long time to find one in the right colour.

[HereBeMonsters]

kambites said:

HereBeMonsters said:

What's the best way to go about buying a hard top? Look for one and respray it to match the car, or hold out for one already in the right colour?

Depends on how urgently you want one, I suppose. It could take you quite a long time to find one in the right colour.

But they can be effectively resprayed OK then?

[thegreenhell]

Anything can be resprayed. It's just GRP like the rest of the bodywork. There's usually only one or two for sale at most at any given time, so if you were holding out for one in an unusual colour, deep purple for example, you could be waiting a long time. It would make more sense to find a good OEM one in any colour, then budget maybe a couple of hundred quid to get it painted the colour of your choice. Just make sure that you get one with the rear latches and front screw inserts all present and in good working order.

Also, there are quite a few black OEM ones about. I believe it was the case that if you bought one separately from Lotus it came in black, and only if you ordered it as an option together with your new car would it come in matching body colour.