Top down when really cold

[NiceCupOfTea]

Just wondering what people do - a couple of times recently it's been a lovely morning (like today) but there's frost. Dare I put the hood down or will it damage the (vinyl) hood? Missing out on crisp mornings

[Raffles]

I split my rear plastic window dropping the hood on Xmas day. I had even poured warm water over it...

What I now do is drive a bit with the heater on for a while utill the car has been warm. But I want to drop the hood from the start. So if anyone knows how let us know...

[Heebeegeetee]

Its not great to drop the roof when its really cold, and you definitely run a strong risk of damaging a plastic window. I would have thought 5 mins with the heater on full through the face vents should be enough to warm a small cabin. Try running the engine and locking the doors with a spare key while you have a cup of tea or whilst zipping yourself into your layers of clothing, but keep an eye on your car whilst doing so.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Cheers guys. Managed to get it down, just have to be careful to get the plastic window down without bending it... There was ice on the rear screen . Is it better with a glass screen?

[DennisTheMenace]

Just been out and about , 1st time the roofs been down this year

[iguana]

Bought it last night, brought it home on the truck, unloaded this morning, hood down for a few hours blasting about on Berks & Oxons best b roads, as the night falls see the odd flame spitting from the rear, ah gotta love turbos for that 'eh hoods only gone back up as its parked for the night.

Lovely jubbly

[lord summerisle]

Raffles said:

I split my rear plastic window dropping the hood on Xmas day.

doesnt the rear screen unzip so it lies flat on the back parcel shelf?

[MrV]

lord summerisle said:

Raffles said:

I split my rear plastic window dropping the hood on Xmas day.

doesnt the rear screen unzip so it lies flat on the back parcel shelf?

Im anal about unzipping mine ,coming from an early S2K that had a shagged rear screen its nice to have a rear view without a crease

[NiceCupOfTea]

I always unzip mine, but when it's cold it won't flex so it's hard to get it under the brace between the seatbelt turrets.

[bramley]

Mine was fine in the snow on Saturday

[MX-5 Lazza]

I just make sure the heater has been on for a few minutes before dropping the top.
I had a Mk1 Berkeley for 7+ years and always dropped the top regardless of the weather/temperature. Just be more careful when it's cold and always un-zip a mk1 hood, even in warm weather. Also, don't literally "drop" the top. Fold it down carefully.
To prevent scratches I used a screen protector (from the OC I think. Moss also did them) and the rear screen was like new when I sold it.

Last year in freezing fog...

[Sortie 10]

I'll raise you chaps - some of the best roof down motoring I have had was in my Mk2 1.8iS in the French Alps, -10C, toboggan on boot rack and snow chains on. Happy days.
My current motor (Z4)has neither the ground clearance for anything more than an inch of snow, nor clearance for chains. Winter hoons are a thing of the past

[TVR_nut]

The Mazda handbook (for the Mk3 at least) says no to put the hood down if <5degC. It says the same about the retractable hardtop on the Roadster too! But then I have never seen such a warning-ridden handbook in my life - written by risk averse Mazda corporate lawyers, me thinks.

I assume it is frozen up seals that would be the problem with the roadster roof - same for hood seals too?

Shame as 5degC is plenty warm enough for top-down motoring. The warm water trick works for TVR hoods - have you seen what contortions a Griffith's plastic rear window has to go through when putting the rear hood section down - its scary.

[DennisTheMenace]

There is a chance the hood can split i suppose and seals are harder and can get damagesd ,

Heres Me GF who is South african roof down in about 5c temps , bless her she is so brave

[MX-5 Lazza]

The only parts of an MX-5 hood that are really at risk are the places where it folds tightly where the seals split above the windows. The hoods commonly split there. The rear window is pretty safe as long as you look after it and ALWAYS unzip it before folding the hood down. Also, never just drop the top, lower it carefully. A rear-window protector is a very worthwhile investment.