How do hard-tops work?

[justlivyalife]

I've decided I might actually be able to get an MX-5 after all, so I'm looking at Mk2's and early Mk2.5s (about 2001 onwards (ish)?)

The car will spend most of the time parked on the street in central Birmingham (Selly Oak, so student area) and obviously I am concerned about the likelihood of the roof being "knifed".

Therefore I'd be looking to get a hard-top to go with the car - but how do they "work"? Do you just drop the soft-top and attach the hard-top or is it more complicated than that? Is it something one person can do as I'd like to remove the hard-top at weekends so I can visit friends with the roof down, etc?

[DennisTheMenace]

drop the soft top and latch the hardtop in place , job done , my mk1 has the frankenstien bolts and latch thingys already inplace for a hard top , just need a cheap one to fit on !!

[justlivyalife]

Can one person do it on their own (even if it is a bit of a struggle?)

[MX-5 Lazza]

Yes they can but it's awkward and is easier with 2 people.

Bare in mind that there is strong market for 2nd hand hard-tops so fitting one doesn't necessarily make it safer - it can actually make it more of a target!

[justlivyalife]

Hmm ok. I'm just wary that with Knife Crime on the up, parking a convertible on the side of a street where potentially lots of drunk people can be walking is not a wise idea, hence the Hard-top comment.

[NiceCupOfTea]

You can get security bolt things that make them harder to pinch.

I never considered one but mine lives off the street in suburbia.

[franv8]

I'd have a look around at other convertibles in the area - do they show signs of the damage you are worried about? If not then the approach of NEVER leave anything on show (including Sat Nav mounts or even the sticky mark on the windscreen left by them) has the effect of minimising the risk.

[Big Bad Ben]

I owned and kept an MG Midget in Selly Oak (Bournbrook Road) and the car was never vandalised or broken into; I always left the glovebox open (and empty) and the doors unlocked (with a crooklock on the steering wheel and the battery disconnected (when I remembered!)). That meant if anyone fancied having a look inside they didn't need to smash the windows or damage the roof/locks. If anyone had looked inside they wouldn't have found anything to steal and nicking it would have been more trouble than it was worth...

An MX-5 is obviously more desirable than an old Midget, but don't get too hung up on security - there are a lot of cabrios in Selly Oak and in eight years I've never seen any with a vandalised roof; car crime in general is quite low; making sure nothing's on display and fitting a good alarm might be a better investment than a hard top (after all, if pikey scum want to get into the car, a hard top's not going to stop them).

Will you be taking the hard top off/putting it back on the car every time you've been out in it in the summer months? If not, do you have somewhere to keep the top when it's not on the car?

[justlivyalife]

Big Bad Ben said:

I owned and kept an MG Midget in Selly Oak (Bournbrook Road) and the car was never vandalised or broken into; I always left the glovebox open (and empty) and the doors unlocked (with a crooklock on the steering wheel and the battery disconnected (when I remembered!)). That meant if anyone fancied having a look inside they didn't need to smash the windows or damage the roof/locks. If anyone had looked inside they wouldn't have found anything to steal and nicking it would have been more trouble than it was worth...

An MX-5 is obviously more desirable than an old Midget, but don't get too hung up on security - there are a lot of cabrios in Selly Oak and in eight years I've never seen any with a vandalised roof; car crime in general is quite low; making sure nothing's on display and fitting a good alarm might be a better investment than a hard top (after all, if pikey scum want to get into the car, a hard top's not going to stop them).

Will you be taking the hard top off/putting it back on the car every time you've been out in it in the summer months? If not, do you have somewhere to keep the top when it's not on the car?

I see what you mean, I'll be living on Tiverton Road which is practically 100% students, hence my worries, though crime is in general reasonably low.

My reasoning for a Hard-top is because there is no guarantee I'd be able to park right outside the house. I would be looking at removing the hard-top every weekend (at least), and I'll have somewhere to store it. I'll be the only person available to do it (living with 2 girls and 2 lads who hate cars) so don't fancy my chances of them helping me very often!) which might prove more hassle than it's worth.

Perhaps fitting a crooklock and just ensuring I don't leave anything in the car might be good enough, I wonder.

[MX-5 Lazza]

There is also the fact that a hard-top in good condition is likely to cost you around £500 whereas a replacement soft-top can cost as little as £250...