S2 Exige - has anyone taken the roof off?

[mesajoe]

I'm told you can take the roof off the S2 Exige, but the handbook says the roof is there for aerodynamic reasons - has anyone tried to take the roof off?

Thanks,
Mark

[Davey S1]

Topcat has on his but I have never had the slightest inclination to.

Its designed as a hardtop car which seems to suit its more focused hardcore nature.

I have been out on some really scorching days and not missed having the roof off once. Its nice with the aircon on and to be honest you spend all your time concentrating on driving.

Its not the sort of car you waft along briskly in admiring the scenery. You ring its neck through each gear and into the second cam zone before heel & toeing down for a bend you take at some silly speed before letting your internal organs settle back where they belong before repeating the whole process

If you do take off the roof you should only notice the effect on the aerodynamics at bigger speeds. A few dealers (Bell & Colville and Wilsons) offer a soft top conversion for it.

Not for me though.

Oh and if you take the roof off it invalidates your warranty as far as water ingress is concerned.

[jfrf]

roof comes off fine

aerodynamic talk is rubbish imho.
as are other myths such as engine cooling etc

at the end of the day its nice to get a bit of sun

[shot2bits]

Not sure it's worth it IMO... If the temp is anything less than tshirt warm then the wind gets on my nerves around the back of my neck etc which distracts me from the driving - I know, I'm a pussy S2 aircon owner... To be honest, most days I'd rather have the roof on and if I had the decision to make again I'd go for the Exige and wouldn’t even consider taking the roof off…

PS - never thought I'd think this way tho when I went for the Elise as the roof off always sounded great(obviously as I'd have an Exige)!

[_topcat]

As Davey points out, i have had my roof off but like he says it was designed to run with it on. most of the time i run with it on but for those few occasions when i am just popping along the coast dordling(sp?) along behind slow old people then its absolutley brilliant with the roof off. The car takes on a whole new character, you can see things all around you, trees, other cars, the view.
The car is a hooligan machine and should only be 'driven' the way it was intended, with the roof on!!

I hope my garbled post makes sense. roof on for driving, roof off for posing(but aircon works fine if weather is a bit iffy)