MKIII Hardtop vs Softop

[Petrolhead]

Just interested in your views re the hard top vs soft top

[Raffles]

I went for the soft top because:

• The centre of gravity is lower
• It is quicker to get up and down (I can do it in about 3 seconds)
• It is true to the mx-5 routes
• It is 1,500 pounds cheaper

Apparently the coupe is not much quieter. But there is always the possibility of getting the rag-top damaged by neds, although having had an mx-5 in the rougher parts of Aberdeen and Glasgow I've never had one damaged.

[VladD]

I was considering a hardtop for three reasons.

1) Security/vandalism.
2) Noise.
3) Weatherproffing (i.e. interior condensation etc in the winter).

Anyone got any experiences to back up or debunk these theories?

The car would be my daily driver, mainly motorways, but nice for when the right road is available.

[Petrolhead]

I am interested in the noise difference with the roof up

[hornetrider]

Alledgedly the hard top is a bit quieter but not by much - it is not quiet inside at speed. I got the hardtop cos I reckon it's a bit more secure and looks a trifle more grown up (cos I'm an old fart!) I also reckon it may be slightly better for residuals (although that is speculation on my part).