Soft top on the R129

[RiccardoG]

Can anyone provide me with some feedback on the soft top of the R129 in terms of noise and insulation from the elements? I seem to recall it's not lined inside? Does this make it very noisy at fast motorway speeds (90 mph and up)?

How good it it at keeping out wind and the cold (or hot in summer)?

Thanks in advance.

[r129sl]

It keeps out the elements 100%, but it is noisy at speed, especially if the windows have been replaced with thinner material (mine have and they buffet alarmingly above 140mph). Most all British cars have a very dark soft top which absorbs heat fast in summer. However the air con (in summer) and the heater (in winter) are more than up to the job. In winter you will have the hard top, of course.

If I'm going a great distance and know I won't be running top down, I often put the hard top on and just take it off when I get there.

[RiccardoG]

Thanks for the response. The main issue I see is if one goes on a trip abroad (hence the higher speeds) its not really practical to take the hard top, so its only up to how good the soft top is.

I've been in a couple of R129s, one had the hardtop on while the other had the softop up. The hardtop was like a coupe, but the softtop, even at 40mph, sounded like a window was open somewhere. It kind of put me off, but then I did always wonder whether it was just that there was something wrong with that particular car.

On a related note, I assume that the softop operated only with the car stationary?

Other question, unrelated to the roofs this one, whats the view on the checked cloth interior (its on a 300-24)? I really like it personally, but wonder whether it will be impossible to resell?

[r129sl]

RiccardoG said:

Thanks for the response. The main issue I see is if one goes on a trip abroad (hence the higher speeds) its not really practical to take the hard top, so its only up to how good the soft top is.

I've been in a couple of R129s, one had the hardtop on while the other had the softop up. The hardtop was like a coupe, but the softtop, even at 40mph, sounded like a window was open somewhere. It kind of put me off, but then I did always wonder whether it was just that there was something wrong with that particular car.

On a related note, I assume that the softop operated only with the car stationary?

Other question, unrelated to the roofs this one, whats the view on the checked cloth interior (its on a 300-24)? I really like it personally, but wonder whether it will be impossible to resell?

The soft top is noisy, no doubt about it. It is only part-lined and has plastic windows. You get used to it, like anything, but noise adds to fatigue on a long trip abroad. It is no quieter than running roof down (which often results in sun burn). When I have gone abroad, I have often gone under the hardtop (which also has a security advantage) and dismounted it when I arrived, storing it on the little stand which folds down and does not take up much space in the boot. There is usually somewhere safe enough to stash it. You need a strong and willing wife to do this, of course, although the standard alu top is much, much lighter than the pano top, to the extent that I have thought about buying one for this sole purpose.

The soft top only operates when the car is stationary although you can by modules on Ebay to override this.

The checked cloth is fabulous but until now I thought it was only me who saw it that way! I suspect it would put off most buyers. But if you like it, maybe you can use it as a bargaining chip. Anyway, buy for yourself, not the next man.

[mickyveloce]

Another vote for the checked cloth from me too; it's reminiscent of the 1950's SL I think.
I have a 300-24 SL with it's original hood and thick perspex windows. I've never considered it obtrusively noisy, but tend to use either hard top or no top.
buy one while you can!

[HumbleJim]

I find my soft top fine @ motorway speeds, I usually cruise @ 70-80 with a the odd blat up to 100.

It's windtight, my only complaint is it rattles a bit over some badly surfaced back roads.

[jke11y]

Just to add another opinion, I too run soft-top only for euro trips and don't find it too bad on noise, but i rarely venture over 80. There is a huge difference to the hard top, but then the pano roof is a pretty spectacular bit of robust design.

In line with what r129 mentioned I couldn't go with hardtop on as my other half can't lift it on or off, although it would be better for the long warm 35deg motorway bits of the trips.

[RiccardoG]

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback, seems encouraging. Ultimately it is a convertible so there will always be some noise (although I would hazard a W124 conv has less) I guess that, as has been said, it depends a bit on getting used to it.

On my last convertible (S2000, non-lined roof) it was so noisy that any long journey was unbearable and you couldn't even listen to the radio. Definitely not a car I enjoyed on long trips (that and the lack of torque).

[jke11y]

I see you are in London - you are more than welcome to have a look at mine, I am in SW6.

[Nuisance_Value]

While I'm no expert on soft tops, I think it's worth noting that while they can be quite noisy at speed (I think the wind noise on mine mainly comes from where the soft-top meets the body round the boot area and round to the windows), an older top will have stretched and sagged a tad over time thereby increasing wind buffeting and noise. I've looked at soft top replacement instructions which suggest pretty much all of it can be adjusted and tightened which would no doubt help. Mine is certainly coming to the end of its life and the taughtness and fitting round the main body isn't as good as it could be.

[HumbleJim]

RiccardoG said:

Hi guys, thanks for the feedback, seems encouraging. Ultimately it is a convertible so there will always be some noise (although I would hazard a W124 conv has less) I guess that, as has been said, it depends a bit on getting used to it.

On my last convertible (S2000, non-lined roof) it was so noisy that any long journey was unbearable and you couldn't even listen to the radio. Definitely not a car I enjoyed on long trips (that and the lack of torque).

When you drive one with a view to buying take the hardtop off and find a bit of fast road, roof up and roof down. Mines okay roof up but far nicer roof down.

[RiccardoG]

Thanks again for the replies. Interesting re the possibility of a worn / misadjusted top.

jke11y said:

I see you are in London - you are more than welcome to have a look at mine, I am in SW6.

Thanks for the kind offer. I wouldn't want to impose, but maybe in a couple of weeks (I am travelling at the moment) I will send you a PM to see if I could drop by.