glass or plastic window - zip or no zip?

Badcat · Post by **Badcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:07 am

i guess it's truly a personal thing.
i only ever have the top up when it's actually raining, so window size isn't that
important, and as i'm always raising and lowering the roof, the no zip thing
was a big plus for me.
the thing that really burns me was the plastic windows gets scruffy so quick,
and zips break and need replacing earlier than i think is reasonable.
Maybe this is because i'm raising and lowering the roof at least twice a day.
this is my 4th roof in 10 years of mx5 ownership (due to wearing out and one
knife attack) and i'm happier than a dog with two tails!
your mileage may vary.

ken

[...]

poison · Post by **poison** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:20 am

I've only had my car a few months and I'm definitely worried about the life
span of the zip. I hate the roof up so only have it up for the rain, but the
zip is a pain and a half, Colin from ChCh (I think it was him) said he uses a
floatie (long round blue foam thing from the W/House) and puts it in the
window when he shuts the roof so he does not have to unzip the window. This
sounds great although haven't tried it myself yet.

Gazza
"PO1SON"

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:29 am

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 10:07:27 +1300, you wrote:

i guess it's truly a personal thing.
i only ever have the top up when it's actually raining, so window size isn't that
important, and as i'm always raising and lowering the roof, the no zip thing
was a big plus for me.
the thing that really burns me was the plastic windows gets scruffy so quick,
and zips break and need replacing earlier than i think is reasonable.
Maybe this is because i'm raising and lowering the roof at least twice a day.
this is my 4th roof in 10 years of mx5 ownership (due to wearing out and one
knife attack) and i'm happier than a dog with two tails!
your mileage may vary.

ken

Get yourself a 75 mm Floatee from Para Rubber and cover it with a soft fabric.
Place it on the rear window and drop the hood . No unzipping necessary.

It's easy to make a simple vinyl cover to cover the top whilst down. mine cost
me about 30 bucks at the most. (see my cardomain page)

I have been doing this for about a year. No window damage at all as the window
wraps around the floatee in a gentle curve.

The window is still immacualte because I treat it every month with Maguire's
Plastic cleaner and then MaGuires Plastic polish. ( a 5 minute job)

Cheers

.

--
Col

http://miata.cardomain.com/memberpage/684887

Bill Rehm · Post by **Bill Rehm** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:36 am

A cheaper solution which I use now and used in the US.

Buy a piece of felt-type cloth. One half rests on the carpet, the other
half folded onto the zipped down plastic. NEVER in 3 years an abrasion
or scratch. Cost: about $5

Regards
Bill

Badcat · Post by **Badcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:47 am

yep - i used to use a foam roll and not use the zip on a prvious roof.
it reduces scuffing of the clear window - but doesnt eliminate it.
was a pain too - you have to be out of the car to raise or lower the roof.
i used the foam they sell to pad roll bars - bought it from kendalls race
supplies in glenfield.

k

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:49 am

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 10:36:37 +1300, you wrote:

A cheaper solution which I use now and used in the US.

Buy a piece of felt-type cloth. One half rests on the carpet, the other
half folded onto the zipped down plastic. NEVER in 3 years an abrasion
or scratch. Cost: about $5

How does that protect the underside of the top when it is down ?

I suppose you have a $250 boot cover ?

[...]

Badcat · Post by **Badcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 10:54 am

yep - sorry if i sound like anal roof obsessed guy - but tried that too...
you could buy special vinyl pieces to "sandwich" the unzipped window when
the roof is down. mine was a brainstorm one i think.
it was two layered so protected both sides of the window, and the window
side was a very soft fleece-like material.
it also had domes to secure it to the carpet behind the seats where it sat.
although it protected the window well - it adds ANOTHER step to the whole
roof rigmarole - and frankly, i'm just too lazy.
.

ken

[...]

Bill Rehm · Post by **Bill Rehm** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:33 am

The underside of the top I'm not worried about -- I tend not to try to
look through it

Regards
Bill

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 12:08 pm

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 11:33:20 +1300, you wrote:

The underside of the top I'm not worried about -- I tend not to try to
look through it

Regards
Bill

LOL. Fair enough. I guess there's not much sun to damage it where you live

[...]

Bill Rehm · Post by **Bill Rehm** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 12:11 pm

Given this year's weather to date, not much sun in NZ -- no matter
where you live

Regards
Bill

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 1:19 pm

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 12:11:32 +1300, you wrote:

Given this year's weather to date, not much sun in NZ -- no matter
where you live

Regards
Bill

Creating Great Places To Work!

KASE Consulting Group Ltd.
www.kase.co.nz
bill@kase.co.nz
T: 64 9 523 5238
M: 64 21 366 999
F: 64 9 523 2619

From what I have read it doesn't take long for the sun to destroy the underside

of a roof on a MX5 . I guess some of us get overprotective of the hood. A new
one every 4 years is only 200 bucks a year .

Bill Rehm · Post by **Bill Rehm** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 2:31 pm

My last one lasted nearly 13!

Regards
Bill

Michael & Kate Cooper · Post by **Michael & Kate Cooper** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 7:45 pm

Gazza

Do you know that you're not supposed to zip or unzip the window with the roof
clipped in place?

We didn't know this when we got the car, and completely stuffed the zip
before we found out the correct way to do it!

If the roof is clipped in at the front above the windscreen, there is a lot
more pressure on the zip.

We tried the floatee thing, but it was a bit more bother when raising and
lowering, and I think it made the boot-top cover more difficult/impossible to
get on.

Now we just have the roof down permanently, and take the other car on the odd
day of inclement weather.

Kate from sunny Dunedin ... but not as sunny as Blenheim, ay Grant?!!

Ian Chapman · Post by **Ian Chapman** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 3:51 pm

We haven't unzipped our standard plastic window for about 4 years. I
suspect we still have the original top (1990) as it looks a bit tired
underneath - no leaks and still reasonably tight. In about 2000 the zip
teeth started to pull off the fabric so we just chose to put a rolled up
towel on the window as it folds over as a quick fix until we replace the
top - and of course time marchs on and ... It doesn't appear to have
caused any ill effect to either the window or top. Makes lowering easy
and quick - for the quick 'drop' we don't even bother with the towel. I
don't know if I would be game to do it with a new top and plastic window
but as ours is getting tired, we are happy with this method and can
still see clearly out the back thanks to Mr Mequires.

Ian

Grant · Post by **Grant** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 7:55 pm

Our top is original (1992 and 180,000km) but there are no leaks. The window
is now not too clear and beyond help with various polishes. The zip gave up
a year ago so I just use a towel placed on the plastic to preserve its
remaining visibility and fold it down zipped. Very rare to have the roof up
anyway so it's not a serious issue. I'll wait until the roof itself finally
fails and then replace with one with a plastic window. I don't think I want
a glass one after reading all these posts and what's the point here in the
sunny South if the roof is (nearly) always down?
I can vouch for Dunedin's sunshine. Only been there once this year (for the
Autumn Colours run to Arrowtown) and the weather was great!
And I still don't like the look of a tan roof. Just as well we all have
different taste!
Grant.

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