Hardtop convertible reliability

[dparm]

Does anyone know anything about long-term reliability of hard-top convertibles?

A lot of manufacturers are offering them (namely the Germans) and I really like the idea of having the extra insulation and sound-deadening since I don't have a separate winter car and after owning an S2000 during the winter I can say that the soft roofs suck. Hardtop rooflines are typically better than soft-tops, too.

At least with a soft-top you can close it by hand if something jams up or the motor dies (happened to a friend of mine once).

 

[440Magnum]

A cow-orker has a Miata retractable hardtop. Sound and insulation wise, its not much different from a soft top. The hard top maybe has less wind noise, but its basically a plastic dome and seems to make road noise just reverberate in the cabin. Reliability has been fine for ~2 years and 60,000 miles (he has a huge commute). It does have an annoying "clunk" in the cycle in hot weather when the cover that rises to let the hard top out of its compartment pops loose from the rubber insulation, but its not a reliability issue.

 

[dparm]

Thanks, good to know it has been fairly reliable. I am looking at the newer BMW M3 convertible -- not sure if BMW would use something more substantial than the Miata's since it's a luxury brand.

 

[exranger06]

My mother has a 2005 BMW 330ci convertible soft top. The top is very high quality with lots of insulation. With the top up, you would never know it's a convertible. No more road noise than an coupe and no drafts or cold weather issues.

 

[SteveSRT8]

My FIL's new Mustang V6 convertible is extremely well finished and is so tight you cannot tell it's a ragtop.

 

[dparm]

Well the M3 is only a hardtop convertible so that's all I'm interested in learning about.

I'm sure soft tops have evolved and that luxury brands like Audi and BMW offer better insulation than my old "pure sports" S2000.

 

[cadfaeltex]

About 4 months into owning my '10 Lexus IS350C convertible the top stuck half-way down. Turned into a rigamarole because we couldn't tow it with the big parachute on the top. They ended up coming out and taking it completely apart. Didn't act up again but I can't imagine being apart like that was good for it. Sold it for other reasons (not the car's fault) last summer after having it about a year and a half.

 

[Spazdog]

My brother-in-law had a 2009 Mercedes Benz SLK350. He complained of a "squeak" that would miraculously cure itself when he returned to the dealer. He has a stack of documents to prove that he had it checked repeatedly and I'm certain two particular mid-west state Mercedes Benz dealers are already tired of him.

In his defense, it was allegedly the first SLK350 east of the Mississippi River in the United States. Could have had an early production bug.

My soft top Sebring was actually very quiet. It had a thick headliner sewn into the top and insulated it very well against noise and cold.

 

[GMBoy]

A friend of mine has a Pontiac G6 hardtop convertible and its a really quiet car and leak free and problem free. It's sees a lot of use going up and down too being in Texas.

 

[dja4260]

My mom has a 98 mercedes 230 kompressor with retractable hard top. When the top is up it is fairly quiet. Much,much, better then my old 98 chrysler sebring!

It did squeak a little if cornering hard etc..

 

[dparm]

dja, I assume that it still works fine to this day?

 

[dparm]

I found this though some of the reasons not to buy one are subjective (such as looks), and others are not applicable to all cars (trunk space). Weight is obvious...an M3 has plenty of power so I think the extra few tenths to 60 are worth the wind in your hair and the extra engine noise.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/10345...top-convertible

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
My FIL's new Mustang V6 convertible is extremely well finished and is so tight you cannot tell it's a ragtop.


I was going to mention that also... I had a rental 2011 Mustang a few weeks ago, and it was easily the quietest retractable-top car I've EVER ridden in. Far quieter than my co-worker's Miata retractable hardtop. The top on the Mustang is just extremely well constructed and well insulated.

 

[ffhdriver]

My 2007 VW Eos had many VW reliability problems that had nothing to do with the top. Only top problem was with the cords that positioned the headliner. They stretched and positioning would be off and top would not go down automatically. Still happens on the 2012 models.