How often do you drop your roof?

[frogger]

That's good to know, it's in great condition,  how big a job is it to remove them?

May well take 1 - 2hrs the first time you do it.
Becomes quicker after the first time, but I still allow 2 - 3 hours to remove and fit a new one.

Take the seats out before you do anything. They're so quick to remove it's pointless trying to work around them.

Then its a case of:
- Removing the plastics (the rear bin covers, and the side ones you take off when fitting a hardtop fitting kit)
- Disconnecting heater cable
- Removing the cross beam that runs behind the back seats (couple of bolts)
- Taking out the parcel shelf section
- Undoing loads of 10mm nuts all round the sides and back of the roof
- May need to fold the roof up and down a bit as you go to get good access to all the nuts
- Lastly remove the couple of bigger bolts holding the roof brackets in near where the hardtop side strikers bolt up
- Lift it out and away you go

Watch the rear screen whilst you're unbolting everything, would be all too easy to crack it with the end of the ratchet!

I've never just removed one and not replaced it with another.
May want to check whether you need to retain anything to allow the hardtop side strikers to bolt in - I have a feeling you may well need to keep the side bits of the mechanism to bolt in the hardtop side strikers.

Don't forget about resale potential (only applies if you are ever going to sell of course!). Removing the softtop entirely have impact the saleability.

[puma2]

 s:D s:D  i pit the roof up when it sat in my garage, roof down apart from rain  or  short trips to wash to 2. motorway driving windows down all the time as well .
winter and summer nights are some of the best times i go out.

aim lucky i don't have to worry about  passengers, when  they do come out they no i always drive with roof, windows  down, even have passengers bring blankets with them on days out  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Stephster]

Don't have hard top, don't want one, but then I drive my pug when the weather is bad. I drop the roof all the time, in mid-winter, in the fog, at night, etc. As long as it isn't raining (and drizzle doesn't count) I go topless. It puts a smile on my face everytime and I love the wind in my hair ! No point in owning a convertible if you don't convert it.....

[frogger]

No point in owning a convertible if you don't convert it.....

Hence the original post.  Doesn't wanna own a convertible   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    just wanna MR2    s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:

It has many other characteristics that make it a winner in other ways!

[Stephster]

Get a Celica.

[Markb]

That's good to know, it's in great condition,  how big a job is it to remove them?

What if you wanted to sell it though,you would need to buy another roof  s:) s:)

[dj2k21]

Nah the celica is wrong wheel drive lol. Never seen the point in removing soft top, just remove weight elsewhere to improve power to weight... or sell it and buy an exige lol

[Zonda_]

Get a Celica.

Hateful cars.

[Bernie]

I think the point here is, as with mods, whatever floats your boat go for it.

I accept the diehards that are top down at every opportunity will think its wrong and have had a few pops in this post, but its just personal preference, I bought mine with a hardtop as IMO yes from around April to Oct it's top down at every opportunity day or night but I also think the transformation in looks for the colder months means it the best of both worlds, convertible and coupe a car for all seasons, what we all have in common here is our love for these great little cars and "vivre le differance" as long as we are out there getting maximum pleasure for ourselves what's the problem ?


I'll get me coat, well it is chilly out !

[frogger]

Get a Celica.

Nah the celica is wrong wheel drive lol.

^^ This!

I tend agree on the roof removal front - especially if ever considering selling.
Think I'd only remove it completely if caging up and prepping up as a track car.

[StuC]

Well said Bernie  :-) :-) :-)

[trickyD]

Get a Celica.

s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
Hardly the same car is it
Let the man have his opinion
The MR2 is a unique proposition, there just isn't a fixed top equivalent

[Barney Bear]

me thinks it could be this problem   s:D s:D   about 55 seconds in   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  
 m https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re_H-OLHMo0 m

[Mightyquin]

Buying an MR2 mk3 and moaning about it being a soft top is like those people who buy houses near pubs then start campaigns to get the pub closed due to being a nuisance!

I bought the MR2 because I wanted a convertible. I drop the hood whenever I can. If you're embarrased by the car (people see sports car, IMHO, not soft or hard top) then buy a Micra  s:) s:)

[parker455]

Always have my hard top on. Feels safer, less noise, doesn't leak and most of all looks better. I'll likely take it off for outings in the summer of course, but there's no point at the mo due to the terrible weather!

Think the main reason for keeping the hard top on is it's a PITA to take off/replace back on your own, spesh with a buggered knee it doesn't really go down too well. I don't have a stand for it either.

with hardtop;

IMG_4413 by Tomparker455, on Flickr

Without;

MR2 by Tomparker455, on Flickr

I personally prefer it with a hardtop. But hey, I'd rather it had 4 seats and a 2zz engine in it haha.

[2003bluecat]

Nothing like driving around on a clear December night with the roof down, so I get mine down as much as I can, although not that often on the morning commute.
I had a hardtop and sold it due to having to get some repairs done to the '2. The main thing I miss is the stiffening to the car, so if I was to have the money for hard top again I'd most likely just get some bracing instead.
That said, it's a very capable car with or without the hardtop, so I can understand people running it as a coupe. Each to their own, it just shows how good and versatile our cars are!

[chris3boro]

I do enjoy the roof off, both in summer and winter as you get different experiences from them. Roof off in the winter when there's snow on the ground is great.

Like others though I didn't buy the MR2 because it was a soft top, but because of the driving experience. I would still have bought it if it was a coupe as the driving experience was what I wanted most (as most of us do, otherwise why would we put up with 2 seats and no boot?!)

[trickyD]

Buying an MR2 mk3 and moaning about it being a soft top is like those people who buy houses near pubs then start campaigns to get the pub closed due to being a nuisance!

Only if that was the ONLY house they could buy.
That's the point with the '2 it's totally peerless. Even an Elise can't hold a candle to its reliability, practicality and running costs.

Let people have their opinions

[Ardent]

In answer to the original question, as often as possible. like today for instance.

[Pulse]

I do enjoy the roof off, both in summer and winter as you get different experiences from them. Roof off in the winter when there's snow on the ground is great.

Like others though I didn't buy the MR2 because it was a soft top, but because of the driving experience. I would still have bought it if it was a coupe as the driving experience was what I wanted most (as most of us do, otherwise why would we put up with 2 seats and no boot?!)

Totally agree. I bought it for the driving experience - the fact the roof comes off is just a nice benefit!

[Star_69]

Seriously? This is a purpose built roadster - not a cabriolet. Driving with the roof off IS the driving experience. Its a cracking looking and even better handling roadster. The latter you don't discover until after you've purchased it unless you've got a really fearless salesman on the passenger seat. Driving night time, summer, lights on, roof down, nothing but wind and exhaust - worth every penny of ownership

[Pulse]

Absolutely agreed, it being a proper roadster is a fantastic thing, but if it were a coupe, it wouldn't have stopped me buying it.

[parker455]

I still feel it should have been made with a folding hard top, would have been epic then.

[trickyD]

Too heavy I suppose?
For the same reason the folding tin-top MX5 is supposed to be inferior to the ragtop...

[Pulse]

I'm just waiting for prices of the GT86 to plummet - that's what I'd replace the MR2 with!