I just bought a 2002. Although I anguished over the purchase, now I'm smiling when driving. One question though....how long should I expect a top to last before needing replacement? I'm not facing that yet, but figure the day will come.
My '94's original top is still in pretty good shape--a bit worn, but no air or water leaks. I've reglued a separated armature sleeve twice, no biggie. I almost wish the damned thing would fail, so I could justify a no-zip glass window top like yours. But it's against my principles to replace a top that still works. It's hardly ever up, anyway.
If you want yours to last, get into the habit of using the boot faithfully. UV rot of the inside fabric is the main cause of early demise.
Anything over five years is gravy.
-- Larry
My 1992 MX5 is still on its first top with wear and tear only really setting in now. On the inside one of the flaps that's supposed to wrap around the cage bars has come unstuck but I suppose I could glue that back on. Since I usually have the top down, though, I haven't bothered. Only in the last 2 months or so has a tiny tear/hole appeared in the bottom left-hand corner of the hood, where it attaches to the body of the car - it looks like that's where a lot of folding takes place when putting the hood up and down. That may well develop into a larger hole quite quickly, but still, 12 years isn't bad.
As someone else in this thread has said, whenever I have the top down I use the boot cover which I'm sure has prolonged its life by a fair bit. Apart from that I just keep it clean by washing it (along with the rest of the car) every week or two, and apply regular Kiwi shoe polish from time to time to get it back to black again and to protect it from rain. Seems to work very well.
Eric
Which is one of the reasons I'm looking at a MR2 next time around. This seems like such a simple problem to fix.
Mazda took the time to put in electric controlled mirrors; I adjust the mirrors about 4 times a year.
Putting the top down requires me to open the trunk, position the boot and fasten 8 snaps; I put the top down at least twice a day. (No, in Indiana you can't leave it down. "It you don't like the weather wait
10 minutes.") So, I'll buy a new top when the sun finally burns out the inside of the roof. (Some local punks poured used motor oil all over my car one night, so the top is stained already.)Joe
Watch the dealers for deals- the MR2 has been killed off after this year due to lousy sales.
The Miata's top may fold funny, but at least it has a trunk!
Joe Silver '99
And it does not look like an MR-2.
Leon
That will vary. If you keep your car in a garage all the time, it will last a lot longer than if you have to leave your car out in the sun all the time. I used to own a '95 that had les than 40K miles when I sold it earlier this year. I kept the car in a garage the whole time I owned it and the prior owner use to keep it covered with a car cover. The top looked great.
----------- Alex
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