Lotus Forum Lotus Forum
Go Back   LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community > Lotus Discussions > Interior/Exterior
User Name
Password
Register Home Forums Active Topics Gallery Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


       
Registered Members do not see the above ads. Please Register Today - It's quick and free!
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 06-12-2009, 04:47 AM   #21 (permalink)
Denuo Volatilis
 
...m...'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,724
...it's more difficult to put on than to take off, due to the aforementioned screw catching issues - i'd say ten to fifteen minutes to unstow and put on, five to ten minutes to take off and stow...

...yes, all of us weighing the hassle of it are really just wusses...
__________________
[size=1]2005 Federal Elise | Touring | Storm Titanium
...75,000 miles and aging beautifully...
...m... is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2009, 06:46 AM   #22 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 919
My hardtop was the best thing I got for my car by a long shot!
Exigin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2009, 06:54 AM   #23 (permalink)
Alarmed & Dangerous
 
TheViper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Delray Beach FL
Posts: 3,566
I find it very exciting in the early summer when I have to put it on, but get even more excited in the late fall when I take it off.
Michael
TheViper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2009, 07:14 AM   #24 (permalink)
"Are you in a band??"
 
jesterbot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 465
+1 for hardtop... the soft top looks awful on these cars, and personally I don't even like the look of open-air. Makes the already toyish looking car TRULY look like a micro-machine/kit-car/miata-gone-wild(MGW). The hardtop completes the lines, and make it look like a shrunken race car at least...

__________________

20XX Lotus Evora SC
2009 Star Raider
2007 F-150 Lariat
2006 SY Elise - SOLD
jesterbot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2009, 07:19 AM   #25 (permalink)
.
 
Bane's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 2,980
Images: 4
Yeah, my hardtop hasn't come off since I installed it almost a year ago.

I was planning on just running it in the summer to try to keep some of the AC in but I ended up liking it to much to remove
__________________
un-Official LotusTalk Stealth Bulb provider *5* sets in stock!
Bane is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2009, 08:31 AM   #26 (permalink)
Alarmed & Dangerous
 
TheViper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Delray Beach FL
Posts: 3,566
I guess you are either a convertible sort of guy or not, I hate feeling enclosed when I have to put the top on. Wind in the hair and all that
Michael
TheViper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2009, 09:03 AM   #27 (permalink)
Registered User
 
MikeinAlexandria's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 544
Images: 5
For me, my hardtop is off for summer. I'll put it on when the average temperature outside is under 45 degrees. I love the look of the Elise with the hard top, but I really like motoring around in convertible mode. It's not much fun in the blazing sun at 90 degrees, but on a balmy night with the moon lighting your way, it is awesome.

As to appearance, my car looks good with either top in place. And the soft top is super easy to install and remove, and in the bag (Which I am STILL waiting for... Criswell... ) looks like it would fit behind the seats on the package shelf.

Installing the Hard top is not nearly as difficult as the manual makes it sound, nor does it have to be a two-person job. I can do it myself. Just have to be careful.

For people living in colder climates, I think the hard top is worth, since the looks are great, and it does make for a cosy cockpit.
__________________
2005 Elise in Racing Green with the touring pack
2007 MINI Cooper S in Sparkling Silver
2001 BMW Z3 Coupe in Sapphire Black (sold)
2002 MINI Cooper in yellow (sold)
1996 BMW Z3 Roadster (Racing Dynamics version) (sold)
Founder of the Racing Green Confederate
MikeinAlexandria is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2009, 02:11 PM   #28 (permalink)
Registered User
 
sleepe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE
Posts: 1,141
just got my new replacement hardtop from Lotus under warranty

My original hardtop developed cracks along one of the rear mounting points so I had it replaced under warranty.
My replacement hardtop is the same as the original except it has an integrated central-rear hold down piece that effectively pulls the back part of the hardtop down so as not to bulge up as the original one had. It seems to work pretty well.
My Elise is an 06 and I am sure all the 08+ Elise's have this modified top.
__________________
Never Lift
sleepe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2009, 03:55 PM   #29 (permalink)
Denuo Volatilis
 
...m...'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,724
...personally, i think the best line of the car is emphasised top-down, windows-up - i keep an arctic silver hardtop on my storm titanium elise, which also helps accentuate that same line a bit, enough so that i've toyed with the notion of having the upper rollbar panels above the window line painted to match...



...my hardtop goes on seasonally when the temperatures climb above 100 or below 30, but otherwise i'm topless as much as possible, even in light rains...
__________________
[size=1]2005 Federal Elise | Touring | Storm Titanium
...75,000 miles and aging beautifully...
...m... is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-03-2009, 06:28 PM   #30 (permalink)
Registered User
 
DWebb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Pleasanton Texas
Posts: 195
Images: 25
The hard top somehow restricts my vision and so I don't like it.

The hard top make driving in 100+ heat tolerable so long as I don't exceed 100 mph <A/C stops blowing - low on freon> So I like it.

The hard top is really noisy and squeaky, So I don't like it.

I used mink oil on the weather strips and that shut it up, so I like it.

It's a lot harder to carry on conversations with other drivers whilst driving, So I like it.

Well, I guess I like it a little.

I prefer topless so long as I'm not living in the third circle of hell.

Wow, all that and still I've managed to contribute nothing.
__________________
Yes, that's very nice, Thank You.
DWebb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-04-2009, 01:45 AM   #31 (permalink)
Registered User
 
stinkyonion's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Oak Brook, IL
Posts: 270
Images: 2
My hard top sqeaks terribly. Never use it anymore. Tried antisquak grease from autozone, didnt do much. And the soft top looks better in my opinion.
__________________
2006 polar blue Elise, VF stage II, clam hinge, von Hep exhaust, HID, Zeitronix/Dashdaq (GPS, wideband O2, EGT, fuel+oil pressure), BWR fuel rail, moroso oil pan, HD SS clutch, RTV brace, Tillet seats, harnesses, Oddysey 625, alpine pdx-5, jvc avx77 head unit, jl speakers, voltmeter on dash, custom gauge pod, etc.
stinkyonion is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

  LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community > Lotus Discussions > Interior/Exterior


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:35 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.2