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Soft top liner issues.

8K views 52 replies 34 participants last post by  Terminus 
#1 ·
I noticed soft top came off from the inside locking portion of the mechanism console. It seems as if it wasn't glued too well onto the inside portion of the solid piece on the passenger side. Any one else had this problem?

In retrospect, I think taking the soft top off and rolling the top so the exterior faces outwards will reduce the tension on the soft interior section.

I was rolling it with the soft side facing out so dirt and dust wouldn't get on the exterior rag top.

There is no mention in the manual for a correct way to roll it up before you place it in the draw string cover they provide. Hmmm...... Other than that NO issues at all!
 
#27 ·
When I picked up my car the liner was separating and the salesman replaced it with the one from their show model which was fine (I checked).

Two months later (today) I put the soft top on for the first time and now this top is separating.

This car is great but there are diffenately some QC issues.
 
#30 ·
_JD_ said:
My liner has separated and sags badly when the top is in place, but the edges have not come away anywhere- are all the replacements due to the edges coming loose?
That's the first I've heard of sagging. All the other posts have been edges coming loose. This must have cost Lotus a friggin fortune in replacements.
 
#33 ·
Mr_Baker said:
Same thing with my top, but I'm not sure it's worth replacing. Both sides were sagging due to the glue giving out, so I helped the process out. The roof still works great without the liner at all.
I eventually ended up doing the same thing myself -- too hard to drive with the liner hanging in your face! ;)

I assume the primary purpose of the liner is for sound-deadening purposes. I can't say I notice any difference with and without the liner. OTOH, I wonder how much thermal insulation the liner provides -- the noon-day sun is mighty stong down here and the AC can use all the help it can get! :cool:
 
#35 ·
like jac

the thermal benefits are there.

The liner fell out of mine as well. I did notice it was hotter in the car with out the liner. Probably has benies with the A/C too. Noise is not an issue either the radio is up - way up - or the guy next to me is screaming so loud I can hear the road noise.

have fun

Nick
 
#36 ·
Just FYI,

I just got my soft top replaced today, I had reported the problem about a month ago but couldn't get over there until today, and the service guys mentioned that Lotus has stopped replacing these and has asked the dealers to fix (reglue) them now, not sure if that's true for all cases/situations but just wanted to pass along the info.
 
#38 · (Edited)
rsouthern said:
Just FYI,

I just got my soft top replaced today, I had reported the problem about a month ago but couldn't get over there until today, and the service guys mentioned that Lotus has stopped replacing these and has asked the dealers to fix (reglue) them now, not sure if that's true for all cases/situations but just wanted to pass along the info.
My dealer just re-glued mine this week when I had it in (to re-fix my oil leak). For whatever reason, the top doesn't roll the same as it use to. The liner is a lot tauter than the canvas roof, so the roof ends up "buckling" when I roll it up. :shrug:
 
#39 ·
SnowSnake said:
For whatever reason, the top doesn't roll the same as it use to. The liner is a lot taughter than the canvas roof, so the roof ends up "buckling" when I roll it up. :shrug:
Same with mine. I think I got a repaired roof as well. As long as the liner doesn't come back out, I don't really care. Besides, it's off most of the time anyways! :D
 
#40 ·
i had my car for a day and when i got home and took off the roof i noticed it was separated (this all happened about 6 months ago). HRM gave me a replacement roof on the spot....the new roof seems to be much better....but i dont use the roof....i keep it off while the car is in the garage....if the weather is bad enough to need the roof...i take another car.
 
#41 ·
SnowSnake said:
My dealer just re-glued mine this week when I had it in (to re-fix my oil leak). For whatever reason, the top doesn't roll the same as it use to. The liner is a lot taughter than the canvas roof, so the roof ends up "buckling" when I roll it up. :shrug:
They probably tightened the cables on the front and back of the soft top. You could take it back for them to adjust again, or just fix it yourself. I think there are instructions in the manual on adjusting the soft top.

Also, is that a picture of your car in you avatar? Ok, I haven't looked yet, I will after I post this, but could you post some pictures of your car? I have only seen a few bad pictures of that color, and I would really like to see what it looks like. Or, you could just attend the next autocross in Fort Pierce, and I'll take pictures :). www.cfrsolo2.com
 
#42 ·
rucnok said:
i had my car for a day and when i got home and took off the roof i noticed it was separated (this all happened about 6 months ago). HRM gave me a replacement roof on the spot....the new roof seems to be much better....but i dont use the roof....i keep it off while the car is in the garage....if the weather is bad enough to need the roof...i take another car.
My first top did it the day I picked up my car while the dealer was showing me how to operate the top. :huh: They gave me a top from one of their other cars. Of course, over a couple of months that one went bad as well.
 
#44 ·
Not sure if I have a problem or not.. My liner seems to be connected on the left and right sides of the top, but not anywhere else. I do have some sagging, like JD, in the middle. I've also noticed that it bunches up when I roll the top. I roll from both sides, left halfway, right halfway, liner on the inside. It's like squeezing a ketchup packet, and the loose part of the liner gets pushed to middle.

You guys with the fixes, is the liner completely attached to the top? Or should it be just connected on the sides?
 
#46 ·
rsouthern said:
Just FYI,

I just got my soft top replaced today, I had reported the problem about a month ago but couldn't get over there until today, and the service guys mentioned that Lotus has stopped replacing these and has asked the dealers to fix (reglue) them now, not sure if that's true for all cases/situations but just wanted to pass along the info.
Sigh! It didn't take long. I washed the car this weekend and noticed that the passenger side is beginning to pull out again, the glue just isn't holding. It has happened both times (this roof and the previous one) at the front (closest to the windshield). I thought that it may be heat related, softening the glue and the tension of the liner pulling it out, but the roof hasn't been on much in the last week and the car has been in the garage 99% of the time too.

Thinking about breaking out some epoxy, but don't want to void any warranties just yet :/

Maybe it will hold and not pull out more, or maybe I'm just an optimist :(
 
#47 ·
I picked up my new softtop from the dealer on friday. They gave me a new bag and top and everything, which was nice, and it was replaced under warranty. They took my old one back too. I have yet to use the new one because its summer and I also have a hardtop, but just an fyi that everything went smooth getting the top.
 
#51 ·
The soft top is not going to last as long as the car. My Miata is 13 years old and is on the third top. So, if you get about 5 years on a top you are doing pretty well.
Currently on 7 years and going strong. No garage, is a true daily driver.
Though the soft top is off the car from mid Nov through late Feb / early Mar.
Also, I keep a sun cap on it when parked the rest of the year, I'm on my second sun cap.
 
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