Henway

I was wondering how much noise is eliminated. Or is it now a different kind of noise/rumble after putting on a hardtop? Is it comparable to a coupe without a convertible?
I drove a car with a Mugen style top which whistled horrendously through the front--is that normal or just a bad install? It squeaked over bumps. It also had atrocious rear-view visibility--do you get used to it or is that a problem you curse about under your breath every time you look behind?
Are the OEM tops much better for visibility? Properly installed, do they also squeak over bumps? Do they increase interior temps or decrease vs. soft top only? Does it add any rigidity?
Does anyone who put one on ever regret it, generally speaking?

NNY S2k

I love my OEM, no whistling, better visibility than soft top, minimal squeaking over hard bumps. I would guess that the color of the top would effect inside temps...white being cooler than black. Have had mine since car was new in 02, love the 2nd look it gives the car. I suggest you find someone with an OEM top and ask to go for a ride so you can judge for yourself.
Levi

B serious

Mine (OEM) does not squeak or rattle. I am using alloy craft bolt-in front mounts and OEM rear mounts, though. It used to squeak and rattle with the worn out OEM front latching mounts.

I also do not have any abnormal wind noise. Lets face it. This car wasn't exactly wind proof when it was brand new. My wind noise didn't increase. Maybe it decreased?

My install was done by me. So it is impossible that I did not achieve absolute perfection in every single way.

It drowns out outside noise. It magnifies inside noise. If you have a loud exhaust...well...imagine a loud exhaust being resonated into a hollow sardine can with 1 sardine still left in it. You are the lonely sardine in this example. I do not have my soft top anymore...so maybe my car booms louder than others. The folded soft top will insulate a bit, if you plan on keeping it.

The rearward visibility is greatly improved over that of a glass or plastic window soft top. The blind spot is *slightly* smaller than that of a soft top, but you still have to lean all the way out of the window and rotate your neck 160 degrees like a GD owl in order to change lanes.

I have not noted any temperature differences. It seems illogical that it would make much difference. Maybe it traps heat better? I like my weather to be absolutely sweltering. So...I wouldn't notice a difference between 80F and 120F anyway. It all feels like 80 to me. It is abaolutely acceptable to leave me in a hot car with the windows up, according to what I remember my parents saying when I was a kid.

Do I have regrets? Maybe one regret: Only ordering HALF a pastrami sandwich because "Idk if I'm that hungry". ALWAYS order the full. I was just a boy back then though. I'll never make that mistake again.

Do I have regrets about my hard top? PFFF no. I am odd in that when I had a soft top...I used to go top down almost any time I drove the car (its only driven in spring thru fall). But since installing the hard top, I have not had the urge to remove it for a drive. Its been on the car 2 years. YMMV.

jwbavalon

I'm in agreement with B serious. The interior noise is magnified probably because the headliner is made of a dense material where as on a "regular" car it is a material which absorbs the sound.

B serious

Well...you're also connecting the trunk to the passenger compartment with a thin sheet of aluminum. Normal sedans have a rear seat to break it up. Seats are full of foam.

If you stuff a bunch of towels or blankets to seperate the two compartments, it would help.

As far as noises originating from the passenger compartment like trans noise or wind noise...well...the soft top is cloth. So it doesn't reflect the noise like a metal top does.

cosmomiller

Man, I still like the 6 seconds it takes to go top down on a beautiful 2 lane road in California!

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/s2000-ta...sults-1085903/