Do you happen to know if the soft top is original? Many shops that do soft-top work mess up with alignment with how the soft-top is supposed to sit on the seals. Mine is a perfect example. I've ridden in a friend's car with the top up and the wind noise was DRAMATICALLY reduced. If I were you, I'd ride in another S2000 with the top up to compare noise levels. If stock wind noise is still a problem, then definitely go the hardtop route -- but if it's just your car, look at getting the soft-top "re-aligned" as this will save you thousands of dollars (unless you're a rich college kid who doesn't care).

Have you tried any of the mods? Spacers, vinyl tubing on latches, latching it and pressing back?

Example of poorly aligned top:

 

only input i can give is that i bought a slightly used latch for $25 shipped, if you opt to try that first

 

Thanks for the info! I actually tried doing the spacer mod. I think you're right, it might be the alignment, but my latches are actually broken/missing parts, so I think that might be a bigger issue. The soft top isn't original, I took it to the shop myself though and they are pretty experienced I think. There were like 5 other S2000s there. I was going to get a hard top sooner or later anyway, so listening to all the people here I think it's probably best if I just get one because I have 2 2 hour commutes and 1 1 hour commute every week. Seems like it'd be nice to listen to the radio or at least save myself from a headache.

 

I completely agree, hard tops are nice, and definitely on my "things to do" list. But as I just bought a house, its been pushed back. Anyways, with the top up, you SHOULD be able to hear a conversation, so for a quick fix, yeah I would suggest having the top shop replace your latches and redo an alignment. But sounds like you made up your mind on a hard top! Let us know how she sounds after the install.

 

I have the OE hard top on my CR. Honestly if I were going on a long trip I'd use ear plugs. Even the OE hard top is significantly noiser than most 'normal' cars.

 

That's rather discouraging..

I am actually somewhat okay with the noise levels, but I just feel bad for the passenger when he or she has to put up with it too. Imagine if you took a girl out on a date for example..

Can you at least listen to the radio when driving on the freeway?

 

Sure you can listen to the radio, just turn it up ... Nothing wrong with a HT, I'm sure it's quieter than a soft top. My point was simply that I'd try ear plugs first. The S2k was not designed to insulate the driver's compartment from road or wind noise. You still get a substantial amount of noise, even with the HT.

 

if you are going to destroy the S with a hardtop, sell it and buy a Coupe.

The S is meant to be driven top down and by the way, I have slight hearing loss from 34 years of driving top down I still would not drive top up. Cheap foam earplugs and its all quiet again. In Calif. it is illegal to wear ear plugs. At least I have been told that but I have not been stopped for it in 20+ years, I only recently got "legal" ear plugs, they are custom fit with a baffle in them and cut the noise a lot not as much as foam and they are legal. Most motorcycle places can get tell you where to get them and they cost about $60-80. Keep the top down!!!

Sorry, I have NEVER understand buying a proper car and putting a top on it, wife and I have driven cross-country top down the top is for heavy rain.

 

^ Your opinion. I didn't buy the S because it was a convertable at all. I just loved the look of it, and how great the feeling of driving it is. Also a hardtop makes the S look so much slicker, and it's not like you can't take it off in a couple minutes so it's not a big deal if you want to go top down. Just because some people want to rock a hardtop most of the time doesnt mean they should have bought a different car, that's a dumb thing to say.

 

Exactly. I personally would love to have a HT, but at the same time, you can't beat top down in 70 degrees