i figure i'll be purchasing my s2k in the wintertime... i have to have it (or a new car regardless) coz my stang can't just be fixed, i have to do some serious upgrades and i don't want to be caught car-less for however long it might take to get it back on the road

anyways, it's probably gonna be snowing by the time i get my s2k... so how well does the soft-top hold up to snow/the winter? or should i consider getting a hardtop? i'd really like a softtop when it gets warmer though...

 

If you keep the top and seals clean (I recommend 303 products), it holds up just fine.
However, if you're going to be dealing with a lot of winter weather, and you can afford it... get the hard top. You won't regret it, although you may love it so much you'll be reluctant to remove it.

 

If you get one with a plastic rear window, install static cling tint on it. I drove mine the first winter without a hardtop and the top did pretty well. The plastic window got scratched up pretty bad from brushing snow off it. With the cling tint, it will be protected. Just treat the top with something like 303 before winter and again in the spring and it'll be fine. Also treat the rubber seals so it can endure the cold better. And yes, a hardtop is a great winter addition.

 

is it an essential addition though? from what you guys have said, treating the top and seals and protecting the rear window should be adequate for a softtop to survive the winter. did i understand it correctly?

 

No, it's not "essential". The hardtop is a "nice to have" item. It keeps the interior warmer easier and heats up faster but our heaters are so good, that it can do the job even without a hardtop. The HT also makes brushing snow off easier and of course, if you have a plastic window, it provides the rear defroster.
Many people who elected to buy the HT did so for a variety of different reasons. Winter is only one of them. I got it for the security over the winter months and to give the car a different look for 1/2 the year. It's like owning 2 cars. It also keeps out a lot of the outside noises.

 

I have a 2000 S. It's lived four years of its life as a daily driver in New England, and the last 6 months, including the winter, in Virginia. It doesn't get a whole lot worse in many places, and it's perfectly fine.

 

Same here. I have over 4 years and nearly 70kmi on my '00 S2000, and the soft top is in almost perfect condition. The plastic window is creased in one spot from the top being down year round, but the actual soft top itself is doing remarkably well, considering the blistering Houston heat. Not exactly the same climate as yours, but a good indication of the quality.