the last few months the S has been very damp inside - more condensation inside than out.
today i find out that the roof is leaking more than a sieve.

damn - i need to part with some cash.

question is, mohair or twilweave - whats the pro's and cons for each?

i know alot of people here went for mohair, but does it require more/different maintenance than the OE twilweave material?

 

Thatched, just to be different

I'd go for mohair, looks nicer and there's no more upkeep than the OEM.

 

Is it leaking from cracks, or does it just need a clean and some hood protectant / proofing?

 

my vote is for OEM kind of material (vinyl).
cloth top is anightmare to maintain clean.

 

i gave monsoon a ring - the nice lady on the end of the line says to go for OE, rather than mohair!
i did ask her about the maintenance side of things, so i think she sugested the twilweave (OE) because of that.
sound slike the twilweave is alot more forgiving and robust when it comes to washing. the mohair has to be treated with a bit more care. it's not for me.

the roof has pretty much had it, and i intended to get one last summer out of it.
what could be worn out on it, has pretty much - cracks in the edge piping, temporary stone repair (oodles of silicon sealer) between the 2 layers at the side of the rear screen, and it's now gone porous.

i used some protectant/sealer 3 months ago, just for general maintenance to prolong the replacement (i knew it was getting past it then)

it's been very wet today in the midlands - ran my hand across the inside of the roof, and it's completely soaked through. not just in bits, but the entire thing.

i think i'm going to have to bring the replacement forward 6 months, as right now the car is very very wet and i just dont think it's doing any of the electronics any good - more condensation on the inside of the car than the outside when i jumped in it this morning. usually you get a fog on the glass. for me it's actual water droplets!

 

Why not try Jack Smiths in Swansea, £280 for an OEM spec mohair including fitting..

 

More deatils / pics?

 

That seems cheap.

 

...too cheap tbh. i've seen a few of the big names say £500 area for parts only.
i'm a skeptic for the long term reliability of the roof...
edit: looks like the MX5 community likes him - google "jack smith swansea"... interesting!

another question now though...
if i were to leave the roof over winter, and aside from the obvious condensation every morning, would this cause any longer-term issues with wiring connections etc?
to some level, a car is subjected to alot of weather conditions, so i cant see a big worry about leaving the car in this state for a few months.

 

Jack Smith certainly has a very good reputation, they operate out of the back streets of Swansea and its simply a case of dropping the car off and collecting it a few hours later. They will reuse the glass screen if equipped and fit it to the new hood. Do seem to last on the MX5 very well indeed.
I was planning a trip down there with my last car but ended up selling it instead..