Not Ranked
Tom,
When I first got my car, I thought a hard top might be nice. The more I thought about it, though, the more I began to think it would be kind of useless. Often, in the spring and fall, if I go away for the day, it may be cold enough to put on the soft top in the morning, warm enough to take the top off during the day and cool enough to replace the top on the way home in the evening.
I can drive my car in 30° weather with the soft top on, the heater going and a coat on, which means I can enjoy it until we get the first snow storm, when they start salting the roads here in northern IL, and start driving it again after we get the first spring rain to wash the salt off.
In VA, however, a hard top might enable you to drive your car all winter. If your weather is such that you would leave the top on for weeks at a time, it might be worthwhile.
I've had my soft top on and off dozens of times and I would suggest using some kind of plastic paint protection type stuff over the back of the car where the top attaches, as the top does trap dust and grit and scuff the paint a little. The plastic film is available from many different vendors. The only experience I've had was with a product I got from Griot's, which was easy to use. I think the simplest way to apply it would be to unscrew the Lift-a-Dot fasteners, cut a curved strip, stick it down and replace the fasteners through the plastic. Wish I had done it four years ago.
Bottom line? After I had had my car for about a year, I had an opportunity to buy a new hard top, painted the same color as my car, at a discount. I turned it down and have never regretted my decision.
Lowell
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