"D" (danjee)
05/12/2015 at 17:22 • Filed to: halp
1
28|
"D" (danjee)
05/12/2015 at 17:22 • Filed to: halp | 1
| 28 |
I’m about to replace the ragtop on my NA and I find myself at the corner of Plastic Window Ave and Glass Window Blvd. Anybody here a proponent of either material?
To go into a little more detail, I’m looking at three particular tops (all manufactured by Robbins). There’s the ‘classic style’ top, which has a zippered plastic window; there’s the ‘budget’ top, which has a fixed plastic window; and then there’s the fixed glass window.
I guess my main questions arise from the fact that plastic gets bad over time. How long should I expect the plastic to last, given I take good care of it and my car still wears the hardtop half the year? The zipper would be cool to have, although I worry a little about it being another thing to fail (the zipper on my current top catastrophically failed a couple years ago after 22 years of total neglect by the PO).
Textured Soy Protein
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:28 |
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I had an NB. The glass window on the top, and increased shoulder room over the NA, are why I picked the NB over the NA. The glass window is a huge upgrade imho, especially if you get a defroster. I kinda hate plastic windows.
If it were me, I’d go for a cloth (not vinyl) top with a glass rear window with defogger. It requires a bit of additional work on an NA but nothing crazy and definitely is an improvement.
5-Speed Gangsta
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:31 |
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I’d say take the zip in plastic window. I have no experience with the glass window but I know the fixed plastic sucks. My car’s PO cheaped out on the top and got a fixed window (I don’t know how long ago that was) and the plastic is beginning to get cloudy. The top will outlast the window and it would be much easier to replace the window if it was zip in. also, if something or someone pokes a hole in it, the zipper would be convenient.
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D
> Textured Soy Protein
05/12/2015 at 17:32 |
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I do have the hookup for the defroster (since my car came from the factory with a defroster hardtop) but I figured I don’t need one on the ragtop because I’ll only have it deployed during warmer weather—all other days the hardtop will be fitted.
I also decided on vinyl , I suppose for more arbitrary reasons. Have you had a plastic window before?
MarquetteLa
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:34 |
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GLASS WINDOW. You won’t regret it.
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Textured Soy Protein
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:37 |
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Never had a plastic window, because I had an NB which came factory with defroster glass window. I just hate that wavy distorted view through the plastic.
Also the reason I like the defroster is I always use my rear defroster when it rains, and find it quite handy.
I say cloth over vinyl because vinyl can crack. When I got rid of my NB it was starting to develop some cracks in the original vinyl top. I didn’t want to bother replacing the top since I was getting rid of the car.
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D
> 5-Speed Gangsta
05/12/2015 at 17:38 |
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The zipper was fun (before it failed and the window had to be tied up with a shoelace); both windows down and the rear window unzipped on a hot sunny day was an awesome way to cruise.
I thought I remember hearing that replacing the individual window on a zipper top wasn’t very viable, maybe I heard wrong though?
Anyhow, it’s mostly the proneness to clouding that prevents me from pulling the trigger on the zipper plastic top.
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D
> MarquetteLa
05/12/2015 at 17:39 |
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Have you owned both?
LongbowMkII
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:39 |
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Depends on what you’re using your miata for, where you live(and if you have a/c), and where you park.
If it’s just a summer runabout you park in the garage get the plastic window. no real point in getting the zipper unless you lack a/c. the extra airflow+shade helps on hot days. as far as zipper life goes, if it lasted 2 decades of neglect it’ll probably be ok for you too.
If it’s a DD/all weather car or parked in the sun get the glass window. better resale, lower maintenance, quieter. only real drawback is cost and not being able slam the top back in 0.73 seconds.
Electric_Miata_Engineer (Sold Separately)
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:41 |
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Because my suggestion to all Miata owners is “get a rollbar,” I’d suggest a plastic window, because glass might not fit with one. If you use the hardtop a lot, I’d suggest zippered plastic, so the window doesn’t stay folded constantly.
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D
> LongbowMkII
05/12/2015 at 17:44 |
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It’s a year-round car, always parked outside ( but has a hardtop that will still see extensive use in the winter months), has AC. I guess that warrants glass by your parameters.
Can you explain about needing more care when putting the top down? I hadn’t really thought of this, although the plastic window does fold when the top goes down so I guess I didn’t really know what the glass window does..
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D
> Electric_Miata_Engineer (Sold Separately)
05/12/2015 at 17:46 |
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Yeah, that’s a whole ‘nuther factor, but I have no plans to get a roll bar. Safe to say if I go with plastic, I’m leaning towards the zipper.
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MarquetteLa
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:47 |
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My 2002 NB came with a glass window when I bought it in 2012 (the top had been recently replaced by the previous owner). I’m still on the same top and I have zero complaints. If it’s not raining, I generally have the top down, so the top is being folded constantly. If I had a plastic window without a zipper, I’m sure the window would have failed by now. If I had a zip-down window, I wouldn’t have the same flexibility to throw the top up/down at a red light.
The rear defrost is really quite nice to have, too.
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D
> MarquetteLa
05/12/2015 at 17:51 |
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So you can still chuck the roof down with glass, despite the window itself not folding? IDK, one guy in the replies was hinting that you had to use more care when dropping a glass window top but he hasn’t elaborated yet.
Is your top vinyl + glass? And (you may or may not know this but) is the glass window any smaller than the plastic?
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MarquetteLa
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:51 |
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The zippered plastic window is zippered so that you can unzip and lay the window flat when you put the top down. If you don’t, the window itself will fold and eventually tear.
My glass windowed-top can be thrown back in about a second or two, soooo I’m not really sure what Longbow is talking about there.
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Electric_Miata_Engineer (Sold Separately)
> D
05/12/2015 at 17:52 |
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If you’re not getting a rollbar, glass window with defrost is a nice thing to have.
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LongbowMkII
> D
05/12/2015 at 18:02 |
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I haven’t had a glass window top but I wouldn’t assume that it could withstand the abuse put my old vinyl/plastic top through.
The only reason I brought up the parking is that intense sunlight is probably the biggest factor in plastic clouding. So, if its going to be exposed often I’d opt for the glass.
jariten1781
> D
05/12/2015 at 18:03 |
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Had both a zippered plastic and glass no-zip on my NA.
Glass has a smaller viewing port. It doesn’t fade or get UV cracks. It’s heavier making one handed operation more awkward (to the point I pretty much turn around and two hand it down 90% of the time).
Plastic zipper has better viewing angles at the expense of UV fading/cracking.
If it’s regularly going to be parked top up outside in the summer I’d get glass, otherwise I think plastic is the better option.
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LongbowMkII
> MarquetteLa
05/12/2015 at 18:04 |
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I was referring to my abuses on my old soft top. Unrelated: at 10-15mph the top catches a surprising amount of air.
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MarquetteLa
> D
05/12/2015 at 18:04 |
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I found this YouTube video showing the glass going up/down on an NA. My glass top gets “stuck” when going down like in the video maybe 5-10% of the time. The rest of the time the top goes up and down with no more effort than using one hand on the center handle. The actual top folding mechanism may be slightly different between my 2002 NB and your NA, so that may make a difference when it comes to the glass.
Glass windows generally don’t extend as far down as plastic windows. But I (being about 5’11”) generally look through the top half of the glass window when using the rear-view mirror anyway. Moral: The window size difference is negligible.
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D
> jariten1781
05/12/2015 at 18:12 |
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Th glass top certainly looked smaller, thanks for verifying.
With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
> D
05/12/2015 at 18:15 |
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My ‘91 with plastic window began to discolor after 23 years. Almost exclusively driven with hardtop on, or top down with boot/cover over the folded soft top, so YMMV.
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D
> With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
05/12/2015 at 19:18 |
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That’s an outstanding lifespan, to be honest. Any other longevity tricks you employed?
CaptDale - is secretly British
> D
05/12/2015 at 19:39 |
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My grandma had one a while ago with a zip out glass window.... That was nice
1111111111111111111111
> D
05/12/2015 at 19:58 |
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My NB, I just un latch and toss it behind me. Seems to do just fine. If I put it down whIle out of the car then I usually have to try twice to make the window fold perfectly.
Funktheduck
> D
05/12/2015 at 20:04 |
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I e never known anyone who opted for glass when they had a chance and wished they hadn’t but I have known people with plastic that wish they had glass.
If it were my car I'd go glass unless I just could t afford it.
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With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
> D
05/12/2015 at 21:14 |
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When the hardtop is on, the plastic zip window lays flat and part of it is still exposed. Throw a towel or something across the folded hardtop behind the seats to keep the top, and especially the plastic window, out of the UV light. Also, use 303 Aerospace protectant on the top and window periodically when you wash the car.
Garage every day is kinda a biggie, too.
RedPir8Roberts
> D
05/12/2015 at 22:57 |
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BMW Z3s (I had one) and Porsche Boxsters up to around 2005 had plastic rear windows. By having a glass one (as I do in my NB MX-5), you are one up on those cars despite their having cost much more money when new. Even slightly cloudy, plastic obscures your view, and on a lot of cars they distort even if not fogged. Glass all the way.
Big Block I-4
> D
05/13/2015 at 09:03 |
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I personally love the zip out plastic top. It gives you a few more options as far as configurations. You can go top all the way down, or zip out the rear and put the window down and get more air but not as much as full top down (good in light rain when hot out). One thing that I read to give you zippered plastic top more longevity is this, when you put you top down unlatch the top before unzipping and re-zipper before latching. This take stress off the zipper when you zip/unzip the top, or so I have heard.