Which make of cover have you got, John_M?
Vince
I’ve a couple, but the one I use most is the official Mazda one for the ND, the thin silvered type. It doesn’t look very substantial but it is actually very strong and stays on well.
The other is the top version of the Cabrioshield. It’s very heavy and well made, but doesn’t really do any more than the Mazda version.
I would avoid the very similar looking item that has elastic chin straps. The elastic loses its virtue quite quickly, and high winds tend to be its undoing.
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Do you have a link to the Mazda one, please?
Vince
Here you go Mazda uk site, not sure the link will work, under car configurator choose accessories.
https://www.mazda.co.uk/configurator/MAZDA%20MX-5/2DR.OPEN/
I bought one with my new ND2 only used it once so far, fits well.
To be honest I think I’d rather have the cabrioshield. The material is much thicker, no way in hell I could fold my cover that way (obviously, if you size is more important then the Mazda might be the better choice). Also, the Cabrioshield locks behind your doors, both at the front and the rear and also locks behind the trunklid. We have had storms over 7bft here since I have my Cabrioshield, not that long ago we even had a downburst with forces I’ve never seen here before it took down 4 40.000 kilgogram electricity pylons 2 miles from here (luckily that extreme part of the storm only lasted a few minutes). When looking outside of the windows for the first time in my life I thought, this must be what it looks like when a hurricane starts. I live at the end of the city, 30 meters from my car there is only grassland. There isn’t a place where I live where the wind blows more. My Cabrioshield? Not a single proverbial scratch.
No I don’t have any relation with Cabrioshield, I just think it’s an awesome product.
I’d back this up, Cabrioshield is great, fits the car really well, easy to fit after a couple of times, a really good product.
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Hi I don’t know whether to go with the full or half-cover.
I have a RF with the metal roof. My main issue is keeping sun away from interior. But does the sun also affect the paint? To be honest I noted you said the car has to be clean all the time; I can’t really see myself going to those lengths. With the full this would make more difference I guess. I also assume the full is harder to fit, take off and store. Why does the car need to be clean?; surely the cover just rests on top, so little movement.
Thanks.
Can it keep the frost away from the car body? Or does it get through?
No you don’t (unless it has been seriously modified from standard). The RF roof is composite, Much lighter than metal. Many reviewers make the same mistake.
OK thanks. Still hope someone can chime in on the car cover.
Why do you think you need a cover? My ND2 lives outside (now 3 years old I’ve had from new), and my previous MX5, an NC with electric hard roof, I had from new for 14 years and that also lived outside with no problems whatever.
Covers do move every time the wind blows and it may damage the paint. If the car is not clean the rippling cover on the abrasive dirt on the bodywork will definitely damage the paint.
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Full covering any car left outside will rust it quicker as it will hold moisture.
Just keep it waxed and all will be good
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I am worried more about the UV from the sun damaging the external paint and leather seats plus plastics inside. Also I am thinking of getting the half-cover. Also there are the odd one or two bird-droppings now and then and I have heard they are not good for the paint.
Thanks.
Stop worrying. The car will be fine. It won’t be if you cover it.
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My car seems to have scratches on the bonnet and boot lid. I suspect this is from covers being used by its previous owners. To cover a car sensibly is to make sure it is spotless clean and also the cover is un blemished from grit and grime. Quite a difficult feat to achieve. I bought a used cover for my Elise and I was questioned as to what was going around in the washarama drum as wouldn’t fit in the house machine 
Also with covers. I fitted a hood cover for the Elise , when we went for a weekend , which was damp at Snetterton. It used all the standard fixings and seems pretty stable, but the wind got under it and caused so much scuffing damage, I never used it again.
Long periods of time can also cause issues with damp. it harbours it and wont allow it to escape. A mates car ( not an MX5_) was under cover for the winter and when he took the cover off, Lots of areas the cover laid on caused small blisters in the paint.
So, from me for outside protection, covers are a ‘rather not’ approach. UV and sun damage doesnt happen in this country really . My neighbour has a 2008 Alfa Spider which lives outside with its mohair hood unprotected for the last 15 years and is starting to show its age but is still a useable car for him as not used often.
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I do have the RF so that is a little better for me regarding the fabric soft-top ssue. That was not the reason I got the RF though; it is the RF that comes only in automatic in the UK. It kind of has everything in that sense for me.
Regarding the sun I am sure it has faded the red paint on my Aygo a little. Although not 100% sure. The RF has a darker more richer shade of red; the Aygo is a more flat red.
The half-cover from Mazda is only about £100. Not bad really and it would only cover the top roof part regarding paint contact.
I think frost can cause damage too though; the rubber seals in particular. Still in two minds at the moment.
Do you protect the underside? With a dinitrol or dinitrol-like treatment? Just curious if leaving the car outside (the moisture in the air) gets to the parts underneath. It will a little but I guess not to such a large extent.
I guess you decided against the cover in the end?
My NC lives outside so I got it a Stormforce cover when I first bought the car. It’s not a bad cover and is supposed to be breathable, but I quickly added two longitudinal straps as well as the transverse ones as the wind had a habit of getting under its skirts and (if strong enough) flipping the back part off. The wind tends to ‘inflate’ it around the car, but a bit of chafing is probably unavoidable. It was relatively quick to get on and off by myself, aided by a long stick to shoot the straps under the car.
At the time, it wasn’t parked on a hard driveway, which is most likely why I saw some damp issues inside the car after winter (it’s now on a proper paved surface).
In the end, I haven’t bothered with it for quite a while as it is away from any trees etc. to drop debris on it, the roof is in good condition and gets a regular clean & waterproof, and it seems quite happy without one*.
In fact, if anyone in the Cambs area wants a free cover, let me know.
- Can the person feeding the local birds a diet of Guinness and vindaloo at the moment please stop?
I can add to this as I’ve had/have 4! of the ND genuine Mazda half covers.
Short version: After nearly 6 years, the top looks like new.
Longer version: I don’t drive it in the rain, so that of course helps. Car is on the drive. I’m very on top of it meaning regularly ‘airing’ the top (i.e, letting the air get under it very regularly). So no damp issues.
I’ve found the quality control of them to be a bit hit and miss. I find I get about a year out of them, and they aren’t then as effective (seems more water gets through), and the 3rd on I bought was rubbish from the get go. Whilst they are great at protecting the soft top from UV, hideous wood burners in the neighbourhood, stops stuff entering the drains, bird muck, pollen etc, those lot in themselves kill the effectiveness of the cover soon enough (better that than the hood though). In fact, these days I use 2! I’ve got a decent brand new one on (and it is a good quality control one), and one of the older ones on top of that. To be honest this is the only way I find the top then stays totally dry. The older one acts as the sacrificial lamb, and the new one don’t get the same pounding as if it were on its own.