Recommend a Hood / Soft Top Specialist

Spy · 17 February 2020 13:07

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend a reputable hood / soft top specialist to replace the vinyl soft top on my Mk 1 ?

Anywhere around Loughborough, Leicester, Nottingham etc is fine. Willing to travel a little farther if it can be done while I wait.

Just looking for a waterproof solution so a good value vinyl hood and plastic window. May need the rain rail looking at as well.

Thanks

Keith_Jayne · 17 February 2020 13:54

I can recommend Paul at the Soft Top Shop:

www.thesofttopshop.com

Don’t be put off by the Stockport location as he will probably come to you. He fitted a replacement mohair hood to our 2001 Mk 2.5 (to replace a vinyl one) about 18 months ago and we are delighted. Not the cheapest hood we found but it seems very good quality and he was very professional. He cleaned and lubricated the frame, cleaned the rain rail, checked all the drainage channels and even fixed the catches which previously had a tendency to pop open. He came to us in Worcestershire to fit it and he was with us about 2.5 - 3 hours.

ast · 17 February 2020 14:31

Order a BAS top from MX5parts and get Sam Goodwin in Nuneaton to fit it; he’s probably fitted hundreds over the years (all makes of tops). Alternatively, he can source and fit a new top for you. There are various grades of viyl top available; BAS is OE grade. The trade tops are are a bit thin, and probably won’t last as long, but they are weatherproof. I’ve seen some videos of how some driveway roof swaps are performed, and often they cut off the old hood to save on taking out the frame; this is the wrong way to do it, but it sales time.

http://samgoodwin.com/

Alternatively, speak to Mike at Thrussington Garage in East Goscote, Leics about a replacement top:
https://thrussingtongarage.co.uk/

Spy · 17 February 2020 14:37

Thanks both.

I enquired with Mike at Thrussington. He uses a third party and costs about £500. I was hoping to get it for less than that.

I will ask Sam Goodwin as well. I know down in Essex you can get a decent quality vinyl for around £350 fitted but maybe they cut corners.

Other than the guy in Stockport, are there any other hood specialists ?

ast · 17 February 2020 17:53

If you want it fitted cheap, fit it yourself. A trade hood will cost £100-150, will last 3 years or so. Set aside a weekend to fit it.

When comparing quotes, check what hood is being offered. Cheap trade hoods typically have a zip around the window, and can leak through the zip. BAS is as near to original Mazda quality as I have seen, and has a zip as per original, with double skinned corners…

That Essex hood will be a trade grade hood. Ok for 2-3 years, but it will shrink quickly.

Also check if the quotes include extras. How are they making good the rain rail? Are the side tensioning wires being replaced?

MX5city will also fit a cheapo hood for about £360, or fit a hood supplied by yourself for £130.

Spy · 17 February 2020 18:33

Thanks for the advice, to be honest other than the thickness of the vinyl I thought all the ‘original’ style hoods were the same and didn’t realise different ways of fitting them.

The ‘Essex’ hood I was referring to is the one marked as a £299 Best Buy here: Hot Hoods

ast · 17 February 2020 18:39

They all fit in the same way, but the cheap ones have a different design.

Spy · 17 February 2020 20:16

Sorry, I meant that it was mentioned some fitters remove the frame and others don’t

Super_7 · 19 February 2020 12:26

Hi @ast - is this the same advice for a MK2 hood? I want to replace the original vinyl roof on my blue mk2.5 with a mohair version but would like a high quality one. The replacement mohair hood on my red mk2.5 (from MX5 City) is OK but probably ‘trade’ quaily looking at your earlier comments (I’d like a better one this time). I can see BAS hoods advertised on their website and am fine with the price. I’m assuming you dont think it’s worth almost double the price for an OEM hood that MX5 Parts sell? Thanks in advance. I’m also fairly near Nottingham so am assuming Sam Goodwin is again the choice for fitting?