- My model of MX-5 is: __NB 2.5 1.8 Icon
- I’m based near: __Newcastle-under-Lyme
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __
Hi all
Experiencing Intermittent Access to Site for Several Weeks [Working hard with Admin to Resolve this Issue]
BUT SOMEONE ASKED ME THE ABOVE QUESTION and couldn’t get back to them re my Advanced I.T. issue…so whilst I Have Access Wish to reply to the Query
Spoke by phone to the chap who replaced my ‘slashed’ Soft Top [Mohair] in 2019 [Report to Police & Insurance Claim]
He is still working. He travels across the West Mids. He will replace your soft top and take away your old one
His name is Joe Galione
He used to work in the Soft Top Build Factory before going Private so over 25 yrs experience re Soft Tops
His Contact Details Are
35 Kettering Drive, Eaton Park, Stoke-on-Trent ST2 9LY
Tel: 01782 769431
Mob: 07711 767972
‘Elite Windscreens & Soft Tops’
Does a load of other stuff like ‘sunroofs, towneau covers’
I’d purchased my Mohair via MX5 Parts and Joe charged me £175 to fit it in 2019
Wasn’t prepared to compromise on something as important as a replacement Mohair so wanted the best
Most of it was reclaimed via insurance for me [consequences]
But if you are looking for an expert on Replacement Soft Top in the West Mids then speak to Joe
He’s a decent chap as well
Hope this helps
What happened to your roof? At home or elsewhere? Were they caught?
Hi Gunther
It was at home [in adjacent car park at night approx 20 feet away] and no they were not caught [no CCTV or Door Cams = No Proof these days]. She’s been garaged further away since then with no problems 
As an ex Criminal Justice Worker I had a couple of suspects BUT no proof. My first thought when I saw the damage was ‘That’s been slashed’ but started to doubt myself…‘Wear & Tear’ ?
So quickly gaffer taped the slit and ordered new Mohair from MX5 Parts before finding Joe who arrived and said ‘You Know That’s Been Slashed !’
So report to police and insurance claim [first in 30 yrs !]
This wasn’t an issue in 2019/2020/2021/2022 re Insurance until last November 2023 when they suddenly said ‘Was It Classed as Malicious Damage or Attempt Theft’ by police…like I knew what the police did in 2019…they just gave me a crime number. As ex Criminal Justice myself they knew as I did there was no chance of either of us proving anything !!!
Go figure the way Insurance brains think. They used the 2019 damage to magnify my Insurance Premium in 2023…hung on to my money for three weeks after I cancelled the insurance AND only came in with the correct annual increase at the 11th hour after I made a complaint
I’ve since learnt that my 2019 suspect [if it was malicious damage] has a steel plate in his head [which would explain his inability to form a sentence without a swear word] and sadly his mum [neighbour] has had a stroke…so if it was him I think the family have enough problems without me adding to them with my unfounded/no proof suspicions?
If it was ‘attempt theft’ then ‘Go Mohair Go’ [Yep Thief…Think Again]
It’s been stressful to say the least…but seem to be able to access the Forum again [still have ‘remote access’ tasks to do for Admin re Intermittent Access to the Form]
Bet You Wished You Hadn’t Asked Gunther 
Thanks for the reply. Appreciate it. Some locals seem to be jealous of the car with a few comments being made … nothing has happened… so far…
Hi again Gunther
After some I.T. gymnastics today managed to get into the Forum in order to reply because
“Some locals seem to be jealous of the car”
Is EXACTLY what ‘Joe the Soft Top’ said to me after he confirmed it had been slashed and as an expert he would know
So glad Bullit is now hopefully safely garaged
Kindest
I spoke to Joe from Elite Windscreens and Soft Tops yesterday, who doesn’t take on insurance work, but did sound very knowledgeable.
He recommended CarHoods Northern - Vic from CarHoods Northern sounds really helpful - so although it will be a bit of a trip, I’m going to get the hood replacemenet done there.
Hi There
OK a few thoughts from one Member to Another
-
My girl is an NB and yours is an ND [but we both can get discount from MX5 Parts]
-
The Cost of my Replacement Mohair from MX5 Parts in 2019 was £679.90 plus ‘Joe the Soft Top’ fitting of £175.00 = Total Cost of £854.90
-
‘Joe does not take on insurance work’. I claimed on insurance AFTER Joe replaced my Mohair BECAUSE he confirmed it had been slashed
-
This confused my insurance company at the time because I’d had the work done Before making a claim
-
But they went with it and paid promptly and all it cost me was my Voluntary Excess of £300 but made a quick call to Joe to explain that they may contact him because obviously I had to send them his Invoice of £175. [Also I was hoping that if they asked Joe he would confirm as an expert that it was slashed and not wear and tear. They never contacted him]
POLITE REQUEST TO FELLOW MEMBERS
I have put Joe the Soft Top Details on the Site because a fellow member requested ‘Soft Top Replacement West Mids’. I think I might have even mentioned in a previous post that he might know a contact outside the West Mids being in the business of soft tops
BUT FEELING BAD NOW
In case MX5 Members/Visitors making loads of calls to Joe to ask for his links to ditto in your areas when all I wanted to do is flag up business for him in the West Mids
Please do not abuse Joe…He is in his 60ties and one decent bloke
Practica…Glad Joe was able to give you a contact ['Ow Much for Replacement Mohair Soft Top on an ND…Ouch !!]
Kindest
My words may have come across in a way I didn’t intend.
I didn’t mean to say anything negative about Joe there - he was friendly, ultra-helpful and knowledgeable, and I’d second recommending him - my original intention was to take the car to him if at all possible.
To clarify - Joe said he wouldn’t directly deal with insurance companies, which may just be for cases like mine, where he estimated the cost of the part would be £3k+VAT so as a small business having to pay that upfront and wait for an insurance company to reimburse him was pretty inconvienient, which I can totally understand.
(I didn’t wish to take on paying that sort of sum out personally, then chasing an insurance company to reimburse me)
Best regards
‘Take the car to him’
I think I said Joe comes to folks in West Mids ?
Are you not in Bedford ?
Did I not say that Joe didn’t do insurance and that I made my claim AFTER Joe confirmed soft-top slashed
So You and Joe agree …Avoid Insurance in this instance ?
But he gave you a contact…Yes ?
To resolve your slashed soft top problem anyway…free of charge
Because he’s that kind of decent bloke
I’ve had to ring him to apologise for posting his details on the Forum for ‘Soft Top Replacement West Mid’…Not realising that folk beyond West Mids may contact him
Decent chap as he is he said ‘it’s ok’
Thanks for your PM…Appreciated 
It’s traumatic to come out and find your soft top slashed [there is no emojie representing this?]
But as someone who has worked all sides of the Criminal Justice System…Police/Probation/Prisons]
you kinda recognise a decent egg when you see them
That is you Practica as well as ‘Joe the Soft Top’
Meanwhile …I experience ‘Cognitive Dissonance’ with the person who slashed my Soft Top in 2019
Police Training = Arrest & Punish
Probation Training = Understand & Try & Rehabilitate
Prison Training = Combi of the above
The important thing here is Practica is you reached out for Help with your Soft Top Slash and Decent Eggs like your good self responded
OK…There is a thing on the Site ‘Pays Back’
Some Folk just visit…gain the info…never come back or contribute
[Even though you might have jumped a few hoops for them]
So all I ask is …if and when you can contribute we’d be delighted to hear from you to assist us all
[Except when it comes to FAQ…Duh…are we that ‘Bog Standard’ yet on a site that is far more independent in its’ thinking]