General hard top(worth getting one?)

[dimitris_original]

hey there i m an owner of a 2004 barchetta,very pleased i got one and so far all is good with the car!!i was just wondering is it worth getting a hard top since the rear viewing in bad weather is kinda poor and since there arent any sensors that can de-fog the rear window so sometimes its a little discomfort.
i ve noticed on mazdas mx5 it has de-fog on it!!
not of course a major issue,but i was just wondering!!!
still lovin this car ...i was between this one the mx5 and mg!!i drove all 3!!this one got me!!something bout italian horsepower!!!seems sweeter!!!lol!!!!!!!are italian horses hungrier!!!heheheeh

 

[Nino_1975]

The hardtop from DTR Sports London or Fiat UK both have rear demisters in them. The hardtop also reduces wind noise and makes the car slightly stiffer.

I would advise anyone to own a Hardtop for the winter driving.

One tip is, never leave the car in the garage with the hardtop on, the hood folded away gets damp and rots.

If left out side take the hardtop off every few weeks to and the hood and check no mould id building up.

Also check E-Bay from time to time. Hardtops start from £1200+

But second hand value of them do not drop too much, you will get min of £700 when you sell the car, which is less % deprecation than the car it's self.

 

[Alex]

for the price of a hard top you could almost buy another barchetta for winter driving

 

[Nino_1975]

Arr do as I do. buy a winter car for 1k

 

[Alex]

Arr do as I do. buy a winter car for 1k

A luxury I can't afford

 

[Nino_1975]

An intelligent man such as yourself must be on a bob or too by now, or is it the Student loan and grad loan issue, I used to be there.



Helping me lady clear hers off.

 

[iVan_sbk]

One tip is, never leave the car in the garage with the hardtop on, the hood folded away gets damp and rots.

Is it really SO bad for the hood?? I left my B in a cold garage with the hardtop on. And (maybe as U know) in Moscow last week we had -30...

What can U advise - to take hardtop off or leave it??
I afraid that the back window can crack...

 

[Nino_1975]

Leaving a hardtop on means moisture stays in the hood. For short terms this is ok.

Imagine how mold starts, moisture and lack of air flow. This is the same for the hood.

But if it's -30, I don;t think moisture is a problem, but if moisture is already in there you could have a problem when temps rise.

They say if it's sat doing nothing, take the Hardtop off and hood up.

 

[iVan_sbk]

but I afraid that if i take the hood up, the rear window can crack because of frost

and another question: why this rear window is so expensive?? it's just a piece of plastic...

 

[Nino_1975]

HA HA HA age old question.

Barchettas are so cheap to buy, just expensive to repair. Fiat we love you.

As long as you treat your plastic window with a good cleaner / protector it should be ok.

If you are worried just un and down your hood form time to time to air it out and look for signs of mould or dis-colouring. I presume you rarly have chance to take the hood down! LOL.

 

[iVan_sbk]

Barchettas are so cheap to buy, just expensive to repair. Fiat we love you.

Yeah... the same as Alfa Romeos...

 

[Marco84]

Does anyone know where to order just rear window? At ebay are selling just together with the hood... Or is the last option to order it at fiat servis?
What is the aprox. price for rear plastic window and what kind of protection for this plastic are you using?

 

[Nino_1975]

Fiat start at a stupid price, £300 I recall, Best to buy a new hood as it is better and almost as expensive in the end, they are not easy to replace. Barchetta club gives it 5 spanners "meaning very hard to do” Fiat garage do not recommend replacing it, nor do other garages. :chin:

Protection - None, just buy BMW rear plastic cleaner, thus ensuring it's kept clean. Your hood / window will die of natural causes over time, problems with softops!. :shakehead


:wave:

 

[Marco84]

300?? If I buy the whole hood than at fiat servis will replace it yes? Damn I remember that someone was selling just rear window at ebay for very less money than 300... What would you do? Would you buy a new rear window at fiat servis or the whole hood at e-bay?

 

[Nino_1975]

Buy a new hood everytime!

 

[bencollins]

hi, i replaced my hood this summer, but only cos i cracked the rear screen in cold weather!! im so macho i had the top down at 0 degrees, then "CRACK" & "DUH!". i saw replacement windows on ebay recently, check it out.
however my new hood from germany, mohair, was £280 and looks really nice, good value i thought.

I drive through the winter in sweden brrrrr with no hard top. its cold at motorway speeds though at less than -3, but ok at -12 is going around town / country.
ben

 

[primeruss]

We bought a hardtop on German ebay and then took a long weekend to go and get it. It cost us 600 euros. The channel tunnel cost £70 and we spent around £120 in petrol. We have family in Nijmegan in holland so we got to see them and we got a nice cheap hardtop which had only been on the car once.

 

[bas]

hi just bought a barchetta got to be one of the nicest looking afordable sports cars. I also have a soft top problem the one on the car now has shrunk and is 1" or so to narrow this exposes the top of side window and the rubber seal water runs from the roof straight in to the join this finds its way in to the car. So what to do should i get a new original equipment plastic hood (a trimmer said he would only fit the original equipment type) or one of the mohair ones. I would rather do it right once!!!!!! any thoughts or recomendations thanks regards Bas

 

[dimitris_original]

so actually how many ppl on here have hardtops on their B 's????

 

[docorangepeel]

selling mine on ebay as I type.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fiat-Barchett...ryZ10382QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I now have a new car so the B is only for sunny days and weekend fun and as she will never be out in the rain or snow again, I just dont need the hard top anymore.

Last winter the hard top helped as I was driving everyday in the cold.
Doc Orange peel