Though I am looking forward to an improving aftermarket as more S2000s get on the road, I am concerned that if it is "very expensive" to upgrade via Honda, it will not be easy to retrofit glass even with secondary venders. Clearly it's not a simple matter of replacing the rear window and surrounding top panel. It sounds like either the entire soft top will need to be replaced, or even worse, the frame. Until we know what's involved I'll keep planning to stick with plastic and it's plastic replacements. There's one performance advantage; it's lighter .

 

As I'm going to be ordering a 2002 Spa Yellow with Hardtop, is there anything critical you would like to post from this e-mail? Thanks!

 

I agree, perhaps some aftermarket glass kits will become available. Also to point out, what honda sais is very expensive probably is, and an aftermarket kit would probably be cheaper. look at ricks leater center console at 160$ compared to hondas piece for the 2002 at 380$

 

I don't beleive that for a second - a load of crap.

As soon as there is a 2002 at my friend's dealership we will see about that. I have seen a lot of ragtop retrofits and modifications for older and newer miatas and they are NOT costly or difficult.

The bars on the 2000/01 DO NOT interfere with the glass window from the pics I have seen. They fold in the SAME manner as the 2002. The Glass window is 1/2 the height of the plastic one and it also matches the position of the "top fold" of the plastic window - hence no intereference when the bars come together and the material/window folds for the rear section of the top.

There will be a reasonable amount of labour involved, and it will required a skilled person to complete it successfully (rear section of the top must be separated from the guide bars and the rest of the top and then the new one lined up and attached.

Best bet would be to remove the whole assembly but from speaking with some people who have performed ragtop replacements, it can be done (with a little more patience) with the roof assembly loosened, but still on the car.

Peace.

 

This is soooo distressing.

1badride, I hope you turn out to be right. Honda's initial statements aren't very optomistic.

 

Badride:

Sorry to disappoint you, you are wrong. The complete top and frame must be replaced if you want to install the OE new glass rear window. The glass is larger than half of the vinyl. It actually doesn't seem much smaller when driving.

The frame does fold a little differently and the glass sits in the rear tray at an angle, not flat like the folding vinyl window.

We don't have part numbers or $$ yet, that is why I have put off posting on this issue.


Stay tuned,

Woodwork

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Woodwork
[B]
We don't have part numbers or $$ yet,

 

Well, it looks like it's going to cost a lot of money to get the glass retrofit. From what Woodwork says, you'll be getting a whole new roof. I'll just stick to the plastic window. Besides, my top is hardly ever up.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Woodwork
[B]Badride:

Sorry to disappoint you,