FORBIDDEN-USA MUGEN STYLE HARDTOPS *** TAX SEASON SALE
11-27-2013, 08:00 PM
#1873
Former Sponsor
11-29-2013, 10:11 PM
#1878
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Jersey
Posts: 135
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Looking to order the Mugen Hardtop with carbon sides, the online site wont take the free shipping code for some reason and i would like to know how i will be able to pay with two different cards. I tried calling but it wont get through, please let me know before the sale ends! 
11-30-2013, 10:27 AM
#1879
Former Sponsor
Looking to order the Mugen Hardtop with carbon sides, the online site wont take the free shipping code for some reason and i would like to know how i will be able to pay with two different cards. I tried calling but it wont get through, please let me know before the sale ends!
Please call us 562-786-8207 or 562-786-8209
11-30-2013, 11:51 PM
#1880
After a few of months of owning one and adjusting the top, here's my full review of the Forbidden-USA Mugen style hardtop (double sided 1x1 CF). JUST A HEADS UP for you upcoming buyers with the standard single bracket Forbidden provides. The first few adjustments, I basically just screwed in everything as is and I tested the top out with a drive and manual power wash. The top had LOTS of creaks with every LITTLE bump on the road. Wind noise was heard above 30mph. And water leakage was seen on both driver and passenger windows. I then read the reviews in this thread again (I have read the reviews very thoroughly before purchase) and as stated by one of the reviews, you must have another person to help you put weight on the top as you screw the bracket to the top. This allowed the fitment I have as of now.
PACKAGING: 10/10
-The hardtop came in a large box. It was wrapped with a good amount of bubble wrap that covered the entire top. I believe there were some styrofoam inside as well to keep the top from moving all around. And from what I remember upon delivery, the box was stood up-straight (good).
---------------------------------
FITMENT: 9/10
The hardtop, overall, seems to have a near great fitment to the car.
-The part of the hardtop that aligns with the windshield is perfect.
-I used my latches from my soft top on this hardtop. The driver side latch makes annoying creaking noises with every little bump. I placed a rubber washer between the top and the latches but the creaks from the driver-side latch still persists; Im thinking maybe forming a small piece of rubber to go around the latches in order to eliminate the creaks there.
-The top itself seems to not leave too big of a gap in the rear as some people may have claimed.
-For some reason, the seals on my driverside window seems to have a hard time aligning up tightly with the seals provided by Forbidden, as compared to the passenger side windows. Alberto was very kind enough to send me new seals for free in case my first seals didn't stick on as good anymore. The fix for this problem was to patch some seals behind the driver-side window seal in order to push the seal out more towards the window. The passenger side did not need this fix.
-What's also a little bizarre is that the passenger side latch didn't seem to "catch" on to the windshield as tight as the driver side latches. I was told by Alberto to put some kind of rubber on the part of the latches that binds to the windshield to enforce a tighter bond; doing so indeed caused a tighter fit. I may upgrade to hardtop strikers soon as I believe it may solve the issue with the less tight latching on the passenger side.
-Wind noise isn't noticable until 70+mph and it gets loud above 80mph (though not even close to being as loud as with a soft top at 70mph)
-With a power wash, VERY little water leak or if any. The seals are holding up well against this.
-I also needed to use some of the left over seals I had and add it on to the rubber stoppers on the arms of the trunk. By not doing so, the trunk is able to hit the hardtop and leave a mark on the top; be sure you do this!
--------------------------------------------
QUALITY: 7.5/10
My rating on the quality of the hardtop also includes the hardware provided (seals, single brackets)
-The seals for the windows seem okay. They do what they need to do, though I kind of wish the window seals could protrude more in such a way that it would press on to the windows. Be sure to fit this on the top while on the car before doing any cutting!
-The rear seal for the hardtop is pretty good. No complaints. Installing this seal was the easiest.
-As for the brackets, I honestly do not like them. I'd advise you to get the OEM hardtop side strikers/catchers if you have the money (Forbidden just released their OEM style brackets; you should definitely do this upgrade. I can't say that his OEM style brackets are just as good as the OEM ones since I do not own it; hopefully other members' reviews will entice me to get it). BUT, if you decide to stick with these one-piece brackets, you MUST have a friend push down the top to the car while screwing in the bracket to the hardtop. This HEAVILY decreased the amount of creaks I had with every little bump on the road, though creaks were still present due to the brackets touching the top. To reduce the creaks even further, you need to add rubber washers in between the brackets and the hardtop. If you ever want to go top down and reuse the soft top for a little while, uninstalling the hardtop is quite a nuisance since you need to take the brackets off as well. But remember, the worst part about removing the top (especially when you finally found the right adjustment) is when you plan on reinstalling the top; you'll have to do some adjustments again to tweak it to the best fitment.
-As for the hardtop itself, the exterior looks pretty nice, especially since I got the 1x1 double sided carbon fiber top. Though I am unsure how carbon fiber should perfectly look, I do believe that the CF shouldn't have "waves" from looking at it. These waves occur only on the top part of the exterior and you can see these "waves" in my pictures. The installed window looks pretty good, though on the inside, you can see the adhesives they used to put the window in. The inside of the top has some minor imperfections. I am just glad it wasn't on the exterior. There is a stench to the top IF they made yours to order; smells weird but soon goes away lol.
-The lexan window is very good.
-------------------------------------------
CUSTOMER SERVICE: 10/10
-Alberto and the crew were very responsive to all my questions and concerns on here and on the phone.
-Alberto sent me new seals FREE of charge as I may have messed up placing my seals.
------------------------------------
Forbidden-USA's Mugen style hardtop is pretty nice. I love it since it adds a bit more of a aggressive look to the car, as well as the reduction of wind noise at highway speeds. This was honestly my first mod to my car and I think it'll probably be one the my best investments to my car since my soft top had a shitty plastic window and could barely see through it even after plexus conditioning. For sure, I am going to get those OEM side catchers/strikers soon. I'll probably get the ones Forbidden just released if the reviews on it turn out great. I have no regrets in buying this hardtop. Worthy and a wise investment!
PACKAGING: 10/10
-The hardtop came in a large box. It was wrapped with a good amount of bubble wrap that covered the entire top. I believe there were some styrofoam inside as well to keep the top from moving all around. And from what I remember upon delivery, the box was stood up-straight (good).
---------------------------------
FITMENT: 9/10
The hardtop, overall, seems to have a near great fitment to the car.
-The part of the hardtop that aligns with the windshield is perfect.
-I used my latches from my soft top on this hardtop. The driver side latch makes annoying creaking noises with every little bump. I placed a rubber washer between the top and the latches but the creaks from the driver-side latch still persists; Im thinking maybe forming a small piece of rubber to go around the latches in order to eliminate the creaks there.
-The top itself seems to not leave too big of a gap in the rear as some people may have claimed.
-For some reason, the seals on my driverside window seems to have a hard time aligning up tightly with the seals provided by Forbidden, as compared to the passenger side windows. Alberto was very kind enough to send me new seals for free in case my first seals didn't stick on as good anymore. The fix for this problem was to patch some seals behind the driver-side window seal in order to push the seal out more towards the window. The passenger side did not need this fix.
-What's also a little bizarre is that the passenger side latch didn't seem to "catch" on to the windshield as tight as the driver side latches. I was told by Alberto to put some kind of rubber on the part of the latches that binds to the windshield to enforce a tighter bond; doing so indeed caused a tighter fit. I may upgrade to hardtop strikers soon as I believe it may solve the issue with the less tight latching on the passenger side.
-Wind noise isn't noticable until 70+mph and it gets loud above 80mph (though not even close to being as loud as with a soft top at 70mph)
-With a power wash, VERY little water leak or if any. The seals are holding up well against this.
-I also needed to use some of the left over seals I had and add it on to the rubber stoppers on the arms of the trunk. By not doing so, the trunk is able to hit the hardtop and leave a mark on the top; be sure you do this!
--------------------------------------------
QUALITY: 7.5/10
My rating on the quality of the hardtop also includes the hardware provided (seals, single brackets)
-The seals for the windows seem okay. They do what they need to do, though I kind of wish the window seals could protrude more in such a way that it would press on to the windows. Be sure to fit this on the top while on the car before doing any cutting!
-The rear seal for the hardtop is pretty good. No complaints. Installing this seal was the easiest.
-As for the brackets, I honestly do not like them. I'd advise you to get the OEM hardtop side strikers/catchers if you have the money (Forbidden just released their OEM style brackets; you should definitely do this upgrade. I can't say that his OEM style brackets are just as good as the OEM ones since I do not own it; hopefully other members' reviews will entice me to get it). BUT, if you decide to stick with these one-piece brackets, you MUST have a friend push down the top to the car while screwing in the bracket to the hardtop. This HEAVILY decreased the amount of creaks I had with every little bump on the road, though creaks were still present due to the brackets touching the top. To reduce the creaks even further, you need to add rubber washers in between the brackets and the hardtop. If you ever want to go top down and reuse the soft top for a little while, uninstalling the hardtop is quite a nuisance since you need to take the brackets off as well. But remember, the worst part about removing the top (especially when you finally found the right adjustment) is when you plan on reinstalling the top; you'll have to do some adjustments again to tweak it to the best fitment.
-As for the hardtop itself, the exterior looks pretty nice, especially since I got the 1x1 double sided carbon fiber top. Though I am unsure how carbon fiber should perfectly look, I do believe that the CF shouldn't have "waves" from looking at it. These waves occur only on the top part of the exterior and you can see these "waves" in my pictures. The installed window looks pretty good, though on the inside, you can see the adhesives they used to put the window in. The inside of the top has some minor imperfections. I am just glad it wasn't on the exterior. There is a stench to the top IF they made yours to order; smells weird but soon goes away lol.
-The lexan window is very good.
-------------------------------------------
CUSTOMER SERVICE: 10/10
-Alberto and the crew were very responsive to all my questions and concerns on here and on the phone.
-Alberto sent me new seals FREE of charge as I may have messed up placing my seals.
------------------------------------
Forbidden-USA's Mugen style hardtop is pretty nice. I love it since it adds a bit more of a aggressive look to the car, as well as the reduction of wind noise at highway speeds. This was honestly my first mod to my car and I think it'll probably be one the my best investments to my car since my soft top had a shitty plastic window and could barely see through it even after plexus conditioning. For sure, I am going to get those OEM side catchers/strikers soon. I'll probably get the ones Forbidden just released if the reviews on it turn out great. I have no regrets in buying this hardtop. Worthy and a wise investment!