Most Honda S2000 owners don’t realize that it is pretty easy and inexpensive to turn their car into a hardtop model. There are many reasons why one should look into this option. Appearance is one of the first reasons and probably the most important one, at least for S2000 owners who take part in the auto fashion world. Mugen and Spoon style hardtops are available in paintable fiberglass as well as fully finished carbon fiber. As we all know, the use of carbon fiber parts in the automotive industry has been very popular for over a decade and the trend will continue to rise in the future.
There have been numerous successful attempts by car burglars on the S2K models and many insurance claims filed for the same vandalism. S2000 seems to be pretty easy to break into, by cutting the factory soft top and unlocking the car. It appears that the car seats are worth quite a bit and hold a decent resale value on the streets. Now there’s a second good reason for owning a hardtop.
Winter is probably not a good season for owning a soft top convertible due to rain, moisture, wind noise and leaks. Just about any vehicle equipped with a soft top is going to have some type of leak, usually air, sometimes water. Without the car sealed tight, the windows tend to “fog up” during winter. As for air leaks, no one likes that “whistle” caused by an air leak, especially on a long drive. If installed properly, a hard top is not going to cause any of these problems.
There are a few styles of hardtops available for a S2000. Honda makes an O.E.M. hardtop, which is available directly from the dealer. This option is probably most common for people who purchased the O.E.M. hardtop while purchasing the car from the dealer. This factory part is considered to be pretty expensive, cost over $3,500 with hardware. High price tag and not too attractive in appearance. Not such a great option.
The most popular option is the Honda S2000 Mugen hardtop. There are a few reasons why this such a hot product. Similar to O.E.M. hardtop, this part installs on the vehicle using factory front latches and two brackets behind the seats (one on each side). The rest of the installation involves simply attaching weather stripping and seals. The beauty is that the factory soft top doesn’t even have to be removed from the car. This hardtop installs over the factory soft top. Just like the installation process, it is also very simple to remove the Mugen hardtop from the S2000 for those warm summer days. Simply unlatch the front and remove the two brackets in the back. Available in paintable fiberglass as well as finished carbon fiber, usually a car show winner. For a price tag starting around $800, best option so far.
Spoon S2000 hardtop has the most distinctive appearance. This two piece part completely changes the look of the car. The rear part of the top is angled down to give the S2K that “fastback” look, making it very popular at the track. Starting at around $1,800, some love it, others hate it. So, whether you go with the O.E.M., Mugen or Spoon hardtop, still beats dealing with issues caused by the factory soft top.
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