Car Questions: Soft Top or Hard Top?
When shopping for a convertible car, you’ll need to decide whether you want a soft top or hard top model. Are you finding it difficult to choose? If so, then take a look at the pros and cons of each to help you come to a decision on which style best suits you.
Hard Top
Brian Snelson under CC by 2.0
Pros
Security
If someone is going to attempt to break into a convertible, they’re going to choose their target appropriately. What does this mean? A hard top offers security. Why? Well, a hardtop can’t be slashed, whereas a soft top can. Whilst this may sound unlikely, you’d be surprised at how common it is to break into a soft top due to the easy accessibility.
Protection
Not only does a hardtop offer protection from thieves, it has better weather protection too. Hardtops are more effective at keeping out moisture and are more insulated in cold temperatures. This is because a hard top roof seals better than a soft top, and can therefore, withstand all weather conditions.
Aesthetics
Many prefer the appearance of a hard top, as it is thought to look more luxurious than a soft top. This is down to personal opinion, however, of the two different styles, a hard top tends to look more expensive than a soft top. And if one is splashing out on a sports car, the last thing they want is for it to look cheap!
Cons
Cost
Hard tops are typically more expensive, and not only to buy, but to fix too. If a problem occurs with a hard top (and with lots of moving parts this is likely) then the repair bills tends to cost more than with a soft top.
Inconvenience
And it’s not only expenses that come into the equation when repairs are needed, it’s about convenience as well. With a hard top, the whole car has to be left in the car body shop, therefore, you are unable to use it until it is fixed. However, a soft top roof can be detached and you can continue using the car during the repair process, providing the weather stays dry!
Soft Top
David Lewis under CC by NC ND 2.0
Pros
Cost
So, a hard top’s disadvantage is cost, and this works in the favour of a soft top! They are generally cheaper to buy than hard tops due to simpler roof construction.
More Space
After you pull down a hard top roof, there is barely any space in the boot for luggage, whereas a soft top roof does not compromise luggage capacity.
Less Electric Repairs
Whilst hard top roofs use an electric motor, soft top roofs are usually manually folded. Whilst this may seem like a disadvantage as it can be a chore to manually retract and pull on a roof, there is no chance of it failing, whereas this is more likely with heavy use of an electric motor.
Cons
Less Durable
You have to carefully consider where you are going to leave your car with a soft top. Why? Well, it’s best to park it in a garage or under a covered parking area to protect the inside of the car and the roof material from the elements.
Higher Insurance Rates
The cost of insurance for a soft top car may be considerably more than a hard top. This is because soft tops are easier to break into, vandalise and steal in comparison to hard tops.
So, there you have it: now you know the pros and cons of each. Have we helped you out a little? We hope so. Need help with something else, perhaps with selling private number plates? Then you’ve come to the right place, and we don’t even take commission!
