Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Morgan 100 Years plus , what do you love?

I did 150 very wet miles in one of the factory plus 8 yesterday and no leaks!

There again has a drive in a Berrybrook M3W on Saturday and got very wet, puddles in the cockpit even.

I'm not going to deviate, but if I'm the 'type' ie someone who is prepared to sped +£70K on a soft top who expects it to be water tight read on!

Now I'm not asking MMC to discover/invent perpetual motion, just do what most other (Ferrari and BMW accrding to posts excepted pls post more ) have done and create a hood that is water tight.

To be controversial the answer from R&D appears to be the M3W ,no hood so it can't leak or the Aero Coupe, same answer.

Well done for taking my post out of context and merely repeating the same thing yet again.

Your facetiousness has worn thin, I shan't contribute further, you clearly have no interest in 'reasoned debate', merely banging your own drum without context.

Every convertible I've had has leaked, except this Roadster. But to put that into perspective, I've only had the hood up once in four years on the way to the MOT on a wet day. That was over 30 miles and it didn't leak. It's also true that I have a few neoprene mods on the screen frame which might help. I prefer the hood down, even in the rain (providing it's not too bad), and the half tonneau protects the co pilots seat. MrsW would not enjoy wet motoring, and yet to see mist on the inside of the screen and water dripping from the top of the screen onto the tonneau cover is a fantastic experience. Yes I'm a bit odd, and I don't chose to set off like that in the wet, but sometimes it just starts to rain. I had one Midget which leaked profusely with the hardtop fitted - think a wet strip across the thighs, but hardly leaked at all with the soft top fitted.
I'm also prepared to contemplate an Elise, even though I know it will leak, and the paint will probably bubble at some stage, because my desire exceeds those shortcomings. The one thing that might have stopped me buying a Roadster was the sump clearance, which I was unaware of at the time.
And let's face it, with my OCD tendencies I like things perfect, but nothing is ever perfect, and the worst leaks I've had have been in tin tops - e.g. BGT, Dolomite, Metro. BL = Big Leaks.

The only convertible I've ever owned that is completely watertight is a BMW Mini. All my others have leaked a bit, and some much more than a bit. My 2005 roadster only leaks a tiny bit now I've "adjusted" things (which I enjoyed). I've been informed that the big manufacturers are moving away from the folding multijointed hard top things as they all leak like mad 3 years down the line.
By the way, Morgans have the best heaters of any car I've ever had. I love them whilst accepting that the factory don't always respond well (I had gearbox probs with a 4/4 that they did the "They all sound like that" to) and I suppose if I'd spent £100T I'd be more upset about the hood being simplistic. I remember being with a dealer at the Motor Show in 2006 when he tackled one of the directors about Aero hoods which were making the dealer's customers ask for refunds. The director's response was "we sell dreams" which I thought was inappropriate but even so I think my car is well made, well painted and makes me feel like no other car can. I never feel jealous of modern cars - even Astons - as I know they all want mine really. I've parked my Mog in a row of supercars and come back to find everyone round mine.......and it's still the only car I've ever owned in which I try and find longer routes to play longer. I pat it in the garage. I basically LOVE the thing. How do you price that? Even if the factory play on that - can you blame them?
Nick

Hear Hear..........

Hm! Another interesting TM debate.


I am curious to know just how the Simmonds hood differs from the factory Easyup hood.

One way or the other in 9 months of ownership and over 10,000 km we have only been caught out in some very light showers (more by luck than planning). No rain coming in at all.

As far as I can see we do not have any problem with the side screens, at least up to 130 km/h and I don't think I would go faster in the rain. I think the fastest I have done with the hood up is about 140 km/h but we would normally keep to about 120 to be keep the noise levels down.

We have stuffed folded paper tissues on top of the centre hood rail to stop flapping noise. Sooner or later I will have two velcro straps fitted increasing the total retention points on the centre top rail to 5.

The only issue I have had with water coming in was through the large cable grommet on the top of the RHS footwell. Water from the the heater/aircon air intake drain was running under the ECU and dripping into the footwell. Time will tell if that has been fixed.

The major issue I have had with the car is ground clearance. The combination of existing tyre specifications for the Plus 4, the change in Morgan spring specifications, and poor quality sagging rear springs has required a complete change of springs. Ground clearance now resolved but at the cost of a much harsher ride.

Replacement springs are on order and I am giving up on the Morgan springs and am making my own arrangements outside of warranty. As people would know from my other threads the suspension system, I believe, is an area Morgan needs to address

Would I buy another Morgan? I sure would! It is the greatest smile machine I have ever owned, and, given I bought the Morgan to replace motorcycle touring it has been perfect for us. Having said that I would like to see a little more attention to quality. My experience with the factory has been good and all my little issues have been addressed in the best way possible, all be it sometimes a little slowly. There are not many car manufacturers where you can communicate directly with the staff, I see this as a definite plus for Morgan.

All in all my personal experience, from first contact with Morgan about 18 months ago, has been very, very positive.

Robbie is talking sense, in my opinion and we do enjoy resolving little issues which make our Morgans 'well sorted'.

However, from my own experience and with apologies to those who may have other opinions or experiences, I am able to understand why things were not done at the factory which could have eliminated leaks through the hood on my particular vehicle with very little extra effort at the building stage;
a bit of 'mastic' between the hood fabric and the metal header rail. Not rocket science but apparently missing in my case, along with a good 'double rubber' seal inside the header rail.

I am very happy with the hood now and my wife never carries towels on holidays except in the watertight suitcase on the rack!

I agree that x4 national salary is alot of money, but at the same time, its not that difficult to say that a profesional of modest means could earn 45k for example.

My MINI isn't, completely. I have twice found the passsenger footwell slightly damp. Seems to have been a blocked drain ahead of the windscreen.
A pal's Merc 200 SLK wasn't waterproof either - however, the river did rise to near 80cm and the relief pumps to put floodwater back into the Severn failed, so I guess that's a slightly different tale