morr
03-21-2012, 06:53 PM
A few years ago I purchased some RennenMetal tow hooks that have already come in handy a few times. I recently picked up a set of RennenMetal Hardtop Brackets in my quest for a comfortable and fun daily driver. A lot of people use them for Spec Miata, but some people use them on the street for a more solid feel in the entire car. I wanted to share my thoughts after a very positive second experience with David and his products.
Customer Service: 10/10
I emailed David on a Wednesday asking about the brackets, because their website said they were out. He replied promptly and said it'd be about 10 days for the next batch was ready. However, he had a few sets that usually were reserved for vendors and offered to ship me a set. Obviously, I said "that'll work!" and late Thursday night he sent me a set of the raw steel brackets with the hex hardware. Much to my surprise, they arrived bright and early Monday morning! Not only did he go out of his way to get me a set of brackets, but he got them to me in a very timely manner.
Look/Quality: 10/10
The brackets appear/feel to be just as good of quality as the RM tow hooks… solid, sturdy, but still lightweight. Since I opted for raw steel instead of powder coated brackets, I blasted them with a few coats of Plasti Dip. I'd never used the stuff before, but it seems to live up to the hype so far! Installation was straight forward… remove old brackets, replace with new ones. The only thing to mention is the need for a Torx T40 bit for the two screws on the front latches. I had everything up to a T30, so I ran out and bought a T40 for about a dollar.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2mmtm3c.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/140dzes.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/35nbwbq.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/xqgdfn.jpg
http://i56.tinypic.com/f36fyr.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/beyow.jpg
Driving Experience: 9.5/10
The first noticeable difference was leaving my driveway (this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ads8kKWiLh8) shows what I'm talking about). It's a weird incline and you could always hear the hardtop flex, squeak, and squawk when backing out. With the brackets installed, I hardly heard/felt any movement whatsoever. Driving on the bumpy roads around here was a much more pleasant experience, because the hardtop was now firmly planted on the car. The only reason I gave this category a 9.5 is because there is a tiny bit of movement, but that's expected because (as David warns in the instructions) I didn't tighten the brackets as tight as possible to avoid possibly cracking the top on big bumps. Overall, they really tightened up the feel of the car and I love it. I'd almost go as far to say that it feels like the car was never a convertible to begin with. It feels more like one solid body.
Overall, I'm very pleased (yet again) with my purchase from RennenMetal. I'd recommend them to anyone for their great customer service and quality products.
Customer Service: 10/10
I emailed David on a Wednesday asking about the brackets, because their website said they were out. He replied promptly and said it'd be about 10 days for the next batch was ready. However, he had a few sets that usually were reserved for vendors and offered to ship me a set. Obviously, I said "that'll work!" and late Thursday night he sent me a set of the raw steel brackets with the hex hardware. Much to my surprise, they arrived bright and early Monday morning! Not only did he go out of his way to get me a set of brackets, but he got them to me in a very timely manner.
Look/Quality: 10/10
The brackets appear/feel to be just as good of quality as the RM tow hooks… solid, sturdy, but still lightweight. Since I opted for raw steel instead of powder coated brackets, I blasted them with a few coats of Plasti Dip. I'd never used the stuff before, but it seems to live up to the hype so far! Installation was straight forward… remove old brackets, replace with new ones. The only thing to mention is the need for a Torx T40 bit for the two screws on the front latches. I had everything up to a T30, so I ran out and bought a T40 for about a dollar.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2mmtm3c.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/140dzes.jpg
http://i53.tinypic.com/35nbwbq.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/xqgdfn.jpg
http://i56.tinypic.com/f36fyr.jpg
http://i52.tinypic.com/beyow.jpg
Driving Experience: 9.5/10
The first noticeable difference was leaving my driveway (this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ads8kKWiLh8) shows what I'm talking about). It's a weird incline and you could always hear the hardtop flex, squeak, and squawk when backing out. With the brackets installed, I hardly heard/felt any movement whatsoever. Driving on the bumpy roads around here was a much more pleasant experience, because the hardtop was now firmly planted on the car. The only reason I gave this category a 9.5 is because there is a tiny bit of movement, but that's expected because (as David warns in the instructions) I didn't tighten the brackets as tight as possible to avoid possibly cracking the top on big bumps. Overall, they really tightened up the feel of the car and I love it. I'd almost go as far to say that it feels like the car was never a convertible to begin with. It feels more like one solid body.
Overall, I'm very pleased (yet again) with my purchase from RennenMetal. I'd recommend them to anyone for their great customer service and quality products.