Mods4Cars SmartTop controllers have been around for quite some time. Exemplary of that are the type of connector used (who uses a mini USB these days?!?) - and their website https://www.mods4cars.com/ isn't the most modern one on the world.
On the other hand... who cares as long as the product works? 😇
Outdated - but who needs updates?
I drive an MX5 NC2 and received the STHFMA1-230122-032 controller from Cabriohoeve, so that's all ok. The documentation and manuals are a little messy, just like the whole Mods4Cars web presence. It's a little outdated (but then again, so am I). A quick look at the firmware updates shows that the first version dates back to 2010, and the firmware wasn't updated since 2012. Well... yeah. No suprises there.
(Very weird and completely unrelated: suddenly Blogger doesn't do colors anymore?!? Oh well... perhaps in a few hours it will work again... Update: it works again. Google broke something but fixed it.)
Alternative
There's an alternative MX5things Roof Controller (cheaper and with more functions, though I haven't tested it), but it wasn't available, so I settled for the SmartTop controller.
What for?
Nothing is as frustrating as the idiot behind you honking because you're pressing the button of your roof for 13 seconds... Even worse though is leaving the gear in neutral and seeing your car roll down a slope because you forgot to return it to a gear position after closing the top...
Note: some sites state that you can drive your MX-5 NC at very low speed and the top can be opened and closed. Well, that doesn't apply to my car. Mine must be in neutral, otherwise it just won't open nor close. Maybe there are different versions around or people have been mixing up model numbers, who knows?
Anyway, to maximize sun enjoyment in the rainy dutch climate - and because of the other excuses listed above 🤣 - I treated myself to a SmartTop controller.
From the original documentation:
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT: In order to avoid problems with diagnostic tools and to avoid confusion or risk of injury by unexpected top movement, ALWAYS DISABLE the module before taking the car in for routine maintenance or lending it to a third person! In case of any top malfunction NEVER take the car with the module still installed to an unsuspecting dealer! In such cases ALWAYS contact Mods4Cars for support first at www.mods4cars.com or completely uninstall the module before a dealer visit.
Installation
Preparation
1. See here for software and installation. Read through it all.
2. See here for the configuration options. Read through it all.
Configuration
Let's first configure the module outside the car. It's a lot harder to access once installed 😎
3. Connect the module to your PC. It may automatically install some drivers, so wait a bit.
On my PC, it didn't install anything because the FTDI drivers were already installed in the past whilst messing around with other devices. Mods4Cars have the drivers on their website in case you run into troubles.)
Note: things should work fine with a hub, but to avoid any hub related issues I connected directly to a USB port on my PC.
3. Download the m4cconnect app from https://www.mods4cars.com/usb and run it.
It's a portable app, so no need to install. It needs and will ask for internet access.
4. Configuration options
They're all listed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uvmfTPXhaY
What's a decent speed to operate your hardtop? I wouldn't know, but I've set mine to position 2 for now, and might even change it back to 1 or 0, I don't know yet, but safety first!
(And darn, does this look outdated!)
Installation
5. Slide chair forward, open cover, pry connector loose, insert gadget, done.
See also here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uvmfTPXhaY around the 05:30 mark.
Note 1: that connector in between can be hell to remove! Study the shape of the connector, and use a small screwdriver to 'unlock' it.
Note 2: the cabling of my MX-5 is extremely short and overly well zip-tied, so I had to remove some tape from the SmartTop cable harness to get enough space to insert the connectors.
Is it worth it?
As with everything that is a very personal question. Driving an MX-5 is all about enjoyment and relaxation. It's a medication against stress. How much is that worth?
More
- https://www.decabriohoeve.nl/module-hard-top - a place to buy in NL
- MX-5 - all MX-5 related stuff on this blog
- Car related stuff - all car related stuff on this blog
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