Should I buy this $600 Miata Hardtop?

https://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/pts/d/portland-mazda-miata-mx-5-hardtop/7187871878.html

Title.

My CL search alert went off yesterday and I sent an email off to the seller before reading the post. Good thing too, because he got five emails all around the same time, with mine being first :) I took a look at it yesterday and due to some issues with it I asked for 24 hours to respond. 

Background: I own a 1991 BRG. It originally was sold with a hardtop, so I do have the side striker plates. 

The hardtop has some issues, as can be seen. In the first picture, if you look at the bottom edge, near the corner of the window, you can see a small... depression? dent? There are actually two malformations right next to each other. There is a dent that looks like it could have been from some sort of bar, as it is circular in shape. Other issues include:

• Bad paint: my guess is that it was applied with a brush. You can see what appears to be strokes if you are close. In the 4th picture you can see some white peeking out from under the weather stripping. It's new, but not excellent.
• Wrong green: obviously this 1999 green is not the same as my 1991 green. The seller was kind enough to let me place it on my car so I could see how bad it is. It's... not great. At least if it was red or black people it would be okay. This just looks like I tried to match and failed.
• Side latches: I'm not 100% sure how the brackets included will attach to my car. I'm fine with replacing them with the actual latches if I'd have to modify my trim to make the other brackets fit. Anyone recognize those latches? They are in the last picture.
• Window seal: looks like a pain to install myself, probably not too much work for a shop. Anyone done this and know what adhesive I would need? The shop manual just says primer and I have a feeling they don't mean the Behr labor day special.
• Rear latches: They exist, but some PO took out the lock plates and replaced them with washers that were convinced to fit. Looks like new lock plates are available.
• Front latches: also exist and seem to be okay
• OEM-ness: appears to be OEM. Has the SMC stamp/label and other tell-tale signs.

In my area I see hardtops posted at ~$1000 that need paint. This one needs paint and a few other things, but doesn't appear to be broken in any meaningful way (the rear latches in particular I see often). $600 seems like a steal, but I will need to put some more money to get it up to snuff.

The things I'm struggling with are:

• Will I ever find another one this cheap without being a total dumpster fire? (or is this one a dumpster fire?)
• 1991 BRG is a rare color and usually attached to a car. Waiting for one in my color to come up for sale could take forever. I don't think I'm in a hurry (no racing or anything) This color is just as wrong as any other hardtop color I'm likely to find.
• Do I even want a hardtop? Or do I just want one because I'm afraid I'll decide I want one in 5 years and not be able to find one.

Jump on it? Wait for the next one? Buy it and sell it a few months later if I decide I don't like it? What says the hive?

I'd buy it if it was local to me.

Yes, you should.

Indeed

probably too late now.  without a deposit he's certainly sold it to the next guy who showed up

probably already gone.  you waited too long.

Buy it and resell it for $1000. Use that money to go searching for an actual BRG. This hardtop has "money pit" written all over it

If it's gone, it's gone. I took that risk when I showed up without cash in hand.

The one thing I don't want to do is just flip it for profit. That just feels wrong to me. Plus there's always a risk.

I'm perfectly fine waiting for a real BRG one if enough people think this one is a money pit. Which, considering that just about everything that can be wrong, is wrong, it probably is.

The only reason the defroster doesn't need work is because there isn't one :)

that looks like it was a great deal to me..

Did you ever drive your Miata with a  hardtop ?

Maybe buy it , try it and then decide , 

better than paying $1000 PLUS  and then deciding you do not even like them.....

also, check to see that it has the letters "SMC" molded in, pretty much dead center at the bottom of the window.  IIRC it stands for "Sheet Molded Composite" and only the OE hardtops have it.  

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

The owner told me the SMC stamp was there but I'll admit I did not check personally. I will certainly do that before handing over any cash.

In reply to californiamilleghia :

That's one of my thoughts too. What are the odds that I won't be able to sell it for at least $600 in the spring if I don't like it? Basically 0?

Welp, the seller emailed me about two hours ago and said he needed an answer before this evening as he had a lot of interest and needed to sell it this week before he left for school.

Then this happened:

It's definitely a different green, as I mentioned above. It's probably not enough for me to get it repainted until I'm sure I'll keep it.

Here are the side bracket things. I'm not certain I installed them correctly, they didn't fit perfectly this way.

Considering that I'm never going to take it off outside of my garage, does it really make sense to replace them with the OEM latches? Of course that assumes that I can adjust them to fit perfectly.

For proof of OEM-ness, here is the front latch:

As well as the rear interior bracket doohicky:

And the Nippon Safety Glass logo:

. 

The top has no headliner and no defrost, as previously stated. I'm pretty sure this one is legit, or at least a copy so close that I won't notice.

Here is the damage on the passenger side:

The worst part about the hardtop is that I am now very motivated to get the AC fixed. I can handle the heat with a breeze, but without... it's quite stifling. 

Next on my list with this is to somehow get the rear latches all sorted, either by getting OEM lock plates or using the included Jass hardware. I also need to properly tighen the side and front latches. The side brackets need something, maybe some washers, maybe I have the backwards, I dunno. The front driver latch seems wonky as well. When I turn what I assume is the tightener too tight, it pops open, and it pops open until there's basically no engagement. I haven't looked into it yet so sorry if there's already a miata.net guide for this :)

Sorry for the gigantic photos... I had cropped them down but imgur decided to not update so... here we are.

smart move ,  see if you like it ,  

how are they as far as wind noise?

Why would you feel bad flipping for profit?  He posted it at his number and you gave it to him.  Off it for a grand if you want and see if you can find one that doesn't need painted

Looks OEM to me! The side brackets look right, they kind of just don't fit great. They are intended to go directly to the sheet metal behind the plastic trim. You should be able to find side strikers and latches through Facebook or Ebay, but as long as your front latches and the hooks in the rear that go over the frankenstein bolts are good - you kinda don't need them. That said, bolt on brackets can be a theft deterrent, especially with security bolts, and hardtops get stolen kind of a lot.

Sounds like you got a good deal! If you decide you don't like the hardtop experience, you should have no trouble getting your money back out of it.

I've owned two Miatas. Hardtops on both.

Without even seeing a photo I would buy it for that.  Cheapest I've seen local in Ohio is $1k and every other one is $1300-1500 no matter what the condition.

Wind noise is better than the soft top, though I should note I have not properly tightened this thing down yet. I've read it involves some ratchet straps. I might just take it off until it gets cold and dark up here and by then I'll hopefully have sourced some side latches and I won't have to worry about it.