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Old 04-05-2009, 12:31 PM   #8
ElStevano
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Texas is home
Posts: 38
cold top operation warning

I have a '99 and last year it was time for a new top. The plastic window cracked. The fabric was looking old. You really need to be aware of the dreaded cold top opening threat. I'm in Texas and it's not uncommon to get a warm day in the 70's in winter. If you leave the top down over night (and then the air cools down to the 40's) when you go to put the top up in the morning, crack! I was warned of this by the dealer and it still happened to me. Albeit the top was nine years old. You need to be sure that you operate the top with a vinyl window when the plastic is warm. 60 degrees and above is my guess. The vinyl becomes brittle when cold. So if you have the top down during a warm day. Put it back up if the temps are going to drop over night.

In any event I replaced the top with a local and excellent trim shop in Fort Worth. The guy does great work in his small shop. He used a GAHH top with German canvas and didn't chage me too much for installation. I think the whole job was about $1,200. Probably breaks down to $500 for the top part and $700 for his labor. It came out fantastic.

Cox trim shop was the shop I used in case any members in the DFW area are looking for a top. I opted for vin yl window in stead of glass since the first one lasted 9 years. It was a little cheaper. It looks stock. And of the glass window versions I has seen retrofitted, the window area looks too small to me. Just my opinion.
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ElStevano
99 Boxster Ocean Blue Metallic
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