Glass window top for '97 to '02 Boxsters

[limoncello]

and maybe a photo or two for the east coasters?? thanks!
For anyone: the local Porsche dealer advised against going top down in cold weather due to possible damage to the plastic rear window. Open for anybody's thoughts on the topic - experience, minimum temperature recommendations, etc. SC has mild winters, and I enjoy top down driving is good even in DEC-FEB (with a hat).
A glass fix would be great...

[Shortbus]

As a general rule of thumb, you always want to keep an eye on your rear plastic window when it folds and make sure its not binding. Mine binds (i.e. doens't fold straight) everytime i put it down, and I generally will not put it down unless it's over 60 degrees. I stop it half way everytime, get out and tap it in the middle so that it folds straight. The one time i Ignored it the binding will put a little gash in it as it tries to straighten itself out and eventually I can see that causing it to crack. Also the warmer it is out the softer the top is and the better it will fold. Glass would sure be a nice upgrade, even though it's about 1/2 the size of the plastic one....

[RandallNeighbour]

I called the Premier Auto Tops and spoke with the owner, Roth Schleck. Very nice guy. Told me the top was $2,000 installed, takes a full day of their time to install it, and that the top is made in the United States and isn't the top we've read about on Renntech from Wales that's $1200.00 shipped to a US address (plus another 4-8 hours of someone's time to install it).

Just thought I'd post this in case anyone was wondering how much it cost and where it was made.

If you ask me, 2 grand for a new top is too pricey for me on a 97. The non-chopping requirement would be wonderful, but frankly, I can get an aftermarket top installed here in Houston for $800.00. I'd rather spend that $1200.00 on a paint job or litronics.

[Tool Pants]

Only a Texen would say Whales instead of Wales....

[ddb]

I ordered a glass-window top from GAHH today for my 2000 Box . It was $960 + $84 (Gray) + shipping to NC. Total = $1094. They also sell a slightly less expensive glass-window top ($140 or $160 less). The installer gave me a quote for $520 to put the top on. So, I will have $1600 in the top, but I think it is well worth the cost for several reasons. 1) I wanted a gray top from the beginning to go with my white exterior and gray interior. I bought the car about 6 months ago and couldn't find everything I was looking for with the desired color combination. 2) I dislike being so careful with lowering the top with regard to ambient temperature and doing the "chop". What's the use of having an auto-lowering top if you have to get out of the car and whack the middle of the window? I feel like an idiot doing this in front of others. 3) I missed not having a rear-window defroster. My original factory black top is still in good shape, and who knows how long it would have lasted. I hope to have the top by Friday and to have it installed next week if I'm lucky. The shop won't pencil me in until I have the top in hand. I have other parts to install such as Litronics, etc., so I will post pictures when I get the car presentable for top-down season.



ddb

[CA_Boxster]

Originally Posted by ddb

3) I missed not having a rear-window defroster.

ddb

DDB,
You might be looking at a few hundred dollars to wire up for the defogger.

[Brucelee]

CA--

Can you post some pix of your car with the new top on?

Thanks

[IceBox]

If I'm remembering correctly, around 43-45 farenheit the plastic window undergoes a 'glass transition' which is to say the usually semi-malleable polymer loses it's compliance and flexibility, in the same way a summer tire turns into a solid hunk of rubber in winter. The plastic becomes rigid, and therefore brittle, raising the risk of cracking instead of folding. This condition gets worse with age, as the plastic 'dries', losing it's flexibility and yellowing. A friend, trying to bang snow off the roof of his Miata, shattered it's back window, which had already begun the UV ray depletion, was yellowed and stiff even in summer. I'm not aware of any products that prolong the life of the back window specifically, but plastic cleaner/polisher like Meguires kept my previous convertibles' rear window as clear and healthy through-out the 5 years I owned it. It outlasted the top.
BTW ToolPants, I don't feel stupid doing anything in front of others in my Boxster! Even crashing probably looks cooler in a Box'.

[RandallNeighbour]

Whales! Dang. I hate typos. I sure am glad we can edit posts. As a writer by trade, this is a huge no no.