Convertible top window replacement experience

[landrovered]

Update...

I got the Zeintop and put it on my car... but my wife's window cracked so we put my top on her car and it is still going strong.

I adjusted the tension on the top on her car and the window is nice and tight and works very well.

[mikesz]

Just got mine done $450. I live in RI. Was going to do it myself over the winter but decided I didnt want to wait it was very badly cracked and was afraid of water getting in.

[Perfectlap]

^ make sure the inside has been re-sealed against rain. I had mine done and the stitch holes through the plastic and canvas were not sealed in any way. On the drive home from the install I could see water droplets already starting to form in the bottom center of the plastic. Annoying because even though I had a small cut in the old plastic water wasn't coming unless it was monsoon like. The plastic itslef is a bit problematic too because since the fit was not as perfect as the factory, the plastic doesn't bend in the same way so I now have to do the chop constantly. The plastic also seems thicker which means creases take much longer to come out.

In retrospect I should have just had the whole top replaced but the canvas was in very good shape as was the plastic itself except for that hole from an incident while clearing off ice.

[Nomad02]

I read this thread with a lot of interest, as I am a Boxster owner, and own an upholstery shop. I primarily do marine upholstery, (tops, covers and interiors), so I have a lot of experience with the various gauges of clear vinyl.
This past winter, I was asked by the local Snap-on dealer, if I could replace the window in his new to him 2000 Boxster. I went over to have a look at the top, and as is usual, the top was still in very decent shape, but the window was cracked severely. I told him to get the top off, and I would see what I could do with replacing the rear window.
The first thing i did, was to check the thickness of the original window, and according to my vernier caliper, 30 gauge is what Porsche is using. I had my supplier send down a yard of clear 30 gauge, and after removing the top from the frame, I began the work. I learned a long time ago, that if you want a replacement window to fit properly, you should NOT cut out the old window. I simply placed the new sheet of clear over the old window, and taped it into place with duct tape. Then it was a fairly simple procedure to run a line of stitching around the window opening. I use a thread called Koban dual-duty, which has a polyester core, with a cotton wrap around the core. This thread will swell when it gets wet, so that the needle holes will not leak.
After sewing in the new window, I then very carefully used some very sharp shears to carefully cut the old window out.
The top was then glued back to the frame using a high heat contact cement (do not use regular contact cement, as the heat from the sun will cause the glue to delaminate).
It's a fairly involved project, but the bottom line was that I charged my customer a fair price of $400, and he has a top that looks pretty much like factory.