rear window is torn :( - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

rock88hard · 05-13-2011, 11:23 AM

I witnessed my crack and it looks just like this. So not necessarily a cut. I just duct taped mine and rarely used it without the top down. However I have needed to put it up and down a couple times and it has since cracked again. So be prepared....

I was told my an upholster guy that the plastic window was already replaced and that you can only replace the window once before needing a new top.

So, my Boxster is now only used on Sunny days. Good Luck!

Ohhh and I used Clear Duct Tape, on the outside and inside, and it does keep the water out and is lasting a pretty long time so far for the times that I do get caught or need it in the rain. Although I don't feel like the classyist guy if driving around with a duct-taped Porsche (but the most thrifty!)

fatmike · 05-13-2011, 12:12 PM

Well...it happens to all of them. You're lucky your plastic window lasted as long as it did.

I am very happy with the GAHH top. The glass is a huge improvement. I like the acoustic material as well.

I didn't think the effort and chances of success warranted replacing just the plastic when I did mine.

Good luck.

Overdrive · 06-10-2011, 05:42 AM

Hey all, been away for a time and wanted to throw an update on here. So here's the situation I'm looking at right now:

My plan is to let a co-worker of mine (completely by chance an upholsterer by trade) take a stab at stitching in a new window. I'm thinking I'll unbolt the frame from the car if he decides he wants to try and do it without full top removal. I'll be buying some 40 gauge, or thicker if I can find it, vinyl and let him go to work. He's quite the perfectionist and very anal retentive about things, especially when it comes to cars, which I'll consider a good thing in this case.

Now, the way I see it, if he gives this a shot and it does not go well, then I'll be getting a new acoustic top with glass, so since this is the route I was palnning on taking anyways, I figure what have I got to lose by letting him potentially save me about $1500 until I can comfortably afford a glassed top?

wawa · 06-10-2011, 06:49 AM

The difference in price between GAHH top and autotopdirect has been told in this post but no one has comment on why there is that big of a difference between them? Any comments or user story? They both seem to have good quality material and good warranty.

thanks
wawa

Overdrive · 06-10-2011, 07:41 AM

I'm not sure that there's a difference other than the fact that you're buying directly from the supplier...? Someone else with more knowledge would have to enlighten us.

I know that the exact same GAHH top was quoted to me as being $1080 from the shop I went to, with about $700-800 in labor, so I'd be looking at a good $1800 to buy from them and have them install it.

Now on GAHH's site, the same top is under $1000 before shipping, and on autotopsdirect, altogether with shipping it comes out to about $630. I did notice that there's a 5 year warranty for the bonding on the window, so I don't know if that's the difference versus the supposed lifetime warranty on the top from GAHH, but I honestly can't see a difference between the two and their design, so I really think it is the same part.

jdiba · 06-10-2011, 07:52 AM

Overdrive letting your insurance pay for replacing your plastic window with another
one is a definite option. I had the same thing happen to me and the installer billed
my insurance company no problem. Think of it like this: What if it were your
winshield ? Its really no different.

Overdrive · 06-10-2011, 07:57 AM

jdiba, I did kind of abandon the idea of having the insurance cover it, thanks for the reminder. I guess it wouldn't hurt to see if they will, though I wonder if they would simply go with replacing the top over replacing the plastic. The gent at the shop I went to said it'd cost the same in labor to have them restitch the window as it would to get another top, so I might as well replace the top, and I was inclined to agree if that's the case. I'll give a call on Monday to my insurance and see what they say.

tawheed · 06-10-2011, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdiba

Overdrive letting your insurance pay for replacing your plastic window with another
one is a definite option. I had the same thing happen to me and the installer billed
my insurance company no problem. Think of it like this: What if it were your
winshield ? Its really no different.

Would insurance cover a wear item?