New top - would you do plastic or glass window?
 

I've read the various threads on this, and since my plastic window is cracking, I decided to soon get a new top. (The Gahh types)

I was going to just replace the window, but I think I want to do the whole top because it's only a few hundred more and worth it for me.

Now the main question: Should I get a new top with a plastic window, or the glass window?

Glass window: Won't crack and probably easier to clean, but smaller visibility and trouble getting into the engine bay

Plastic window: More OEM look, more visibility, and no issue with the engine bay, plus it's cheaper. I guess it will eventually crack, but I bet you can get a good number of years out of it.

Is the top with plastic basically like the OEM one in the way it folds and allows access to the engine?

I'm replacing my top in 2 weeks I'm definitely going with a glass top-simply because the glass window does not need the babysitting the plastic one does, and I personally like the look of the smaller window and it also can be tinted to keep the sun off your neck

And I must admit as funny as it sounds I am cursed with extremely fair Irish skin and I have the world record for fastest sunburn, due to this the top of my boxster has never been down in the 9 months I have owned it-but I love the look of the car so much I had to have it-I actually had a thought of removing the convertible top and going full time hardtop but it would be very hard to sell that way!

Go for the glass....
 

it makes the car look so much nicer. The visibility is not a factor IMO....I have not had to do any engine work since I replaced the top but it is going to be more of a challenge to access the engine from above. I used to think the small rear window was kind of ugly before I actually got one on my car, but now I think it makes the car look kind of "gangsterish:D with the small window and I like it.

Glass for sure! It improves the look of the car, as well as the ease of putting the top down. I find myself putting the top down way more often now that I don't have to get out and "chop" the plastic as it opens.

I have a perfectly good top with the plastic replaced already (not a good job since they didn't entirely remove the original, but still ...) and am planning to buy the glass version. For one reason ... rear defroster. :)

Although, I will admit I already put in a rear view camera to aid in the visibility issue - only while backing up.

I did one of the early swaps to a new top with glass window back when they first came out and I had a 2000 Boxster. No brainer - go for the glass. You won't notice the visibility change after a week. It's not enough to have a negative impact.

I found that running the A/C on warm air was enough to defog the rear window in my case (don't deal with much frost where I live but I imagine that more heat and more air with the A/C could work on that as well). The interior of the car is small enough that just taking moisture out of the air helps. If you do want a defroster then look into whether your car was pre-wired for it from the factory as at some point I believe they started doing that in order for customers to attach the removable hardtop and hook up a defroster. If it was then you can get a kit that allows the glass on a GAHH top to be hooked up.

My info's old at this point but GAHH tops used to have the defroster lines on all the windows by default and it was just a case of whether you used them or not.

As far as engine accessibility, how much worse does it get with the glass top?
If anybody can share a picture of the top with the engine compartment opened, that would be much appreciated.
Thks

Glass hands down. Best mod in 7 years. I haven't needed to get to the engine yet but even if I have to hire union Lilliputions to change my air filter it's still worth it. No brainer.

I replaced the top on my 2002 S with glass that has a defroster. I also like the fact that the glass is less likely to crack in cold weather when you let the top down. Getting into the engine compartment is a bit more limited, but you can tie up the top and glass window with a cinching cord to hold the window up and out of the way. I did not find that to be a problem when working in the engine compartment.

Plastic here guys. OEM look, no engine access issues were my biggest decision makers.

I guess that it also depends on your parking situation. Mine is always garaged, so no need for defrost and also no issues with yellowing yet. I prefer the larger visibility as well, since the blind spot on these is already bad enough...not to mention engine access.

However, if the Box were my daily driver and parked outside a lot, I could definitely see the advantages of glass.

I am going with the glass upgrade - picked up the top from forum member Bisimoto today. I open my top almost daily and I figure that the more bending the plastic does, the sooner its going to crack again.

I am planning on doing the plastic oem look. I prefer the plastic look because the glass model looks like there is 1 more cross member/bar on the top.

And for the inexpensive aftermarket top prices (costs about the same to sew in a new plastic window) and the longevity of 5-7 years if maintained properly, then doing this every 5-7 years will not cost too much and is not too much of a hassle.

Anyone have some good pictures of both the glass and plastic windows with replacement tops like gahh?

Gahh does
http://www.gahh.com/images/images_extra/3121G-UltraMaxxWindow-Large.jpg

I bought a 2003 top from LA Porsche Dismantler (great people) then paid a tech to install it in 2009. It was a plug and play swap and one of the best mods I have done;

BEFORE;

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/P1070300.jpg

AFTER;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/P1070350.jpg

Plastic. It is a larger rear window giving you more rear visibility. Also, it does not frost up in extremely cold weather like it does on glass.

Glass! Use isn't temperature dependent. Won't crack in colder weather if not warmed up. Won't crack if stored down all day or over night and top is brought back up. Won't yellow. If your lucky you can get one with a defroster.

For me it would be a TOTAL NO-BRAINER...........Glass. While not that big of a deal, I found getting out and chopping the top a PITA. Never could get over how Porsche could put a plastic window in a $60k car.