sale! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

The Radium King · 08-14-2013, 10:17 AM

Porsche Boxster 986 to 987 Spyder Conversion Fiberglass New TRS Motorsport | eBay

still too damn expensive.

and that roof. watch the video - how not to sell something.

jesseborgelt · 08-14-2013, 10:51 AM

Thank you for the link. I fail to see the point of paying an exuberant amount of money to take a perfectly suitable automatic convertible top and replacing it with this cumbersome and aggravating device. Yes it looks different, but this does not mean better by any stretch. Ask the developer how he likes it the first time he gets stuck in the rain with the top down. Five minutes later he and the car are soaking wet. I give this a fail.

southernstar · 08-14-2013, 11:34 AM

Jesse, your criticism would also apply to the Syder itself and yet many have chosen to buy them (and they are holding their value very well). If you live in a very dry climate (eg. Arizona) and only intend to drive in good weather, the top is not much of an issue. Remember, the Porsche Speedster had a top requiring assembly (and only side curtains) and yet examples are currently much more valuable than cabriolets of the same vintage. Expensive? Yes, but I believe that the engineering cost and the price of manufacturing all components in very limited numbers dictates the same.

Regardless, I suspect that few will buy it as the cost, especially when one adds shipping, installation, paint etc., will be enough that someone who has an excellent 986 but wants a 987 Spyder is probably better off selling their car and buying the real thing. I don't see the kit as adding anything much to resale value, whereas all signs are that the Spyders are apt to do quite well in the long run.

Brad

Perfectlap · 08-14-2013, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesseborgelt

Thank you for the link. I fail to see the point of paying an exuberant amount of money to take a perfectly suitable automatic convertible top and replacing it with this cumbersome and aggravating device. Yes it looks different, but this does not mean better by any stretch. Ask the developer how he likes it the first time he gets stuck in the rain with the top down. Five minutes later he and the car are soaking wet. I give this a fail.

I think the purpose of this, like the Boxster Spyder, is for a Sunday car, actually I should say a Summer Sunday car. As such the owner doesn't care about practicality and just want to make the car lighter and look more up to date.

The bodywork looks very well done and obviously there is no Porsche manual on converting a regular Boxster to a Boxster Spyder so this aftermarket company put some time and effort into this. It's also nice that you don't have to spend $55K to get a Boxster Spyder look.

What I would prefer to see is an aftermarket company that could offer a conventional top option for the Boxster Spyder. I really like that car but the top would make life difficult for me since I log at least 10K miles a year on my Boxster.

thstone · 08-14-2013, 11:49 AM

I love the Spyder look and living with a Spyder wouldn't be any measure of inconvienence for someone living where there isn't much rain. I think the price is the biggest barrier to sales.

The Radium King · 08-14-2013, 12:18 PM

to be clear, I have no problem with the concept of the product, just the price and the video. if the guy had practiced a few times before filming so that he didn't make it look like such a struggle i'm sure more folks would go for it.

also, you have to change to the square 987/cayman windows to work with their top which seems to be to be a bit of a fail as well. it seems a large cost for a minor part of the overall concept of their product. again, offputting to many customers as it becomes much more difficult tor revert back to the oem soft and/or hardtop.

I did contact them and they won't sell just the rear deck lid - only the complete kit. so, track guys who want something lighter for sunny days are out of luck. again, missing a big part of their potential market.

KRAM36 · 08-14-2013, 06:43 PM

And I thought the rear view out the back was bad with the top up, this looks even worse. It does look good though.

Johnny Danger · 08-14-2013, 07:14 PM

Whether a person likes the design or not, given the low market values of the 986 boxster, I'd be hard press to believe that anyone would be willing to invest in a conversation kit that costs 30 to 40 percent or more of the actual cost of the vehicle. Not mention the fact that the kit has to be painted as well.

jesseborgelt · 08-14-2013, 07:16 PM

Porsche Boxster Spyder review - BBC - YouTube

I live in Ohio where the weather can change every hour. This just isn't for me. I think the car aesthetically looks OK, it is a Porsche after all. I just rather save the money towards a down payment on a better performing car.

jb92563 · 08-15-2013, 06:20 AM

I think it looks cool and if you were to grow a little bored with the looks of your Boxster its another option to explore.

Its only 2.5 minutes to setup or remove, and a bit of rain isn't going to cause you or your car to melt like the wicked witch of the west.

A little weather awareness and attaching the canopy first would all but eliminate anything from getting wet at all.

Out west in the dryer climates this top would be ideal.

For all the engineering, bits and pieces involved it would be a bit expensive and I also think the price could be a bit lower, but with a niche market the developer has to recover his investment in a reasonable amount of time so its nearer to custom work rates.

I give it a thumbs UP +1

trimer · 08-15-2013, 06:22 AM

I dig it. I wouldnt buy it because of price, but I really dig it...

ekam · 08-15-2013, 09:04 AM

I've been caught in a downpour with the top down before...

The Radium King · 08-15-2013, 09:36 AM

as a guy who's removed the roof motors and mechanisms from my car, the next go fast (lightweight) mod i'm thinking of is combining the tonneau and rear trunk into one fibreglass deck lid. oem roof stays in place (manual) and the new lid would fasten to the old tonneau cover hinges, as well as the rear trunk latch. should loose a few pounds and eliminate some shut lines, but still be quick to put the top up. at that point the soft top is only held in place by a few bolts, so it *could* be removed on track days to lighten even more (perhaps some speedster humps to add some aero). it's a matter of finding a fibreglass guy that will make the part.