new hard top sources?
 

i have just about given up on finding someone who would ship a used hardtop to middle of nowhere canada, so where would be the best place to look for a new one? not the zein whatever top just a regular spin lock plug and play hard top.

I don't think there are any OEM new hardtops available anywhere. Last year there was an eBay listing for the OEM hardtop shipping box, sounds like something you could have used. I think your only options are to buy a used hardtop somewhere else and take a road trip in your Boxster to pick it up, or buy one from someone that is willing to drop the hardtop off at a freight forwarder who will handle the packing, shipping, and in your case, import paperwork.

Shipping to Canada is going to be a pain. Expensive to send plus the import taxes. As PaulE suggested you may want to take a road trip with your Boxster. If it's on the car you can avoid the import taxes and shipping

Bought one recently (OEM is very nice) but had to drive and pickup. I used my 986, but a large SUV would also work and of course a Pickup Truck is golden. It looks VERY easy to damage in shipping unless packed really well.

Agree that shipping is a pain. And if you buy sight unseen it could be difficult to determine who caused any damage that occurs in transit. If madmac should happen to drive down to the US and back home with a hardtop installed, all the better for him! But it looks like Cape Breton is a long drive down to the US border.

Summer is the time to buy and New England is the place. I know a bit of a drive from Cape Breton (lovely place) but get a set of spinlocks and install them first and then go pick up the hardtop. Good excuse for a drive. (I drove a similar distance to pick up some wheels and tires once. )

Or perhaps settle for a glass window new top so chops and window yellowing and rips are not an issue.

Ontario road trip ?

Ontario road trip ? trying to avoid it, but it is looking more like my best choice.

I did some research on this topic when I was looking for a hard top. In the event that you beat the odds and find someone willing to ship, here are some pictures I found of the proper method for shipping a hard top.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...6-hardtop2.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...6-hardtop1.jpg

A carpenter should be able to build a proper shipping crate without too much difficulty by looking at the pictures. The problem (as you indicated in your first post) is that you need to find a seller willing to go to the trouble and then you will have to pay for the labor and materials in addition to the shipping costs.

Here's a picture of a hard top that was shipped in a cardboard box:

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n.../IMG_42202.jpg

You definitely don't want to cut corners on the shipping procedures.

I ultimately ended up driving to pick mine up, so I think your best option is a road trip. Just install the spin locks before you leave unless the seller has the spin locks from their car and can help install them. The spin lock installation process is a little tedious and there is a risk of dropping one of the parts into the top mechanism. It is not something you want to do in a hurry or when you are fatigued.

Good luck with your search.

+1 on installing the spiral locks in advance.


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+2 on pre-installing the spin-locks and taking a road trip to pick up a hard top.

Those pictures of the hardtop box KevinH1990 posted are the OEM hardtop shipping container that was for sale on eBay last year.