Broken plastic window

[flouese]

Four years ago I replaced my top. Recently the rear plastic window cracked in several spots. Currently have Gorilla Tape holding everything together. I've searched the forum on how to replace the rear plastic window and have the DIY printed. Now where can I source the material? Does anyone make a pre-cut 986 window? Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[1PorscheBoxster986]

Do you have any sewing or tailoring experience? It's not an easy task to do yourself but it can be done. BeattheBush on youtube shows how he did his. He hand sew the entire thing. The results were not perfect either and it took a long time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7aS9NmAErA&t=784s

You can usually purchase the vinyl plastic window (for boats) and have it pre-cut it to size. Call your local vinyl upholstery shop. eBay use to sell it for around $70 replacement vinyls but I don't know how good the quality is on that. I went to my local shop to see the types of vinyl plastics offered and had it professionally done and paid $700.

If I was to do it again, I would stalk for a 03-04 hood with glass and replace it myself. If you like the vinyl plastic instead then it would be cheaper. I recommend looking for 01-02 because in 2001 Porsche added the extra lining as standard to make it more quieter. Before that you needed 2000 Boxster S top for it. Either method I believe will cost you less than replacing yours with a brand new top. In some cases even, it will be cheaper if not similar to replacing just the vinyl plastic itself. Since you replaced it 4 years ago and your vinyl has already cracked, consider glass which helps during winter drives and no more the Boxster chops to prevent cracks and creases.

[nhuy570]

I bought my 986 last month and it came with a broken plastic window. My original plan was to follow YouTube instructions and replace it but the end of the video discouraged me. To sum it up, he took 15-20 hours to do it and said he wouldn’t do it if he knew it would take that long. He also wrote off some of the error in stitching he did.


https://youtu.be/M7aS9NmAErA


Not saying he is right or doing it the only right way but it was enough to sway me in buying a new top (with glass) entirely. The field of vision isn’t good but 0 regrets and love it.

Gl!

[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by flouese

Four years ago I replaced my top. Recently the rear plastic window cracked in several spots. Currently have Gorilla Tape holding everything together. I've searched the forum on how to replace the rear plastic window and have the DIY printed. Now where can I source the material? Does anyone make a pre-cut 986 window? Thanks in advance for any assistance.

if the top is important to you, I would replace it, not fix it. A really nice glassback top is about 600 dollars and you can spend a day installing it or pay 500 bucks to have an expert do it for you. We have a fantastic shop here in maryland and I would just pay them. They did my top on a 1967 Plymouth decades ago and all of my upholstery stuff since. FWIW, my plastic window has some small cracks at the bottom corners, but I am usually only driving with the top down, so its going to have to get pretty bad before I change the top. My 2002 has a replacement glassback top and it is better than stock in terms of sound abatement and appearance. You can add a headliner to make it even quieter.
M2C

[MrBen]

I had mine replaced with the glass top a couple years ago. I think I was all in under a grand. The supplier recommend a shop to do the work. I think the car looks much better with the small window. You will hear access is reduced but for me that is not the case. The glass window slides right up over the roll bar. I have as much if not better access than before. Its also quieter than before. No regrets