The Hidden Cost of Mods - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

edevlin · 11-07-2006, 02:39 PM

So, I was minding my own business when I went to the college post office to drop off a CD player I just sold to fellow in NY. I have been selling some of my stereo gear to support the mods I have been doing to my 2000 Boxster. At the post office I saw that they had a large box waiting for me with my Dansk muffler I had just ordered from one of our sponsors in it.

Now, I could have waited until tomorrow to arrange to use the family car, but I figured it was 47 degrees out, that should be fine if I carefully took the top down, I could then put the large box in the front seat. I was wrong, I just started to take the top down and got out to carefully do the "carefully fold the plastic window thing" when crack, the 6-year old plastic window presented me with a nice crack right in the middle of the window. I was quite suprised as it did not seem that cold out.

I have always been very nice to the plastic rear window, keeping it polished, carefully taking the top down. Also the rest of the top is in very good shape, I was hoping to go years without thinking about a replacement. Oh well, it is a nice shinny muffler......

Ed

blinkwatt · 11-07-2006, 02:46 PM

Bummer....I've been stupid enough a couple of times to drop my top at around 35 degrees outside after a long day of work,I guess I just got lucky.

98Boxster98 · 11-07-2006, 03:28 PM

Ed, if you decide to go the route of just replacing the clear vinyl, consider strataglass: http://www.strataglass.com . There's a poster in another board who's in the boat business who can get a sheet of strataglass for about $30 plus shipping. He has a 40 mil thick piece on his Boxster and it looks promising. I would try this if my fabric didn't look as ratty as it does.

Boxtaboy · 11-07-2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edevlin

So, I was minding my own business when I went to the college post office to drop off a CD player I just sold to fellow in NY. I have been selling some of my stereo gear to support the mods I have been doing to my 2000 Boxster. At the post office I saw that they had a large box waiting for me with my Dansk muffler I had just ordered from one of our sponsors in it.

Now, I could have waited until tomorrow to arrange to use the family car, but I figured it was 47 degrees out, that should be fine if I carefully took the top down, I could then put the large box in the front seat. I was wrong, I just started to take the top down and got out to carefully do the "carefully fold the plastic window thing" when crack, the 6-year old plastic window presented me with a nice crack right in the middle of the window. I was quite suprised as it did not seem that cold out.

I have always been very nice to the plastic rear window, keeping it polished, carefully taking the top down. Also the rest of the top is in very good shape, I was hoping to go years without thinking about a replacement. Oh well, it is a nice shinny muffler......

Ed

Sorry to hear about the window crack. I've put my top down a couple of times before even in the 30s, and no crack. I never chop the rear window, unless I see that the window is folding badly (which doesn't happen often because after the window folds down a certain way, it usually remembers how to fold the next time you put the window down). I think chopping can actually put more stress on the window and end up cracking it when it would've have if you had just let it go down on it's own.

Good thing is you can now have the choice of putting in a glass window (gahh.com) if you want, and never have to deal with the chop or worrying about putting window down in cold weather anymore.

Hope you enjoy the dansk exhaust.

RandallNeighbour · 11-07-2006, 03:58 PM

Sorry to hear about your window. That sucks.

I'm betting you never thought of taking the muffler out of the box. It would have fit nicely in the rear trunk of the box or the front seat with the top up. I've transported two mufflers at the same time without boxes this way.

EPIQTodd · 11-07-2006, 04:14 PM

Ed,

You won't want a rear window anyway when the Dansk is in - you want to HEAR it!

Sorry about it, seriously...

edevlin · 11-07-2006, 04:16 PM

"I'm betting you never thought of taking the muffler out of the box. It would have fit nicely in the rear trunk of the box or the front seat with the top up. I've transported two mufflers at the same time without boxes this way."

Now you tell me......

Ed

MNBoxster · 11-07-2006, 05:57 PM

Hi,

Sorry about your predicament. From all the hoopla we've been hearing lately, if only you'd have bought Che's magical muffler instead of the tried and true Dansk unit, your rear window would have magically been able to withstand subzero temps without the slightest possibility of cracking!

I am truly sorry, perhaps, and hopefully, the strataglass guys can help you out! I surely hope so...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

subgraphic · 11-07-2006, 07:04 PM

"what is ahh behind you is ahhhh not ah important!" - Raul Julia as Franco Bertollini from the gumball rally

edevlin · 11-08-2006, 12:55 AM

"Ed, if you decide to go the route of just replacing the clear vinyl, consider strataglass: http://www.strataglass.com . There's a poster in another board who's in the boat business who can get a sheet of strataglass for about $30 plus shipping. He has a 40 mil thick piece on his Boxster and it looks promising. I would try this if my fabric didn't look as ratty as it does."

The Strataglass sounds interesting, how does one get it installed?

Ed

ohioboxster · 11-08-2006, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

Sorry about your predicament. From all the hoopla we've been hearing lately, if only you'd have bought Che's magical muffler instead of the tried and true Dansk unit, your rear window would have magically been able to withstand subzero temps without the slightest possibility of cracking!

I am truly sorry, perhaps, and hopefully, the strataglass guys can help you out! I surely hope so...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

Jim,
Where did that come from? What do you have against Che? He has remained polite and respectful even after being bashed over and over. Just for the record, his exhaust is magical. I was promised the power of flight..........................

98Boxster98 · 11-08-2006, 07:50 AM

Ed,
Below is the post from www.ppbb.com for a possible source of the strataglass. Searching this forum and www.renntech.org, you can find posts where Boxsters owners found a upholsterer or a top installer willing and able to install the window. Off the top of my head, it seems that range for the installation is $300 to $600 dollars. Sadly, not cheap but cheaper than a new top and installation.

================================================== ======
Robert Grindle
Rear Window Plastic
11/03/06 08:06 PM

Now that I have new front glass thought I would post a suggestion regarding the rear plastic window. Six months ago I had a new window installed by an interior restoration upholster. I have a boat canvas business and use strataglass in all my boat windows. I supplied the installer a piece of that glass for my Boxster.
This is the regular 40 guage window but has a scratch resistant coating to both sides and also is suppose to block 99% of the uv rays. You can actualy poor lacquer thinner or acetone on the window and it will not penetrate to the plastic. When installing in boat canvas I do not have to protect the window from dragging on the wood table as it will not be scratched by light dirt, etc.
Try the above two things with any other plastic window, it will be destroyed. You can check it out at strataglass.com. As it is only sold wholesale if anyone is interested let me know and I would be willing to send a piece to use.
A 109" X 54" sheet cost me about $150 including shipping to me. Did not check the exact size needed for an oem top but would think no more than $30 + cost of shipping.
http://i12.tinypic.com/47j53x1.jpg

edevlin · 11-08-2006, 09:35 AM

"Below is the post from www.ppbb.com for a possible source of the strataglass. Searching this forum and www.renntech.org, you can find posts where Boxsters owners found a upholsterer or a top installer willing and able to install the window. Off the top of my head, it seems that range for the installation is $300 to $600 dollars. Sadly, not cheap but cheaper than a new top and installation."

Thanks for the info, I will consider it, but it looks like there is going to be a lot of top-down driving for me, at least for the near future.

Ed