[KevinH1990]

It seems like the price of any automotive-related repair work has been increasing more quickly than the general rate of inflation. I think the pandemic was the trigger. The general public began keeping cars longer and this increased the demand for skilled repair work. Since the supply of skilled workers didn't increase proportionally, the prices increased. There used to be quite a few (mostly older) guys in my area who had one-person auto upholstery shops. These seem to be closing faster than new ones open.

During the pandemic (2021) the headliner in my Mercedes C230 started to sag. A shop quoted me $1245 to replace it and they couldn't start the work for about 60 days due to a backlog of work. I decided to replace the headliner myself with the help of YouTube videos and the Mercedes forums. Because of the pandemic restrictions, I couldn't engage in my usual social activities and I had some time. I did a good, but not perfect job.

Based on that experience, I believe I could replace the top on my Boxster myself. However, if I could find someone who had experience replacing Boxster tops, I would seriously consider that option if the price was reasonable. Upholstery work requires some artistic skill and experience to do well. Misaligned seams and wrinkles are difficult to avoid.