Ouch - 986 Forum

Rick V · 08-12-2008, 01:24 PM

Well being a mechanic I am smart enough to leave the top replacement to the people who do it for a living. ( I like the warrante ) and I just don't have time to do it. $2,200, ouch, I have driven cars that I dodn't pay half that for. Yikes, oh well it will make Mama happy.

Jeph · 08-12-2008, 02:35 PM

Shop it around. My quote (NOT from a dealership) from a convertible/upholstery specialist was $1650.

KevinH1990 · 08-12-2008, 03:09 PM

Rick V

I think we met when I sold you my CDR-220.

Here's an alternative that I have been considering:

There is a gentleman in New Jersey named Peter Serbanica. He charges $410 to install a top.

I asked him if I removed the frame and shipped it to him would he put a top on for me and ship it back. He said he would. Since the most expensive GAHH top (German canvas, glass window) is $1084, your total cost would be about $1500 plus shipping.

Mr. Serbanica has not done this before, and he told me he is concerned about breakage of the glass in shipping. If you replace with a plastic window this would not be an issue and it would also be less expensive.

Of course you would also be without a top for a while. (I have a hard top so it is not a big issue for me.) If your wife has another car, you could perform the replacement when she is planning to use her other car.

I understand that it is a fairly easy job to remove the top and frame, but I haven't done it so you will assume any risk of your action. (In fact I was hoping someone would pioneer this procedure with Mr. Serbanica before me to make sure it works.)

If you really want to save some money, here's a guy selling a Robbins top in Virginia Beach: http://norfolk.craigslist.org/pts/780010028.html

If you use my plan and the Robbins top you can cut your cost of "keeping momma happy" in half.

Good luck.

E Kaplan · 08-12-2008, 04:02 PM

I just had a new GAHH top installed on my 2000 boxster today. Got the top with the glass back window and defroster. Got a great deal. Purchased the top and installation for $1,150.00. Used a GAHH approved installer in Tampa, Florida (Anthony's) and now also have the warranty if anything goes wrong.

The fit and finish is beautiful. Also, I have good vision with the smaller glass rear window.

I think if you call GAHH and talk with them, you can get the price down to about $750.00.

Good luck

Eric

FrayAdjacent · 08-12-2008, 04:05 PM

I did a Robbins glass top install on my car myself. Yeah, it was challenging, but I got it on. I DID take it to a shop that specializes in top replacement to have them 'final fit' and straighten up a few boogers.

Doing it yourself is NOT impossible, but it can be pretty daunting.

Shop around, you can find it for less than $2200!

Rick V · 08-13-2008, 02:01 PM

Thanks guys I believe I left out some improtant info. Mama wants to keep her car 100% Porsche so she had a Porsche top ordered. I ended up meeting Kevin, because I had to keep the car all origional. (The radio is still humming along swimmingly)
And I would love to send the frame out and have it reskinned but Mama's "reserve car" is my daily driver, which would bannish me to driving my gas sucking play thing (Big old Dodge truck) and the cost of gas alone there would offset any savings I would get from the top.

Oh well gotta pay to play.

FrayAdjacent · 08-13-2008, 04:14 PM

If you HAVE to go with an OEM top, you're gonna take it in the.... wallet.

RandallNeighbour · 08-14-2008, 05:32 AM

Rick, buy the Porsche top from Sunset in Oregon and have a local trim shop install it for you. You'll still probably save a bundle compared to your local stealership doing it. Dealers mark up parts so far over retail its ridiculous... then they slap a book rate on the hours it will take to put it on and if the mechanic takes half the time, you still pay the full book rate.

Rick V · 08-14-2008, 01:20 PM

The car is going to a local upholstery shop. It is the one on town that there is a looooooooooooooooooong waiting list to get work done at. I have used them in the past and they are top notch.
I wasn't really complaigning about the price I was just pointing out the cost. They already have a deposit for the job and have the top on order. Mama just went in, did her blonde eyelash flip thing and got bumped up the wait list. That and I send them lots of biz. I should just do it myself but nawwwwwwwww, if it goes bad I am not the one getting yelled at.