............pop, and there goes my plastic window

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by landrovered

My rear window has a small crack on each side where the canvas meets the vinyl and you can hardly see out of it.

I have been looking at new materials to replace it with and Texin® DP7-3007 TPU seems to be the latest and greatest.

I have found one place in California that sells it and I am waiting on a price from them, I will post the info when I recieve it.

http://tpe-u.com/tpu/emea/en/markets/automotive/docId-2399237/Heckscheibe_des_BMW_Z8_Roadster.html

IMHO, as long as it's plastic, you'll always worry about it cracking. If I couldn't easily find an 03 or 04 top, I'd go the alternative and just buy an aftermarket top for $600, consider a self install with the great instructions shown below, and be done with it. No more plastic window cracking worries...

Top replacement DIY:
http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/replacingthetop-adiy

Link for aftermarket glass windowed soft top for $599 (not really true what they say about OEM look (maybe Mustang or S2000 OEM look), but Porsche's glass window has a seal around it, but still:

http://www.autotopsdirect.com/Boxster-Glass-Windows-s/97.htm

[landrovered]

My top is fine, the PVC has leached out of the clear vinyl. No sense in replacing perfectly good canvas when I can get the window replaced a lot cheaper.

The advantage of TPU is that it is a different type of plastic that is not PVC. When was the last time you saw a PVC window that the menufacturer said could be washed in an automatic car wash?

This stuff looks pretty scratch resistant and not subject to the inherent shortcomings of PVC vinyl.

I say it is worth a shot.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by landrovered

My top is fine, the PVC has leached out of the clear vinyl. No sense in replacing perfectly good canvas when I can get the window replaced a lot cheaper.

The advantage of TPU is that it is a different type of plastic that is not PVC. When was the last time you saw a PVC window that the menufacturer said could be washed in an automatic car wash?

This stuff looks pretty scratch resistant and not subject to the inherent shortcomings of PVC vinyl.

I say it is worth a shot.

Of course, it's your car, so if you think it's worth it, more power to ya. My only thought is that: 1) of course glass is more durable than even TPU, 2) it updates the look of the car (what convertible these days comes with a plastic window?, and 3) unless you replace the plastic window portion yourself, an installer will still charge you $400-$450 to sew in a new window, so you wouldn't be saving yourself that much in the long run, as a glass window will still outlast the TPU. One poke of a pencil thru the TPU window by a vandal, and it's done. JMHO.

[landrovered]

I would agree with you if I was not buying a Zeintop. The ragtop is going to be in a backup role if it ever goes back on the car at all. So in the mean time I am looking for a cheap fix.

I have a local upholsterer who is quite talented and quite reasonable (case of beer kind of thing) so it makes sense in my situation.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by landrovered

I would agree with you if I was not buying a Zeintop. The ragtop is going to be in a backup role if it ever goes back on the car at all. So in the mean time I am looking for a cheap fix.

I have a local upholsterer who is quite talented and quite reasonable (case of beer kind of thing) so it makes sense in my situation.

Just do the research prior to putting one of those Zeintops in. IMHO, there's a lot of effort involved in getting them to work in the car, and unless you love the look so much, probably better off just sourcing a factory hardtop, which doesn't require you to remove your clamshell and trunklid to fit.

http://www.ppbb.com/phorum/read.php?6,1500708,1500708#msg-1500708

[landrovered]

I am in the "love the look" category and even though it is purely psycological, I like having a bit more material over my head for track day usage and general weather.

I live in the hot south and our comfortable top down days equal about two weeks in the spring and two weeks in the fall. Other than that is it too hot or too cold.

I am not looking to go as far as 986 to 987 cayman conversion level but am satisfied with a 986 coupe concept.

With the 3.6 and the other mods I am planning, I am excited about the end result.

[sasha055]

I think I'm missing something...

Replacing plasctic window is 400-450$ (from what I read it's very hard to sew it yourself)

Buying a new top with glass window is 550-650$ and you can change it yourself

I think it's would be an easy choice towards glass... am I missing something?


Sasha