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Old 01-21-2011, 06:20 AM   #1
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Rear window repair '01 Boxster (Central NJ)

I have a 2001 Boxster S and the plastic rear window has cracked. I would like to replace with a glass window that will survive the winter weather in NJ.

Does anyone know of a reputable window/top repair shop in the central NJ area?

email at dluckenba1@aol.com. Thank you!

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Old 01-21-2011, 10:58 PM   #2
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Below is the go-to guy in NJ for Porsche top work. He did my rear window and has done literally hundreds of Porsche tops. Cost was $550. A little spendy but he did a great job.

Stan's Auto Top, 43 Center St., Chatham, NJ, (973) 635-3443

If your top's otherwise in good shape (mine was), replacing the rear window is an option to seriously consider. Cold weather isn't what makes them fail, they just become brittle from sun and pollution exposure and the cold weather finishes them off. A new rear window could easily last the remaining life of the car (your first one lasted 10 years, right?). You'll have no shortage of other things to spend money on.

1.5 yrs into ownership and many thousands of repair & maintenance dollars later, I'd take the rear window replacement option again.
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Old 01-22-2011, 08:29 AM   #3
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You can't put a glass window in a top made for a plastic one, as the glass won't fold in half quite as successfuly as the plastic window does when you put the top down.

You will need to either replace the top with an aftermarket top like GAAH that comes with a smaller glass window, or you can get a complete four-bow roof assembly from an 03 or 04 that has a glass window.

I've never done the complete roof replacement, but appaernetly it's pretty simple. I have done the canvas top replacement, and it took me and a buddy all day. Definitely a challenging job, but do-able
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Old 01-22-2011, 12:17 PM   #4
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Maybe it wasn't obvious from my post but the rear window replacement was vinyl.

I believe Stan's charges ~$1300 installed for the glass window GAHH top (pretty sure he's an authorized GAHH installer). Labor for the two jobs is similar, the difference is materials.

The glass rear window is smaller than the vinyl window. Something you get used to, I guess. The new vinyl window has been fine for me.
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Old 02-16-2011, 01:08 PM   #5
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Stan's

Hey guys, I just found your responses on here today. I just called Stan's and the girl answering the phone said they don't repair the plastic rear window on convertibles. ??
I don't know if I'd have to have them purchase the roof from the '03 or '04 in order to do the replacement of the roof instead. Let me know your thoughts on this please. I don't want to have to deal with this window cracking again a few years down the road.

Thanks!
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Old 02-16-2011, 02:09 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psugrad93
Hey guys, I just found your responses on here today. I just called Stan's and the girl answering the phone said they don't repair the plastic rear window on convertibles. ??
I don't know if I'd have to have them purchase the roof from the '03 or '04 in order to do the replacement of the roof instead. Let me know your thoughts on this please. I don't want to have to deal with this window cracking again a few years down the road.

Thanks!
On your year Boxster, replacing the top with an '03 or '04 OEM complete top and frame assembly is a relatively easy DIY: http://sites.google.com/site/mikefocke2/installinga'03-'04glasstopandframeona'97

Definitely the best way to go if you don't want to deal with the window cracking again.

BTW, there's a guy who has a shop in NJ named Peter Serbenica who has an excellent reputation in repairing/replacing tops.

Regards, Maurice.
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Old 02-16-2011, 04:59 PM   #7
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A friend of mine has a 986 too.
Last winter his water pump went and in the course of the garage fixing it the back clear window cracked.
He went through his insurance and they bought him a complete new top installed.

True story!
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Old 02-16-2011, 06:54 PM   #8
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I think you're looking to REPLACE the rear window, not repair it. Maybe she misunderstood. According to the owner Peter, he's done "hundreds" of Boxster rear windows over the years, mine included. Not sure why he'd stop doing them now. Call again and talk to Peter.

Replacement of the rear window is not something that has to be done every few years. You should get 5 yrs min. Many people get substantially more. My original lasted 7, and I think this is fairly typical. From what Peter told me, replacement of the rear window is something that can only be done once. After that it's time for a new top.

When you consider the age and expected life of the car, your anticipated ownership period and all your other maintenance costs, replacement of the rear window makes a lot of economic sense provided the top's in otherwise good shape. I'm sure Peter will give you an opinion on whether your top's worth repairing.

Used '03/'04 tops w/frames are pricey and herd to find. I've heard $1200-$1500 is not uncommon (every other pre-'03 owner has the same idea), and then you need to install it. Not worth it IMO.


Quote:
Originally Posted by psugrad93
Hey guys, I just found your responses on here today. I just called Stan's and the girl answering the phone said they don't repair the plastic rear window on convertibles. ??
I don't know if I'd have to have them purchase the roof from the '03 or '04 in order to do the replacement of the roof instead. Let me know your thoughts on this please. I don't want to have to deal with this window cracking again a few years down the road.

Thanks!

Last edited by gschotland; 02-16-2011 at 07:04 PM.
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Old 02-17-2011, 08:00 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank M
A friend of mine has a 986 too.
Last winter his water pump went and in the course of the garage fixing it the back clear window cracked.
He went through his insurance and they bought him a complete new top installed.

True story!
Well, your friend obviously wasn't insured by State Farm.
My window was taken out last year by a massive hailstorm, and they gave me a whopping $250 to fix the rear window, plus the phone number for someone who supposedly gave them that price quote of being able to repair it for that cheap.

After 2 months of constant trying to call this mysterious man, I gave up, and bought a top from autotops direct, and my friend and I installed it ourselves in the course of a day.

It wasn't easy, to put it mildly.
But not impossible.

BC.
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Old 02-17-2011, 10:30 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psugrad93
Hey guys, I just found your responses on here today. I just called Stan's and the girl answering the phone said they don't repair the plastic rear window on convertibles. ??
I don't know if I'd have to have them purchase the roof from the '03 or '04 in order to do the replacement of the roof instead. Let me know your thoughts on this please. I don't want to have to deal with this window cracking again a few years down the road.

Thanks!
you called the wrong number Stan's is 973-635-3443 Chatham n j

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