Replacment tops with gass windows not fitting some cars?
 

I'm in the market for a used Boxster and trying to get caught up on all current potential issues. In the October 2015 (yeah, I don't get magazine date either!) issue of Excellence someone wrote to Tech Notes about not being able get the top on his 2001 Boxster S into "service" position" after having the top replaced with a glass-windowed version.

Excellence replied:

"The situation you described is the bane of all Porsche techs working on Early Boxsters that have been fitted with glass windowed tops. This issue is entirely common and there is no easy way around the problem it presents. The plastic window, although larger, can simply "form" its way around to accommodate access to the engine cover.

"The glass window, being rigid, simply will not do this. What to do to get around this? As much as you're willing to, I'm afraid. My local "super" upholstery guys said they would detach a certain amount of the top to make it possible, but that sounded crazy to me. The idea of pulling the roll bar out to service the car sounds almost as nuts, but may be the price you'll have to pay."

Since this is published in Excellence, I'm assuming that it's generally correct. Lots of used Boxsters are advertised as having this upgrade and until I read this, I assumed that it was entirely a good thing. Now I'm wondering what the details are: which Boxster years/models are affected? Which type(s) of replacement tops cause the problem? Of course I'll had this to my checklist of things to examine on potential purchases.

TIA.

STP

There are multiple suppliers of Boxster aftermarket tops. The two largest are Robbins and GAHH. The Robbins top is much more prone to having problems in this area than the GAHH, but the GAHH also limits the access to the engine compartment somewhat as well. Some of this interference can be adjusted out when the top is installed (it can actually move a fraction of an inch, which helps a lot), but without the extra bow of the factory glass window top, there is always going to be some level of interference.