2004 Boxster Roofliner Removal/Repair

[dchutinaton]

The plastic piece that holds my roofliner has broken into more than a dozen pieces.

My understanding is that Porsche doesn't sell just the plaster retainer but that I have to buy an entirely new roofliner which is a bit expensive. Anyone have experience replacing the roofliner? Do I need to order any aditional parts?

Can I just remove the roofliner completely and drive the car without it? Is it easy enough to do? Any disadvantages to doing this besides aesthetics?

[78F350]

Originally Posted by dchutinaton

...
Can I just remove the roofliner completely and drive the car without it? Is it easy enough to do? Any disadvantages to doing this besides aesthetics?

I removed the liner from my '01. The front plastic was broken just like yours. Attempted repairs didn't last. I don't know if the '03-'04 liner is much different, but mine came out easily and clean with just a little patience. With the liner removed it looked just like my '99s which came with no liner.

[dchutinaton]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like simply removing it might be the cheapest "fix".

[mforester]

I just went through this whole exercise. I have a 2001 Boxster that needed a new top as the plastic window was done; I had the plastic replaced in 2005 but this time I wanted to do a glass window. I found a very clean used top with factory glass window off a 2004 car at a dismantler in Houston but the headliner plastic was damaged. So I bought a new headliner. It is easiest to install the headliner with the top off the car; I'm not sure how it could be done otherwise not at least without a lot of physical pain. I drove the car without the headliner for a few weeks while I waited for the part to arrive and it was noticeably noisy without it. I'm very happy with the new top and headliner.

[NDB986]

After reading this post, I decided to take my liner out after two years of fooling around with the front broken plastic bar. Did it and took it for a drive, not too fast but fast enough, did not notice that much more noise. Then again, I rarely have the top up when driving. Good info here, thanks.

[BoxMann]

Originally Posted by dchutinaton

The plastic piece that holds my roofliner has broken into more than a dozen pieces.

My understanding is that Porsche doesn't sell just the plaster retainer but that I have to buy an entirely new roofliner which is a bit expensive. Anyone have experience replacing the roofliner? Do I need to order any aditional parts?

Can I just remove the roofliner completely and drive the car without it? Is it easy enough to do? Any disadvantages to doing this besides aesthetics?

I dealt with this issue a few months ago. I didn't want to remove it, or cut the front 1/3 out like some people suggested.

My solution: I just used Super Glue and glued it back in place. It's been 5 months and holding perfectly fine.

Cost of repair: $0

[SmegHead]

Hi, sorry to jump on this but can someone point me in the right direction of which way this comes out? Mine is ok but I've taken the cover off the car after winter and what I thought was a dry interior isn't; I want to take the roof lining out to clean it and the roof. Found one video but it doesn't show the front above the windscreen, it's already out, and I think it's the pre facelift version, mine is the 2003 my

[itsnotanova]

Originally Posted by SmegHead

Hi, sorry to jump on this but can someone point me in the right direction of which way this comes out? Mine is ok but I've taken the cover off the car after winter and what I thought was a dry interior isn't; I want to take the roof lining out to clean it and the roof. Found one video but it doesn't show the front above the windscreen, it's already out, and I think it's the pre facelift version, mine is the 2003 my

I highly recommend not taking it apart unless you want to replace the whole top and liner. There are a few plastic pieces in the liner that are very fragile and not replaceable.

[SmegHead]

Originally Posted by itsnotanova

I highly recommend not taking it apart unless you want to replace the whole top and liner. There are a few plastic pieces in the liner that are very fragile and not replaceable.

Ok, thanks Woody

[yandaroo]

I had the same problem with the plastic retainer. just used a length of pinch weld and pushed it over the headliner onto the metal frame. pulled all the broken plastic strip from the cloth 1st, placed headliner material over metal frame and pushed on the pinch weld.

[mipstien]

Originally Posted by yandaroo

I had the same problem with the plastic retainer. just used a length of pinch weld and pushed it over the headliner onto the metal frame. pulled all the broken plastic strip from the cloth 1st, placed headliner material over metal frame and pushed on the pinch weld.

Do you have any photos of what you did? I am curious

[BoxMann]

Originally Posted by mipstien

Do you have any photos of what you did? I am curious

As I stated earlier in this thread, I had the same problem with the headliner falling off in the front. I fixed it very simply with some Superglue. Been almost a year, holding fine.


Cost: about $0.10

[mipstien]

Originally Posted by BoxMann

As I stated earlier in this thread, I had the same problem with the headliner falling off in the front. I fixed it very simply with some Superglue. Been almost a year, holding fine.





Cost: about $0.10

Did you super glue the headliner or the plastic piece?

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[BoxMann]

Originally Posted by mipstien

Did you super glue the headliner or the plastic piece?

The headliner. Forget about the white plastic piece.

[BoxMann]

So, I've posted here earlier on how I fixed the headliner falling down in my face. Used super glue to put the left side of the headliner back in place, and it's holding perfectly for a year now.

Last week, the right side fell down, white plastic piece broke off. So I did the same thing again -- used Super Glue on the right half and that's now holding perfectly.

Took 5 minutes, cost about 50 cents.

[hoggiewoggie]

Hello I have a really fine 2003 Porsche Boxster S with low miles. The headliner plastic strip in the front broke in multiple places and I have not been succesful in repairing it with super glue, etc. I brought to the local convertible top company in Fort Myers called Gotcha Covered and they recommended I simply remover the headliner because the top cover, which is in really good condition. The guy also said that the top will look fine once the headliner is removed. I appreciated them not trying to sell me something I may not need. I tried to remobe the headliner and got to the back strap about a foot behind the broken plastic piece and stopped because I was not sure how this part unclips. It's about 3 inches wide and runs the entire width of the headliner and attaches to the top cover. Any suggestions, or DIY video, or instruction manual out there? I do not want to damage the top. Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

[hoggiewoggie]

Originally Posted by 78F350

I removed the liner from my '01. The front plastic was broken just like yours. Attempted repairs didn't last. I don't know if the '03-'04 liner is much different, but mine came out easily and clean with just a little patience. With the liner removed it looked just like my '99s which came with no liner.

Hello I started to remove the headliner on my 2003 Boxster S and stopped at the strap about a foot from the broken plastic strip. How do you get the headliner to detact from that part? I am trying to not damage the top which is in really good condition.

[Stl-986]