Rear Window Angst.
 

I notice my new (2001) Boxster folds its plastic window with a kink on each lateral edge, about half way up.

It appears that this would be A Very Bad Thing over time and lead to Rear Window Failure Syndrome.

Should the top fold the window smoothly, are do they all buckle at the edges?

To answer your question, yes this is a bad thing... Very common issue we Boxster owners deal with. Several threads exist already on the subject, most of us do the "boxster chop" ((see this thread for example) to minimize the damage and prolong the plastic windows life-span.

Hey Uro,

I have the same marks. One side was present when I purchased - one I did myself by not following the 50 degrees + and "chop" protocol. Guess I'm just happy I only have the marks, versus a major crack.

Truth is - unless it's really warm outside (and inside) your car, I have found that the "chop" is mandatory. Only on a couple of really hot days here last fall did I see the window folding as it should all by its lonesome.

Sorry, please forgive my noob -ness.


:)

OK. I just went out there and practiced "The Chop". Interestingly, it seened to get a little memory after a time or two.

The prob is THERE IS NO WAY IN HECK MY WIFE IS GONNA GET OUT OF THE CAR AND DO THE CHOP. Just ain't gonna happen.

In fact the thing she keeps crowing about is "Oh, its so EASY to put the top down, It's just so EASY....(an obvious negative reference to my Miata that requires the window to be unzipped, carefully padded on one towel, covered with a second towel etc etc).

So, it's clear that this top has a very short life expectance.

So....

Anyone know of a good shop in Atlanta, Knoxville, Greenville SC, Charlotte or similar that can fit a nice top with a GLASS light?

I have an issue in the same places on my '02. Mine are raised, almost like a pimple on each side. I also have a very dull line across the middle about one inch wide. The previous owner obviously did not put very much effort into keeping the plastic up.

I also would like to upgrade one day to a top with glass like the '03 if available.

No sweat, BTW are you the same screen name over on miata.net?

Uro,

Click the GAHH link to the left for a top with glass light. BTW, I'm taking my boy up to the Gap this week for a spin. We'll likely stay in Townsend, etc. and drive to it. If I see you, I'll wave!

JPOG

That'd be me. :)

Hope the weather is good for The Gap.

I don't know where Townsend is.

Do you know of a good installer that could put on a new top with glass around here?

When I find out, I'll let you know. I have an '02 986S, so I'm shopping as well.

So are you saying that when it's warm there chop is not longer mandatory,,

From about December to March it's pretty much always above 80F here in Perth, Aust..

If it's is outside for 30 min or more my current car generally gives an inside air temp of at least 90F for 6 months of the year.. (we are experiencing a severe drought... bad for farmers... but looking good for ease of lowering the top! ;) )

I can only speak from my personal experience - warm days with a well trained window left me chopless without issues. Once it got cooler - I learned the hard way why the chop is best.

The more pliable your window, the less chance you will get a pinch or crack. That said - if you aren’t a gamblin' man - I'd chop every time just incase.

Where's the UroTrash patented repair procedure/kit as was done with the RMS? Or does someone already have the market with a roll of duct tape? ;)

I think CJBoxster's patented rear window repair kit uses clear packaging tape so the driver doesn't lose his rearward vision. Genius!

don't do the chop in the winter/fall without first heating up the cockpit.
I think even if you have a glass window you should let the canvas warm up a bit before pulling and stretching the canvas. The bows under the canvas will crease and wear away the canvas when its cold.

For the those lines across the plastic window use Renovo clear plastic polish with a high speed polisher or electric screwdriver polishing attachment. Clean it weekly with Plexus. And of course don't get any soap on your canvas. Canvas cleaner only.

So does Plexus help with the flexibility of the plastic window? I think I've noticed a couple of these marks on my rear window... and it looks like the PO didn't take very good care of it. My bottle of Plexus should be here today... probably this coming weekend I'll get on the window with it and see how much I can improve it.

I have Plexus and a couple other plastic cleaners / polishes and my favorite is the Mequiars system. I have a bottle of the liquid cleaner and a bottle of the liquid polish. The cleaner definitely makes the plastic more pliable, and cleans up any minor scratches. Great stuff, easy to use, too.

that's a good question I never thought about whether the Plexus keeps the plastic from getting brittle. I lucked out on Ebay once and got a case of small plexus cans for $20 so I use it allot and give so to friends.
Judging by how an untreated miata or boxster window looks like its about to crack after the next lowering I'd say Plexus does do some good in keeping it flexible.
I also think that people will smear whatever is handy across the plastic to try and clean it like ajax or something they dug up from house cleaning bin. There's a product for everything.
Spray the plexus on the towel away from the car to keep it from getting on the canvas. Wash it off right away if you do get some on.

p.s.
This weekend I washed the top with Raggtopp and my OXO feathertip brush and I ran out of Raggtopp protectant half way through the re-application. It rained yesterday and you could clearly see where the water was penetrating and where it was beading.

The RaggTopp protectant is neat, and I do use it, but it's not really that critical. The canvas is not meant to be impervious to water. The inner rubber layer of the top is what provides the weatherproofing.

JV