Boxster S self inflicted roof damage
08-15-2021, 10:30 PM
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Boxster S self inflicted roof damage
I’m totally embarrassed to admit this. I was instructing at Lime Rock this weekend where we had some light rain in the morning. After the first run group, the weather cleared and I put my helmet and HANS device on the top. A bit later the sun was coming out, it was getting hot, and I decided to put the top down, forgetting that my HANS and helmet were still on the top.
Part way down, I heard this horrible sound, and stopped the process. Got out and discovered the HANS stuck between the partially folded roof and trunk, with the helmet (attached to the Hans) lying on the trunk. Amazingly, There was no paint damage or bent trunk lid.
However, while driving home, I heard an unsettling rattle, and discovered that apparently two of the ribs supporting the top were either dislocated or broken.
The question is, how likely is it that this an easily repaired frame issue (parts popped out of position), or broken ribs that are easily replaced? The car has a perfect top and headliner, always garaged, and just 35k miles, so I don’t want to replace the entire top. Fortunately, the top closes fully.
Part way down, I heard this horrible sound, and stopped the process. Got out and discovered the HANS stuck between the partially folded roof and trunk, with the helmet (attached to the Hans) lying on the trunk. Amazingly, There was no paint damage or bent trunk lid.
However, while driving home, I heard an unsettling rattle, and discovered that apparently two of the ribs supporting the top were either dislocated or broken.
The question is, how likely is it that this an easily repaired frame issue (parts popped out of position), or broken ribs that are easily replaced? The car has a perfect top and headliner, always garaged, and just 35k miles, so I don’t want to replace the entire top. Fortunately, the top closes fully.
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Turboale (08-16-2021)
08-18-2021, 08:46 PM
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So my Porsche dealer said they don’t do tops, and referred me to their canvass/upholstery top guy. My son and I had been able to expose the ends of the “center bow”, both of which were broken (the round holes in the end pieces through which a bolt secures it to the frame were both broken open). The piece appears to be sewn into or attached to both the outer canvass top and the headliner.
The top top guy researched the parts from Porsche (center roof bow, arch, and assembly) which totaled $2810, and conservatively estimated 10 hours labor ($1000) to do the repair which would involve disassembling the front half of the roof (separating the top from the headliner to expose the frame in order to get to the attachment points for the new cross member). The total estimate with tax was $4052, although Amica wants a second opinion.
Bottom line, please be sure you haven’t left anything on your cabriolet top before opening it 🙄
The top top guy researched the parts from Porsche (center roof bow, arch, and assembly) which totaled $2810, and conservatively estimated 10 hours labor ($1000) to do the repair which would involve disassembling the front half of the roof (separating the top from the headliner to expose the frame in order to get to the attachment points for the new cross member). The total estimate with tax was $4052, although Amica wants a second opinion.
Bottom line, please be sure you haven’t left anything on your cabriolet top before opening it 🙄