My top was left down w a hardtop on it for a few months during storage. There was quite bit of crease and it took about a year for it to "iron" out by itself. I did have a bit of rattle from the top as well as replacement of the flocking panel which is where the top meets the header. It was done under warranty.

New top from Porsche is definitely over $3k installed. Aftermarket top is about $2-2.5k I think but it has more stiching showing.

 

That settles it. Top up when not in use

 

I think the top of my car was left down for several months at a time and as a result some portions of the rear plastic window needs to be reattached to the convertible top. I don't know if this is a common problem, but I live in Austin, TX so the intense heat mixed with the strain on the window with the top down could have caused that to happen.

 

Of course, there's also sun damage from the top being up and exposed all the time. My previous 3 cars were all convertibles, and all of the cloth tops wore much faster than the body of the car. The body paint was always near showroom condition while the top was faded...

 

It's a garage queen. It's either in the garage with the top up or out driving around with the top down. I only do about 3-4K miles per year so it doesn't spend a lot of time outside.

 

Boy you are lame for not driving your car much.

Byron

 

Bryon, Just curious. Do the warm humid weather and salty environment do a number on your car out there in Maui?

 

Yes the salt air really does a number on things. A convertible here will last maybe 3 to 4 years because the sun and salt air will destroy it. Metal Parts will rust fast and I mean fast with an example of my son's bicycle spokes rusted off in a matter of 5 months (I should have washed it but was busy). I have 2 porsche project cars upcountry (Near the Haleakal Volcano) which is supposed to be wetter than by the beach and those cars seem to grow rust all the time. I guess its the price I pay to live here.

Byron

 

I'm jealous. The weather here is below freezing, and they salt the roads like crazy. Lucky My car is in the garage sleeping. All the dust (because of the construction) and humidity in the summer in my neighborhood is also destroying my top in the summer. oh well...

 

Anytime you need a picture to brighten your day let me know..

Byron

 

Thats why I moved all my vehicles outta Key West to the northeast..the salt air and sun will destroy most anything ....not to mention the boring mostly straight line driving. With the cab I was more worried about fading the color than wrinkles.

 

I hear what your saying but I could never do that because my cars are a hobby and if they rust so be it. I just can't give up da surf.

Byron

 

While I am driving my car, the top is down unless it is actually raining. It just never gets so cold here that the heater isn't effective enough to allow me to drop the top, but people probably think I'm nuts. When I park the car at work or in the garage at home I put the top up so that the fabric stays stretched and plastic rear window doesn't crease - but that's more for visibility reasons during driving in the rain than cosmetics. I don't think I could care less what the car top looks like; creases, fading, etc. just don't matter all that much to me.

A few miles directly to the north of here is a facility on the KSC grounds that rents space on a steel girder structure so that companies can perform long-term rust durability testing. I have read somewhere that this is one of the most corrosive environments on the planet. Like Byron above, we found out the hard way not to leave our kids' bikes outside, and my cast-iron smoker rusted so fast I swear I could almost see it rust! That film that covers our truck windows on most mornings (which is left outside) is the result of salt fog/spray from the ocean.