Luke,

That sux man. I bought the extended warranty on my car (72 months or 100k miles) specifically for this reason. I have had this fear since purchasing the car and knowing full well that at least for this winter The regular top that comes with the car will be outdoors (I am moving to a new apt and an indoor garage in March if all goes well). There's just no way after forking down what I did for this rig that I could order the hardtop at the same time...That is going to be my more permanent solution to the wear and tear problems next season. I just helped my friend kevin replace the top on his 3.0 Z3 and the car is barely a year old (if that). Poor car isn't the biggest fan of CT winters....

Hope all goes okay man. Give'em hell! *Insert Devil Smilie Here*

 

My wear is noticable and probably chronic but not yet "terrible" or a hole.

 

This is something I typically attribute to the first model year of a car (though I know that some of the problems still surface in newer Stooks). My Maxima SE was a first year for the redesign. I replaced the Oxygen Sensors on the car at least three ing times.

 

BTW - Extended warranty does NOT cover the top.

 

I know I know, but it's mechanical failures that worry me the most. Especially on such a high rev' engine. I'm looking into some different ways of protecting the top (I have the glass window). I have talked with my dad about this extensively. We are thinking about custom-fabricating a new top with more durable material as a longer lasting (and indirectly, much quieter) replacement for the stock top, using the OEM window glass. It shouldn't be too hard, my dad and I did a custom hardtop for my other car. compared to the three months of design work for THAT? This should be easy. The only thing that sux is, until I get my hardtop, I would have to either remove the top from my stook and not drive it or buy a new stock top to base our 1-off from...hmmm.....

:stares at drawing board blankly:

 

Hmmmmm....that is interesting project. I was considering a hadrtop, but threw that idea out the window once I decided to buy a beater car. The stook would then never be in weather to warrant to hardtop.

 

My top goes up and down 10~15 times/weekend. In fact, I like putting the top up, then down, at traffic lights when I'm next to any other convertible

In between runs, I put the top up so the interior doesn't get hot, then it's top down for the run (my helmet hits the frame). Still, no wear marks, and mine's almost at it's 1 yr.

 

Hey Luke, (and everyone else having similar top issues). Where is the wear and tear located on your top? Is it at points of movement in the frame, where the frame has the top resting on it? What type of wear is it? Is it fading or fraying? Is it all of the above?

I only ask because it will affect how I draw up a replacement. My dad is going to remove the top from my car (he's a pro restoration guy...I trust him) to dimension out the pieces, photograph them, and assemble shop drawings. I have to do the actual design of the replacement. However, I have to know what and where I need to beef up the top. Any info you can give me would kick azz. Also....do you think I should add a little sound insul. to this rig? I'm not sure I really need it.

---"OO-yeah!!!! Duffman thrusts in the general direction of the drawing board"

Ride on

 

There is a pic on the thread I linked above that shows the wear. It's right behind the window by that plastic piece. The pic I posted shows the revised piece. The one RandyP posted shows the damaged piece.

It's not being caused by the frame. It's being caused by the little plastic piece fraying the top from the inside. On the '02 top Honda made the plastic piece larger, so that it doesn't rub anymore.

I don't think that the top need extra insulation, however noise doesn't bother me. I think that is more of a personal preference.

 

I hate busy weekends... grrr....