Slashed Top
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,633
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From: Dealsville
Slashed Top
Not sure what would possess someone to do this, but someone slashed my top sometime in the past 3 days when I was out of town. The car was parked in my car port right in front of my townhouse w/ the top up. I've parked there every day for over a year without any issues. Bah!
Anyway, it's about a 9-10" slash, fairly clean cut (knife or razor?) that looks like they were cutting from the center of the roof toward the driver's side window. No other vehicle damage that I can see.
Not keyed, or slashed tires or anything, so doesn't really match a vandalism profile. Nothing stolen, and the doors were still locked, so I'm not sure what's up. My boss is guessing that someone was getting ready to break in but something spooked them and they ran off.
ANYWAY, does anyone have an idea on how much it'll cost to have it replaced? Should I file a comprehensive claim w/ my insurance or just pay out of pocket? Should I just take it to a dealer, or are there good shops I should consider?
- Jeremy (jnn4v)
Anyway, it's about a 9-10" slash, fairly clean cut (knife or razor?) that looks like they were cutting from the center of the roof toward the driver's side window. No other vehicle damage that I can see.
Not keyed, or slashed tires or anything, so doesn't really match a vandalism profile. Nothing stolen, and the doors were still locked, so I'm not sure what's up. My boss is guessing that someone was getting ready to break in but something spooked them and they ran off.
ANYWAY, does anyone have an idea on how much it'll cost to have it replaced? Should I file a comprehensive claim w/ my insurance or just pay out of pocket? Should I just take it to a dealer, or are there good shops I should consider?
- Jeremy (jnn4v)
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Registered User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 311
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From: Ellicott City
Jeremy,
That really sucks! I'd guess they were going after your seats and got interrupted. Another thread mentions someone local selling seats on e*bay, so our seats seem to be a hot item. Then again it could just be some stupid kids. Some kids in my neighorhood slashed tires on about a dozen cars a few weeks ago. The kids also slashed the top on a neighbor's Saab.
Do you have seat locks? They are simple to install, and would slow the thief down quite a bit.
As far as the top goes, hardtopguy has them for $895. I don't know how much of a PITA it would be to install it. Perhaps someone around here has experience installing the rag top and can chime in.
John
That really sucks! I'd guess they were going after your seats and got interrupted. Another thread mentions someone local selling seats on e*bay, so our seats seem to be a hot item. Then again it could just be some stupid kids. Some kids in my neighorhood slashed tires on about a dozen cars a few weeks ago. The kids also slashed the top on a neighbor's Saab.
Do you have seat locks? They are simple to install, and would slow the thief down quite a bit.
As far as the top goes, hardtopguy has them for $895. I don't know how much of a PITA it would be to install it. Perhaps someone around here has experience installing the rag top and can chime in.
John
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Ellicott City
Jeremy,
I dug up my shop manual and looked at what is involved to replace the top. Looks like it wouldn't be much fun. I can see why they charge $400-$500 to replace it. I definetely wouldn't want to try to do it myself!
John
I dug up my shop manual and looked at what is involved to replace the top. Looks like it wouldn't be much fun. I can see why they charge $400-$500 to replace it. I definetely wouldn't want to try to do it myself!
John
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,633
Likes: 0
From: Dealsville
Crap! So if $900 is the BEST price for the top, and $400-500 labor is about average, I'd be looking at a minimum of $1300 to get this installed, and quite likely around $1500 if I got the part locally (just to speed things up). Bah. Definitely not something I want to do out of pocket.
- Jeremy (jnn4v)
- Jeremy (jnn4v)
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 16,310
Likes: 18
From: In the ether.
Maybe we can get an inner top liner that's hooked up to the battery... a wire mesh, if you will, that will shock the F out of anyone trying to cut through the top. 
Sorry to hear man... Thats sooo shitty. Something to think about - now that you've been hit, you might want to lock down those seats and anything else in the car (or take stuff out - not the seats!) since you were a target before... Might be a target again, sadly enough. Throw the cover on the car and lock it? Rig up a shotgun pointing up from the driver's seat?
(sooo illegal and stupid, but you know you want to)...
Good luck with the repair, definitely an insurance claim.
Sorry to hear man... Thats sooo shitty. Something to think about - now that you've been hit, you might want to lock down those seats and anything else in the car (or take stuff out - not the seats!) since you were a target before... Might be a target again, sadly enough. Throw the cover on the car and lock it? Rig up a shotgun pointing up from the driver's seat?
(sooo illegal and stupid, but you know you want to)...Good luck with the repair, definitely an insurance claim.
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Registered User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 486
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From: Richmond, VA
Jeremy,
I am dealing with this right now. So I speak from my experience just this past week on this. CALL your insurance company. If you have comprehensive it will be covered, they do cover vandalizm. My latch actually tore my top when it was closing but yours WILL be covered.
Hardtopguy has the best prices (not sure what shipping is to your area). The installation as quoted just yesterday from the best local shop in town .......... 900.00!!! They have to remove most of the interior of the car to replace this and that is all labor. He tells me about 15 hours to do the job. This local guy has replaced 3 or 4 S2000 tops and he says it's very involved but he's gotten better at it with practice.... I dare say you will get it done any cheaper and I would not suggest doing it yourself.
Good luck and if you want to bring it to Richmond I can recommend an awesome local shop that has a very good reputation. My State Farm agent has been sending people here for years and years.
Good luck,
klassyblue
I am dealing with this right now. So I speak from my experience just this past week on this. CALL your insurance company. If you have comprehensive it will be covered, they do cover vandalizm. My latch actually tore my top when it was closing but yours WILL be covered.
Hardtopguy has the best prices (not sure what shipping is to your area). The installation as quoted just yesterday from the best local shop in town .......... 900.00!!! They have to remove most of the interior of the car to replace this and that is all labor. He tells me about 15 hours to do the job. This local guy has replaced 3 or 4 S2000 tops and he says it's very involved but he's gotten better at it with practice.... I dare say you will get it done any cheaper and I would not suggest doing it yourself.
Good luck and if you want to bring it to Richmond I can recommend an awesome local shop that has a very good reputation. My State Farm agent has been sending people here for years and years.
Good luck,
klassyblue
