You may want to consider accepting the sorry failure of Chrysler and ****** a replacement top for your unit while you can. Buy one and toss it in the garage, still in the box. One day you may be glad you did.

Anybody know the spot price for a new top?

 

Theres lots of shops out there specializing in convertible tops. Even without a factory replacement, there's always options for rehabilitating the old one.

 

Despite the relative low production numbers there are som 65,000 of these cars on the road. Tail light lenses and chome trims might be dear but the guts are available from Diamler who will also be supporting the compatible SLK models.

If the free enterprise system still exists in the near future, some vendor will come foward to fill the gap. It is a law of nature.

Look at how many European based speed shops have jumped into servicing our special breed.


roadster with a stick

 

From what I'm reading, tops are already on interminable back-order, meaning never to be made again by Chrysler.

Never mind.

 

Every once in a while, you will see a company like LKQ take one off a damn near brand new roadster and offer the entire top, window and all, in an ebay auction. If I were worried, I would buy one of these for sure, OEM but MUCH cheaper, just my opinion....

 

I heard it was $2400.00 from Chrysler.

 

Well if mine ever needs to be replaced, I'm going this route...

 

Has anyone HAD to replace theirs yet. How well do they wear?
Just wondering since I just got a roadster ya know!

 

Why not go witht the Cedar to match the seats?


roadster with a stick

 

I've had mine three years with no problems. Still looks good.

Knock on wood.

 

My biggest worry is some fool cutting it to be mean or steal something from inside.

franc

 

If a car is not garage-kept, the sun will tear up a top. Probably a matter of a few years in Florida.

Use the RaggTopp protective treatments you can ****** off the web. Can't hurt.

 

That's a nice picture.

Once had a '68 Ford Grand Torino Touring for one of the wives. Had it repainted it bright white and put a powder blue top on it.

God! was that a beautiful car! She promptly wrecked it.

So got her a '69 Eldorado and did the same color scheme. Prettiest car ever made. She promptly wrecked it, too. Like I said, it was one of the wives.

 

Just got back from the dealer this morning after realizing this weekend I had the dreaded glass separation issue ..., FL car, no garage = glass separation. A new replacement top was requested in the backorder system and the temporary (at best) reseal was done to keep it together, on the road, and dry.

Maybe with some bailout money Chrysler can start paying suppliers again and resolve this common issue. With trying to save the "brand image", you'd think customer service would be right at the top of the list. We'll see, they always treat me very well at my service center.

... and, I get my letter from Chrylser in the mail today describing how much promise is to be had as the "New Chrysler" emerges from bankrupcy, with a $1000 customer loyalty check included. Unfortunately there are so many models on the "excluded" list that I was having a hard time tinking of something I could use it on. A truck maybe ...

Not.

 

I thought the same thing. Take away the excluded cars and I'm not sure what is left among CJD products!

Here's the list of excluded vehicles:

Excluded Vehicles: Chrysler Crossfire, PT Cruiser and Sebring Sedan; Dodge Avenger, Caliber, Challenger, Magnum, Sprinter and Viper; Jeep Wrangler, Compass and Patriot.

 

Well, there's Dodge Chargers and Ram trucks (do they still make Dakotas?), Chrylser 300's, and I'm not at all familiar with the new Jeep line-ups.

Although they didn't specify, I'll be willing to bet "SRT" models would some how alse be excluded.

 

What else is left:
Pacifica (all leftover 08's), Aspen and Durango (both dead since December), Ram, Liberty, Charger, Grand Cherokee, Commander, 300, Dakota, Nitro, Sebring 'vert

With the exception of the Ram they're all a bunch of also-rans and leftovers.

 

As long as we're on the top issue: I would suggest using distilled water on your top, if you are in a hard water area. The calcium alone will make it looks years older than it actually is. Other than inherent flaws, Ultra violet rays will thrash these things quicker than just about anything else. Keep them clean, keep them covered, and as Franc alluded to, keep the expensive contents out of sight.

 

That looks really nice!

 

I was wondering how long it would take to bring up that leather topped XF in this thread.