Cabrio Issues

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Battery Guy
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Cabrio Issues

Post by Battery Guy » Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:05 pm

I had posted earlier about my top alignment issues. The insanely expensive ($53 each!!!) but beautifully crafted rubber spacer blocks finally arrived from the old country (Germany) - my Indy installed them last week and my top is now working as designed. Found that one of the bolts had stripped out of the latch plate on the windshield header, so epoxy was applied - now the top pulls tight on both sides which means that it actually was sealed across the header. So far so good - but...

Yesterday I washed the car, and the glass window in the top came unattached from the material across the bottom. Shit - that is extremely not helpful. This was an aftermarket GAHH top, which has a warranty on the window, and I was told when I bought the car that it was only a couple years old. That was believable based on the condition of the top. So this morning I send pictures to GAHH, and they helpfully tell me that top has not been made for 15 years. So no warranty. Shit again. Now even more extremely not helpful, and I have a non-waterproof car. Looking at $2,000 or so to replace. Window is not repairable. Looks like the hardtop will go back on until spring unless a winning lottery ticket lands in my lap.
Daryll
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)

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gnat
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by gnat » Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:59 pm

That sucks :(

Reaffirms why I always want a solid metal roof on my cars :mrgreen:

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Battery Guy
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by Battery Guy » Tue Aug 13, 2019 6:10 pm

gnat wrote: Mon Aug 12, 2019 7:59 pm That sucks :(

Reaffirms why I always want a solid metal roof on my cars :mrgreen:
Sooner or later there will be a solid aluminum hardtop on it. In the meantime I’m going to try a homemade fix using Gorilla glue. The stuff is fairly amazing, maybe it can handle this job. It worked amazingly well on my speaker replacement project. More to follow....
Daryll
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)

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Battery Guy
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by Battery Guy » Wed Aug 14, 2019 6:14 pm

First try with the Gorilla Glue today. Looks like this may actually work, while also leaving the window looking very ugly and slightly redneck. Tomorrow will try to fill in the areas that did not take but it looks like there is a chance this will be waterproof. I just need the damn thing to hold together until it is too cold to drive with the top down - I will install the hard top then and deal with the soft top this spring. Maybe...
D
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)

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FRUNKenstein
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by FRUNKenstein » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:06 pm

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I got told today that I need to spend $3,700 replacing a 5 year old air conditioning condenser that came with a 10 year warranty. Apparently the expensive union labor contractor that installed it (and 7 other units) didn’t bother to register them when they installed them, so the warranty got reduced to 1 year. :evil:
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Battery Guy
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by Battery Guy » Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:21 pm

FRUNKenstein wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:06 pm Well, if it makes you feel any better, I got told today that I need to spend $3,700 replacing a 5 year old air conditioning condenser that came with a 10 year warranty. Apparently the expensive union labor contractor that installed it (and 7 other units) didn’t bother to register them when they installed them, so the warranty got reduced to 1 year. :evil:
That sucks. Had a similar issue with a house A/C unit a few years ago. Still have not messed further with my top - weather has been perfect and the top has not been up. Maybe will work on it Sunday.
D
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)

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Battery Guy
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by Battery Guy » Tue Aug 20, 2019 6:58 pm

Another update on my hillbilly convertible top repairs. Round #2 of Gorilla Glue seems to have worked, but was out of position enough that there is not too much overlap on the glass for the glue to bite. Looks like there are a couple of small spots that did not attach, will try round #3 of Gorilla Glue tomorrow and then do a water leak test. If things work according to plan, I can actually enjoy my car with the top down until it gets cold and the hardtop goes back on. If the damn thing leaks, I guess that the top will stay down and I will only drive the car on nice days until the hardtop goes on. Fortunately my son was just delivered to college last week, so I can drive the mighty ‘07 Grand Cherokee on rainy days.
D
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)

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32wildbilly
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by 32wildbilly » Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:31 am

FRUNKenstein wrote: Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:06 pm Well, if it makes you feel any better, I got told today that I need to spend $3,700 replacing a 5 year old air conditioning condenser that came with a 10 year warranty. Apparently the expensive union labor contractor that installed it (and 7 other units) didn’t bother to register them when they installed them, so the warranty got reduced to 1 year. :evil:
Not to hijack, but having the receipt that has the date purchased wasn't enough to prove it was still within the warranty period. Sounds shady to me.
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Battery Guy
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by Battery Guy » Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:31 pm

Update on the top repair for those interested. Did a water test, and unfortunately it leaked like a sieve. So will experiment with some duct tape on the inside. Likely will not work, but all I want to do is have some ability to drive in the rain. Worst case I can drive our spare car (Jeep GC) when it rains now that my son is at college.
Will deal with a new top next spring.
Daryll
1999 Porsche 996 Cabrio
Black/Black/Black
No Options!! (How did that happen??)

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32wildbilly
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Re: Cabrio Issues

Post by 32wildbilly » Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:46 am

Battery Guy wrote: Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:31 pm Update on the top repair for those interested. Did a water test, and unfortunately it leaked like a sieve. So will experiment with some duct tape on the inside. Likely will not work, but all I want to do is have some ability to drive in the rain. Worst case I can drive our spare car (Jeep GC) when it rains now that my son is at college.
Will deal with a new top next spring.
Daryll
My experience with "100 mph speed tape" is that when the glue side gets wet it starts to lose it's grip, but good luck.
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