Installing Vert Tops yourself ??

I haven't done it but I've looked at the manual for my SN95 and there's a ton of stapling and small fasteners. It looks more time consuming than anything but it still looks like something that takes a try or two to find the gotchas :). . Dan

|Or is it worth forking over $400 and have a professional do it ??

Yep, *I* think so.

Me too, same thing.

It looks more time consuming | than anything but it still looks like something that takes a try or two | to find the gotchas :).

Looks like something you could screw up pretty easily if you didn't know what you were doing. Lots of things to consider, proper tension on the top so it doesn't balloon when you are going down the road, stretching the fabric evenly, not getting wrinkles, padding on the bows (?) that hold it up, not puncturing the wrong place with a staple... ack! Scares me to death, and I'm pretty used to doing things m'salf!

$400 bucks is also one way to ensure that your top warranty is intact. DIY and your warranty will more likely than not be void.

Kate

Get a reputable shop to do it for you. Not worth the hassle in my opinion.

it's a big pain in the ass. I did one on an 89 about 4 years ago, and don't think i'll do it again. still looks great but if you get it slighlty off , it will come back to haunt you. it's worth letting someone else do in my opinion. Chip

Roger that.

Well, the insurance company is sending me a check for $670. The estimate I got for an installed complete (with glass window) top was only $882.

I think I'm just gonna fork out the extra $212 and be done with it.

Can't wait for the check to get here now!! :>)

Merry Christmas to me! :>)

-ERIC

$212 for a whole new top...?

Mark that a bargain!

Kate OH OH OH! Be sure to keep your paperwork for warranty purposes!

| > >Get a reputable shop to do it for you. Not worth the hassle in my | opinion. | > >

| > >

| > >

| > >> |Or is it worth forking over $400 and have a professional do it ?? | > >>

| > >> Yep, *I* think so. | > >>

| > >> Me too, same thing. | > >>

| > >>

| > >> It looks more time consuming | > >> | than anything but it still looks like something that takes a try or | two | > >> | to find the gotchas :). | > >>

| > >> Looks like something you could screw up pretty easily if you didn't | know | > >> what you were doing. | > >> Lots of things to consider, proper tension on the top so it doesn't | > >> balloon | > >> when you are going down the road, stretching the fabric evenly, not | > >> getting | > >> wrinkles, padding on the bows (?) that hold it up, not puncturing the | > >> wrong | > >> place with a staple... ack! Scares me to death, and I'm pretty used to | > >> doing | > >> things m'salf! | > >>

| > >> $400 bucks is also one way to ensure that your top warranty is intact. | > >> DIY and your warranty will more likely than not be void. | > >>

| > >> Kate | >

| >

| >

| > it's a big pain in the ass. I did one on an 89 about 4 years | > ago, and don't think i'll do it again. still looks great but if you | > get it slighlty off , it will come back to haunt you. it's worth | > letting someone else do in my opinion. | > Chip | |

Will do!

Thanks Kate! :>)

-ERIC

An additional $212 above the insurance cheque (check) of $670.00. Total $882.00. Seems high to me. Had mine replaced this past spring for $450.00 Canadian or about $325.00 US at the time (labour only). Top cost $120US.

When I had mine replaced, the labor was $500 (a shop I had done business with for years, the best in the Central CA area) PLUS the price of the top. Out the door, just under a grand.

Labor may be cheaper in your area, hence outsourcing to Canada.

Kate

| > Mark that a bargain! | >

| > Kate | > OH OH OH! Be sure to keep your paperwork for warranty purposes! | >

| >

| > | > >Get a reputable shop to do it for you. Not worth the hassle in my | > | opinion. | > | > >

| > | > >

| > | > >

| > | > >> |Or is it worth forking over $400 and have a professional do it ?? | > | > >>

| > | > >> Yep, *I* think so. | > | > >>

| > | > >> Me too, same thing. | > | > >>

| > | > >>

| > | > >> It looks more time consuming | > | > >> | than anything but it still looks like something that takes a try | or | > | two | > | > >> | to find the gotchas :). | > | > >>

| > | > >> Looks like something you could screw up pretty easily if you didn't | > | know | > | > >> what you were doing. | > | > >> Lots of things to consider, proper tension on the top so it doesn't | > | > >> balloon | > | > >> when you are going down the road, stretching the fabric evenly, not | > | > >> getting | > | > >> wrinkles, padding on the bows (?) that hold it up, not puncturing | the | > | > >> wrong | > | > >> place with a staple... ack! Scares me to death, and I'm pretty used | > to | > | > >> doing | > | > >> things m'salf! | > | > >>

| > | > >> $400 bucks is also one way to ensure that your top warranty is | > intact. | > | > >> DIY and your warranty will more likely than not be void. | > | > >>

| > | > >> Kate | > | >

| > | >

| > | >

| > | > it's a big pain in the ass. I did one on an 89 about 4 years | > | > ago, and don't think i'll do it again. still looks great but if you | > | > get it slighlty off , it will come back to haunt you. it's worth | > | > letting someone else do in my opinion. | > | > Chip | > | | > | | >

| >

| |

Dunno..... Must be my area or something cause $882 was the lowest estimate I got! (I found out AFTER the insurance adjuster stopped by).

The other (2) estimates where for $975 and $1100 !

Lowest price I found on a top (WITH the back window/curtain) was around $365. Yea, the top ALONE was only around $200.

-ERIC