Replacement soft top roof

[pcw1982]

Hello all,

 

The roof on my roadster has been tired for a while and I've decided its finally time to bite the bullet and get it replaced.

 

I wondered if anyone has any good/bad companies to be aware of?

 

I have looked on google and the first place I tried (www.carhoodsdirect.co.uk) quoted £750 fitted. My dad used www.carhood.com to replace the roof on his Boxster and they are quoting £850.

 

Another was asking for £1500+VAT!

 

My accountants brain is telling me to use the cheapest one just wanted to check to see if anyone had a really good recomendation or has had a bad experience with them.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Pete

[Floydbax]

There's this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251360625971?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648 one been on Ebay for a while - they might be open to offers by now, then you can sell me your tired old one for a couple of hundred for my project and it will work out cheaper.

[pcw1982]

Thanks for that, but it sounds very expensive not fitted so I think I'll give that one a miss.

 

But you are welcome to the old roof when it comes off, I'm not sure how they get it off without damaging though? But assuming its still useable you can have it for the cost of postage, wouldn't feel right selling it in poor condition.

[Floydbax]

That would be awesome, I am only after the frame and the front connection bar so the cloth bit is of no consequence. I assume it's not difficult to remove the hood if you know what you're doing, I expect they just re-cover the old frame though at the places you sent the links to. Let me know here how you're progressing, I'm always up for a road trip to pick it up if it is available, or pay the postage (and a few beer tokens for the exchange). My hood is also getting a little tatty so I'm interested to know how you get on for the future.

[pcw1982]

Floydbax, sorry we've crossed wires here, I am only looking to replace the fabric part!

 

Sorry to get your hopes up.

[Floydbax]

Yeah I guessed that no worries, still let me know how you progress please as like I said mine will need doing sooner rather than later. It would probably be useful to other roadster owners here on the forum to know the result.

[Ekona]

What do they replace? The material, the frame, the mechanism?

[Floydbax]

Ekona, that's a good question, having read the blurb on both the sites pcw1982 got quotes from it sounds like they supply and fit a complete new unit whereas I has assumed they just re-covered the original one. This https://www.carhoodsdirect.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=2605 site looks as if they do the re-covering (I guess as it's so much cheaper). There's a link on the american Z forum somewhere for a DIY re-cover, I can't seem to find it ATM.

[Ekona]

If it were me, and going from experience with other vehicles, I'd go for a material and frame replacement at the least. Less things to go wrong.

[pcw1982]

The quotes I have had have been for just the replacement fabric and fitting.

 

I spoke with my local Nissan garage ad they quoted £8k to replace the whole thing, I'm sure that can be well beaten by may but my car probably isn't worth £8k so even a great price will be stupidly high in comparison.

 

They advised that so long as I got them to lube everything as they went replacing the fabric was I needed so the £750 from carhoodsdirect seems quite good.

[Floydbax]

Give these https://www.carhoodsdirect.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=2605 guys a call for a quote, they seem cheaper.

[Ricey]

The quotes I have had have been for just the replacement fabric and fitting.

 

I spoke with my local Nissan garage ad they quoted £8k to replace the whole thing, I'm sure that can be well beaten by may but my car probably isn't worth £8k so even a great price will be stupidly high in comparison.

 

They advised that so long as I got them to lube everything as they went replacing the fabric was I needed so the £750 from carhoodsdirect seems quite good.

 

8.......k.

 

Do these morons live in the real world!

[Ekona]

That's about right for OEM replacement. Bearing in mind they will probably have to take the entire thing including mechanical mechanism at a whole unit from Nissan, I don't think that's unreasonable.

[Ricey]

That's about right for OEM replacement. Bearing in mind they will probably have to take the entire thing including mechanical mechanism at a whole unit from Nissan, I don't think that's unreasonable.

 

8k for a hood on a 25k (new) car? Give me a break

 

Unless you mean its only 'right' on the basis if what dealers have conditioned us to expect.

 

It's ever in a month of Sundays even close to the actual cost of parts and labour required.

 

 

[Ekona]

Try and build the car from OEM spares for £25K. It'll come out around the £50K mark without labour, so £8K is about right.

 

I didn't say it was good value, but it's not a million miles away from what I would consider fair.

[Ricey]

Try and build the car from OEM spares for £25K. It'll come out around the £50K mark without labour, so £8K is about right.

 

I didn't say it was good value, but it's not a million miles away from what I would consider fair.

 

If it not good value then how is it fair? That basically means a vandal attack on a soft top makes the car a write off.

 

Robbing gits.

[Ekona]

Not good value compared with a secondhand roof or having the frame and material replaced, but fair considering it's brand-new OEM stuff including the mech with the warranty that goes with that.

[pcw1982]

The cost is mad but I guess the fabric plus frame plus motor mechanism plus fitting is going to cost a lot.

 

Fortunately I only need the fabric part so will 'only' cost about £750 and about half of that is labour so not too bad.

[choptop]

I remember not that long ago someone was selling a complete roof unit brand new for £150.00

 

Just goes to show how supply and demand can make a difference to what something costs.

 

Just as an idea,have you tried contacting some of the MX5 roof replacement specialists? They may be able to help for a lot less.

Edited November 9, 2013 by choptop

[zzzzz]

I am interested to hear how you get on. I am sure there was a previous post where somebody recommended the car hood warehouse in Chessington. Maybe they will match the other quote ?

[Keyser]

Mrs Keyser's roadster is a CAT D due to the roof being cut open so they could steal a handbag - the Nissan quote was over £9K to repair so it got written off.

 

Cost less than £2k to source a new roof from a breaker and have it fitted, we got a cheap roadster

Edited November 10, 2013 by Keyser

[Meeerrrk]

Did you ever get this done, interested in your findings and experience ?

[Meeerrrk]

Hey guys, I went to this place today http://www.carhood.com car hood warehouse in Chessington.

 

These guys really know their cabriolets !

 

I had a black mohair roof fitted to my girlfriends 350z roadster by them. It's 100% better than the original, I'm so pleased with the look and the quality.

 

If your roof is damaged, tatty or has a bodged repair (like in our case) then don't put it off, give them a call.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Meeerrrk

[Ekona]

How much?

[R35LEE]

Any pics of the roof too?