993 Cabriolet- lots of cars with replaced tops!
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
993 Cabriolet- lots of cars with replaced tops!
I'm starting to look at low mileage (<40K) 993 cabriolets...these cars tend to be very clean/ garaged for whole life sorts of weekend cars. That said, I seem to notice a relatively high % with "recent new tops". My guess is one of the cables gets out of whack and the owner keeps the top moving to it's self-destruction being as there is no other reason a garaged car with such low mileage should need a new top! Is this simply something that is happing more now as the 993s age? I had a 1993 964 cab that I sold about 5 years ago...I know I was always watching when the top was moving down or up to make sure everything was moving correctly, ready to stop the top immediately if something looked funny- is the button to control the convertible on the 993 still something you hold down and can take your finger off to stop the process if something is wrong vs a button you push and helplessly watch if something is wrong?
I know the 993 convertible top is a little different than the 964 (I like the looks of the 964/3.2 top better when up than the 993, but splitting hairs here). Are the mechanical parts that make the top go up and down the same for both the 993 and the 964?
I also know once I find the right car I will tend to limit the up and down cycles of the top (i.e. in the summer season the top may be down for a couple of months before going up to wash the car or whatnot)- the 911 power top system isn't as robust as say my wife's '06 330 convertible for example, which we put the top up and down more frequently (but it is garaged so it's not like we change the top position daily on that car even).
Good to be getting back in the Rennlist fold here- this is my first initiated post in years (of course I used to be in the 964 section vs 993 section )!
-Andrew
I know the 993 convertible top is a little different than the 964 (I like the looks of the 964/3.2 top better when up than the 993, but splitting hairs here). Are the mechanical parts that make the top go up and down the same for both the 993 and the 964?
I also know once I find the right car I will tend to limit the up and down cycles of the top (i.e. in the summer season the top may be down for a couple of months before going up to wash the car or whatnot)- the 911 power top system isn't as robust as say my wife's '06 330 convertible for example, which we put the top up and down more frequently (but it is garaged so it's not like we change the top position daily on that car even).
Good to be getting back in the Rennlist fold here- this is my first initiated post in years (of course I used to be in the 964 section vs 993 section )!
-Andrew
#2
Welcome to the 993 fold and good luck with your search! I'm not sure what the breakdown is between original-top cars and cars that have had new tops put on. Let's keep in mind that the youngest 993's at this point are 16 years old. Even with relatively low mileage,proper storage,etc. a 16+ year old top is simply going to need replacing at some point. My car is a good example. I've had it 2 1/2 years, I've put 5k miles on it (63k now), it's always garaged and most of the time covered in the garage with the top up. Supposedly it is the original top (doubtful) and in the time I've owned the car, I can see degradation in the top material and I am looking to get it replaced this spring. So personally, I wouldn't think twice about buying a car with a replaced top-likely a value add in my opinion. There's nothing I'm aware of with the 993 tops that would make them less durable than the 964 tops. The switch is the same-you can stop the top midway to check and see if everything is going right-I do the same thing.
#4
Drifting
I've had my 993 cab for about 3 years. My top was replaced when I bought it. Unfortunately, when I bought it, I drove from TX to WI with the top down the whole trip only to find that the headliner separated from the top's frame. I leaned from Rennlist that you should always use the boot cover. That's the biggest issue I have now with putting the top down. It takes time to put the boot cover on and I rarely lower the top now. I've spent some time observing the wear points and what I can surmise, in addition to stopping the headliner from flapping in the wind, it also stops the tops frame from movement. This is the biggest concern in my opinion. There are some specific wear points in the top. The most noticeable is where the top folds right above the rear window. If the top's folding action is not adjusted correctly, the top can actually create a hole in the two sides by rubbing on its own canvas in the fold. Now, with all this said, there's nothing like a drive on a hot summer evening with the top down. I've read that the tops last 5-7 years and then they'll need replacement. I'm ok with that.
#5
My original top lasted 14 years before the fabric just started to simply split. The plastic window seems to age faster than the fabric. Hard to beat a fresh top. Gives the car a facelift and it appears new again.
#6
Burning Brakes
I had a 911 SC ('83) for 24 years with original top. It was up maybe a dozen times, never driven in the rain. When I sold the car the top was still good. Just put a cotton towel between the folds when down. But a top that is regularly converted (up-down-up ...) will have to be replaced regularly. Assume it is like tires.
#7
I had a 911 SC ('83) for 24 years with original top. It was up maybe a dozen times, never driven in the rain. When I sold the car the top was still good. Just put a cotton towel between the folds when down. But a top that is regularly converted (up-down-up ...) will have to be replaced regularly. Assume it is like tires.
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#8
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My garaged '95 with 38k miles is due for the original top to be replaced. It has a couple small spots where it naturally creases when down that are splitting. Has been like this for a while, so I expect the next one to last ~15 years given the same conditions. That would also point to why similar 993s are about due for tops in the last few years.
#10
Rennlist Member
The main reason for the 993 top being replace is because of the elastic band being supbar and cause the worn spots on either sides . There is a frame piece on a hinge that folds back when the top goes down two elastic bands provide the force to pull this piece back. Its function is to push the fabric toward the back of the car so that it does not get caught on two pins (one on each side) that are part of the frame. When the elastic wears out, this frame arm doesn't get pulled back, and the top fabric rests between two parts of the folded frame with the pin firmly against the fabric.
Cheers Guy
Cheers Guy
#11
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I know they changed the top for the 993, and I'm wondering if it is simply not as durable as the 964. I don't remember as many 964's stating they had new tops but maybe I wasn't paying attention? My 964 was ~13 years old with 27K miles on the car when I sold it and the original top was as new. I always used the boot (as much as a pain it is, to me the car really looks nicer with the boot on and it protects the internals from dust and such).
I did have to replace one of the electric motors that latches the top above the windshield over the 6 or so years I owned it, and maybe did a cable (I don't remember now), but never any issues with the top canvass or internals as far as wearing. The rear window had some scratching as I didn't do the towel in the fold thing, but nothing too bad.
It's not an issue to me if a 993 I'm looking to buy has a replacement top (as long as it's OEM or the same as OEM and properly installed/adjusted), I was just wondering why I see so many lower mileage 993s with tops either just replaced, or replaced "in the past 2-3 years"...
I did have to replace one of the electric motors that latches the top above the windshield over the 6 or so years I owned it, and maybe did a cable (I don't remember now), but never any issues with the top canvass or internals as far as wearing. The rear window had some scratching as I didn't do the towel in the fold thing, but nothing too bad.
It's not an issue to me if a 993 I'm looking to buy has a replacement top (as long as it's OEM or the same as OEM and properly installed/adjusted), I was just wondering why I see so many lower mileage 993s with tops either just replaced, or replaced "in the past 2-3 years"...
#12
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter