Bought a 2000 Boxster S
 

I've been on this forum for years messing around with my 964, 951 and 944. Sold the 951 and 944 and a silver on red Boxster S came into my radar and now it's in my garage. Car is in good shape, no rust, had ims bearing done, transmission swap (2nd and 5th gears was stripped? - not sure of the proper description) with new clutch so that concern is no longer. Car drives nice, is a US car from North East US and then made its way across the border and now in Toronto area. Perfect car for 8 months of winter!! I've rebuilt my 3.6 litre a few times, swapped turbo out of 951, did water pump, oil cooler and timing belt swap on the 944. So I have goofed around with these car quite a lot. Mainly out of my home garage and the rare visit to the local shop ie: recent 4 wheel alignment for the 964.

Only thing this boxster needs is a new rear window so looking for repair and/or new red top with glass. Also a new head unit with bluetooth connectivity (so that everyone can hear your conversation ?!?)

Looking forward to wrenching a bit on this car.. and, uh.. where is the engine and how to access? only from bottom?

Search, the answers are out there...

Honestly just replace the entire top. I’m about to replace my Miata top. In the next 18 months, my Boxster top will get replaced too. It had a window replacement but it’ll never be as good as a new top.

Had the original plastic window in my Boxster's top replaced. Lasted a few years - more than a few -- then the top developed a leak. I had an auto shop replace the factory top with one from GAHH. The GAHH top as near as I could tell was of the same high quality as the factory top only way less expensive. I elected to stay with the plastic rear window. The top with the glass window has a different shape, the glass window is smaller located in a slightly different position and the glass window makes putting the top in the service position a problem.

Get the Bentley manual for the Boxsters.

You can do some things -- little things like some fluid servicing from above with the top in the service position and the engine covers removed, but the bulk of the servicing is done from under the car. Get a portable lift.

Yep, a portable lift like a Quickjack is worth its weight in gold. A lot of servicing on the motor is going to be through the wheel wells, not exactly 'underneath'.

There's a guy named 'Burner' with a bunch of really great Boxster maintenance YouTube videos.

Many research indicates the same - a new top is normally recommended, as trying to work with an existing top is not cheap or easy. Apparently, the original tops are no longer made or easy to find. Pretty much all tops are aftermarket, and none of them are as perfect as the originals.

Been a few years since I had by Boxster's top replaced and I was expecting to be disappointed with the replacement top, from GAHH, but a check of the new top with the old top off the car the top guy and myself had a chance to look over the GAHH top and we were impressed with its quality. Maybe GAHH tops have suffered a quality drop off and my experience is out of date and no longer valid.

What I don't know because I didn't keep the car but just a few years after I had the top replaced is how long/how well the GAHH top would have held up compared to the factory top.

The factory still had tops but the price... Oh my! Over $3K -- not installed -- and even with a discount which dropped the price to around $2600 still way too much. The Porsche techs advised me to have whichever top I bought installed at a highly regarded auto upholstery shop which fortunately there was one in the next town over about 10 miles away.

we buy at autotops direct and have never had a problem, should cost about 400 to install (that is what we charge to give you an idea) the top has to be removed anyway to sew in a window, so just not worth it, I think that auto tops direct charges 495 for a new boxster top

Well no the top does not always have to come off the frame to sew in a new window if (and a big if) the shop has the right equipment.

Maurice (who has helped do lots of tops up in the NE for friends) has posted a series of articles here about replacing and fixing tops.

I replaced the top on mine, it took forever and I still haven't gotten it quite right. If I were to do it again, I'd get a junkyard glass window top w/ frame.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...f149d2c442.jpg

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...6d1ea41627.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...11cf87e2e5.png
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...1397c6230f.jpg

Thanks for the advice. Here's some pic of the recent with mix of rims.. my oem boxster rims are severely bent and twisted (irreparable) on one and other has major dent... have a set of turbo twists coming

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...64a438921e.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...65b27b4769.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...7bb6b9ff2e.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...d9865925dd.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...21cedad71c.jpg
here's the before and after of the window repair. removed the top and figured i would need the practice to reinstall so i did and it's water tight and works well.

Took to marine guy who has the plastic and able to stitch over existing and cut off original... cost $100 Cdn. Clear, UV resistant, Supple and most important... water proof - been through a few rain storms..

Alex

did you used to ride a VFR?

Anyways, I also just replaced the roof on my 2001 Boxster S. It wasn't quite as bad as yours, but I decided to go with a Sierra top with glass window from autotops direct. got it shipped to Niagara Falls NY and then picked it up from there. Ended up costing me about $800 cdn after taxes and conversion.

boxster roof restretched

1st attempt - roof

petee, i belonged to vfr club looooong time ago and never did own one. rode my buddy's a few times.. i was always cbr600 street, track and now dirt bikes only... looking for r6 to get back on track.. if ya know what i mean...

the $100 fix has been fine. no leaks, no flapping about, clear, no discoloring, tight and... mostly in the down position.. ... some extra hardware from the removal/install which is normal for me... i call it german over engineering!!