Weird Wiring of the cabby roof ...

[kevinshally]

So, after the saga of the bodywork,respray, windscreen and now the roof electrics going barmy I think it's all ok.
So, I go down to collect the car and put the roof down. I'm driving, and I think the heavens are going to open so I stop, position 1, roof up, roof up, please roof up!!! No joy.
Race back to garage. From there we all go to the electrics shop.
They have completely rewired the way the roof works and showed me the "new way".
Rather than having the engine off and set to position 1, the roof will now work only when the key is at position 2 or more.
This means that I can put the roof up and down while driving or while sitting at the lights, yet I won't have to trun off the engine. The electrics guy thought that most modern cars work like this anyway so he "fixed" mine.
Now, is this a good thing or a bad thing?

Kev

 

[Guest]

Sounds like a good thing - As long as the Mrs doesn't hit the button when you're pushing 90 in the outside lane!!!

 

[Fen]

I always had the intention of wiring mine up like that but never did. It should still have a sensor that stops it working above a certain speed (6mph/10kmh?) which would help if the button got accidentally pushed while driving. That said it's the sort of thing that should be done at the owner's request rather than the whim of the bodyshop. If I were looking to buy the car and spotted it was not "right" I'd wonder why. I honestly don't know if it would put me off or not, but I doubt an explanation involving "bodyshop" would make me feel better about it.

 

[kevinshally]

I agree. Luckily there are the two latches which keep the roof in place so pressing the button at 90 won't be an issue.
If the roof is not bolted down it swings up after 40 or so (as I found out last week as well).
After all is said and done I'm glad of the new fix. In Dublin, sitting at lights I never liked racing against the green light to have the bolts in place and everything. Now I can aford to start putting it up or down while rolling to a sopt or rolling away form the lights.
I'm going to call it a "new additional feature" and if I ever decide that The Bull McCabe needs to be sold then I'm sure it will help it.

Kev.

 

[Fen]

I agree. My immobiliser would kick in if I wasn't as quick as could be on the roof button and that meant keys out to plug the dongle in the centre console to cancel it. It's amazing how long that takes with a queue of people behind you.[]

 

[mik_ok]

Sounds like "a good thing" to me too as you avoid putting unnecessary load on the battery (particularly given the 944's reputation for eating them).

I too would have preffered that they told me in advance though [&:]

 

[Diver944]

I think it's a good thing. Now run straight back to the bodyshop and give them an extra £100 for being so nice. 996 Cab and Boxster owners have to pay well over that to have their roofs 'fixed'.

It may be worth testing the 6mph sensor to see if you do have another safeguard []

 

[944turboS]

Kev,
Can you please find out exactly what was done & post this upgrade for us other cabriolet owners.
Thanks

 

[Big Dave]

Ive done this mod to my cabrio...
BUT it doesnt work if the car is moving ..
The roof can be put up or down when the engine is either running or not..BUT not while moving...
All i had to do was either, cut off one of the terminals on the roof relay or just blank it off with some insulation tape....EASY.
Cant remember which terminal though....I did it about 18months ago....