What to do with an unwanted hard top?

[cobnut]

Hi all, I'm hoping to get my first 911 this quarter, changing from a 987 S and at the moment the 997 Carrera S is looking a likely candidate. However, it HAS to be a convertible and while there are quite a few around, many of them come with hard tops and I simply don't have any room for one (and will likely never use it).

So, my question is, how easy is it to sell a hard top on, i.e. is there a decent market in selling these tops? I'm concerned that if the right car comes with a top, I'll end up having it filling the little space I have in the kitchen for the foreseeable!

A follow-up question is, why do so many come with these tops. It's very rare to see Boxsters sold with them, is there a good mechanical/other reason for having one with a 911 (or 997 specific)?

Jon

 

[Terry]

If my memory serves me correctly, hardtops were standard on 996 cabriolets (except C4S models) but it was an option on 997 cabriolets. Consequently you see a lot of 996s with them but normally not many 997s.

If you have seen several 997s with hardtops that would be fairly unusual. Lots of dealers have found that when people collect 996/997s with hardtops they leave the hardtop off and never go back for it!

 

[cobnut]

Thanks Terry. I'll admit I may have some slight "Porsche blindness" having been deciding/searching/deciding/searching for about 5 weeks now. It's quite possible that the majority of the hard tops I'm thinking of were on 996s, not 997s, particularly as I wasn't filtering for that variant in my earlier searches.

Seems like an odd thing to do, to make a hard top standard. Even someone with the cash to buy a 911 brand new doesn't necessarily have a property with space and a garage to store it, perhaps that's why the practice was discontinued on the 997...

Jon

 

[jonathanw]

Hi Jon
When I bought a new 996 cab years ago it came with a hard top. I invested in an Easy Hoist with a remote controlled wired electric hoist which could raise the hard top towards the ceiling of my garage which made it an easy job to raise and lower the top. Without the hoist it is a 2 person job to lift it and then there is the problem of storage.
I have had several cabs since but they came without the hard top as the later models had much more secure convertible tops and were very climate proof with decent rear glass windows.

I still have electric hoist attached to the roof but it is not being used. Would be consider selling it. Also have somewhere a hardtop cover tucked away in my garage.

Rgds

Jonathan

 

[cobnut]

Hi Jonathan, unfortunately, I don't have a garage. If I did, I would have been very interested, so thanks for the thought.

Jon

 

[Geoff_P]

Hi Jon

Terry is correct regarding hardtops on 996s and 997s - I believe the same hard top will fit either model (subject to internal fixings being present on the car)

If you come across the perfect car but it has a hard top perhaps see if the seller will do a deal - reduce the cost of the car a little for you, and let them sell the roof separately.
search a popular online auction website for a 996/997 hardtop and you will find a number of them for sale - this offers a guide to their value.

the same site can come in useful if you find your perfect car has been separated from its wind deflector. Ideally you want to check the deflector and its storage bag is with the car - the bag is shaped to take the folded deflector when not in use. It comes with a velcro strap to allow it to be securely fixed in place in the front boot of the car.
My 997 cab came without a wind deflector but I sourced a genuine Porsche example with bag on the afore mentioned website (the deflector makes a big difference when the roof is down)

i hope you you enjoy your car search and find the perfect car

Geoff