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Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHow difficult is it to install the hard top?
Leading reported evidence
Check with your dealer
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
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0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
I think this might just be for 2002+ cars but double check with your dealer to make sure -- you may have to install some hardware on the car to accept the hardtop.
Leading evidence: 'Check with your dealer' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check with your dealer' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
If your hardtop is older (pre '02) I also recommend replacing the mounting assembly with then newer Teflon coated ones which reduces rattles.
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Check with your dealer
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
I think this might just be for 2002+ cars but double check with your dealer to make sure -- you may have to install some hardware on the car to accept the hardtop.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
9 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
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0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T175704Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I have a 99 C4 Cab and am considering purchasing a hard top. For those of you who do have the hard top, how difficult is it to install (how much time, any special tools required, etc.) Also, when you use the hard tom I assume you simply leave the soft top down (as opposed to removing it). Is this correct? If so do you have any worries about leaving your soft top down for months at a time?
It is a light top (73#) but it is a 2 person job unless you have a top hoist installed in your garage. My wife helps me and the total install time is less than 5 minutes.
The directions are in your owner's manual. Just make sure you get the tool with the top (or buy it). Looks like an allen wrench with a red plastic flat tip on the other end. The plastic flat tip is used to remove the decorative plastic bolt covers and the allen wrench side is used to secure the top down.
With the plastic rear window when putting the softtop down for the last time before installing the hardtop, stop it halfway and make sure the window folds nice (karate chop), then put an old tee-shirt or something in there so the two surfaces aren't rubbing on each other.
Hey Bill, I agree with Dell and Rob that the hardtop install is really easy but it does require 2 people.
I've read other posts though that said some cabriolets ordered with the "hardtop delete" option from the factory don't have the hardware on the car to mount the hardtop. I think this might just be for 2002+ cars but double check with your dealer to make sure -- you may have to install some hardware on the car to accept the hardtop.
After '02 all cabriolets with hardtop delete option were delivered without the mounting hardware installed. You have to order the parts (about $300 or so) and screw the mounting brackets into the rear aluminum support structure behind the back seats. It takes about an hour and is not too difficult. If your hardtop is older (pre '02) I also recommend replacing the mounting assembly with then newer Teflon coated ones which reduces rattles. There is a TSB on this upgrade on renntech.org.
