10 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHas anyone installed the SmartTOP for 996 cabrio?
Leading reported evidence
Check manual, and it specifically says
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
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 performed work without a confirmed outcome
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.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I checked the manual, and it specifically says under "Preconditions for operation of the convertible top...With the rocker switch:
Leading evidence: 'Check manual, and it specifically says' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check manual, and it specifically says' (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.
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.
10 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261027T044418Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I'm thinking of getting the SmartTOP for my 996 cabrio:
https://smarttop.uk/product/smarttop...nvertible-996/
It should allow one-press opening closing, as well as remote closing that also closes the windows, and allow for closing with the ignition off. Has anyone got any experience with these? Interested to know how reliable they are and whether they're a DIY install job.
I have one in my Miata. Easy to install.
Whenever anyone asks about buying one, my standard comment is that it's way too much money for what it does...until you buy one and realize how cheap it is versus the convenience. Do it!
Same here, I installed my SmartTOP as soon as I got my 996 Cab ~15 yrs ago and really liked it. Best feature is being able to open/close soft-top while car still moving (<35mph, I think). Also it's an easy DIY, just put the top in Service-mode by manually opening the top mid-way up to allow you to unlatch the 2 cable-tension holding the rear part. Anyway just follow the SmartTOP detailed installation instructions or just watch their YouTube video, you will like it... Good-luck. Cheers,
I keep reading about being able to operate the top while still moving. When I bought the car, the PO told me it had to be stopped. I read about SmartTop and thought it sounded great, and started testing everything to see if I was lucky enough to have had one of the PO install it, and the last one just didn't know about it.
Well the keyfob didn't do it, and there was not one-touch operation, but I could open and close it while moving. I checked the manual, and it specifically says under "Preconditions for operation of the convertible top...With the rocker switch:
The speed must be below 30mph (50km/h). If this maximum speed is exceeded, the opening/closing procedure of the convertible top will be interrupted."
That means the advantages are even fewer...albeit no less desirable.
Porsche made the change to allow opening and closing at low speed sometime in the 2002 model year. I have a 2002 cab that doesn’t have the capability - I have to have the parking brake on - but my owners manual says I can do it. 2002s also supposedly had the manual emergency frunk release inside the frunk, but mine doesn’t have that either.
The part I would be interested in is the one-touch operation, and I think someone did that too, but it's more complicated.
I'm just not coordinated enough to put my seatbelt on with my left hand while holding the button with my right.
I just installed mine a few days ago. The remote functionality took some practice for me to perfect. And I still get the timing wrong every now and then. But it's a really cool system. Glad I bought it. There's a way to change the programming of the module while it's installed in the car without hooking it up to your computer, but on my 996.1 it seems much different than what the instructions stated and I couldn't get it to work. So any programming I'll have to remove the module I think.
This is a source reference. Confirm exact model applicability in the original material.
