Need Help and Advice re Dealer

As some of you may remember, back in July of last year, my garage door broke and fell on my cab, requiring some minor body work and a new top. I fought for several days with the insurance company to replace the top with an original top from Porsche and was eventually successful (it was significantly more expensive). I got my car back last August and was very unhappy about the distortion in the rear window, but the dealer said it was nornal (original 8 y/o window was perfect). There was also a "bump" around the window where the adhesive was inserted (not too bad, but not the same as the original). Then about a month ago (car was not driven much in the winter) I noticed the rear window and top were separating. I brought the car back to the dealer and they said the window was defective and needed to be replaced. I made an appointment, brought it in and they replaced the window, again. The following morning, same thing, different location, the window was separating from the top. Brought the car back and dropped it off, dealer decided to send the car out for repair to a custom trim shop. Dealer mentioned that this was causing some issues on their side due to the repeat work. I finally get the car back last night, only to find the rear window stitched in. I am not used to seeing stitching, it just doesn't look right, and they never bothered to ask me if this was acceptable. What does everyone think? Also, when I got my car back it was filthy (It was just washed the night before I dropped it off). So dusty that I did not even want to put the top down for the first time of the year on the way home. There were hand prints inside the car, dirt and material on the seats and floor, and the headliner was covered in white threads (maybe plastic from the window stitching). Thanks!

I think you've said it all about their sense of quality of work--both relating to the installation and the solution. The question is, what do you do next? If this reflects their sense of pride in their work, then avoiding them in the future seems reasonable. If the trim shop made an industry-accepted repair, then there may be little you can do but pay for a different one yourself--even though the specific aesthetics of the repair are not appealing to you. Maybe others have better ideas, but I don't see any avenue for resolution that doesn't require a lot of time and/or expense. You could take it by one or two trim or top shops to see if the repair is a proper one, or something just cobbled together. One of the shops may be able to propose a solution--but you'd probably have to pay for it. But if the repair is a standard, accepted technique, then the only resolution would be for you to buy another top and have it installed. A lot of money for seeing stitching. But for some people, it would be worth it. Some posts have indicated that some of the aftermarket tops really are of very good quality. I think some would even let you choose a glass rear window. Regardless, it can be maddening to feel like your car, time and money is being commandeered by others who simply couldn't do a good job in the first place.

Wow. What garage/dealership was this? That's incredibly shoddy treatment. The car coming back filthy especially surprises me because most garages - unless their business is based on being cheap - are acutely aware that people notice the appearance first. Marks on the seat, dirt in the floormats, dust in the interior, fingerprints on the body, oil or grease anywhere - these things immediately make people unhappy and create an impression of work badly done. By the way - why didn't you switch to the 2002+ top with the glass rear window? Is it a desire to keep the car original or is it just because the tops aren't compatible?

The 2002+ top doesn't fit older cars. They changed the mechanism of the fold every so slightly to accomodate the smaller glass window. In order to install an aftermkt thirdparty glass rear window, you'd have to go with GAHH and the window is smaller still...like the size of a boxster's.

Does the stitching bother you because the color deviates and it stands out? If so, go over it with a Sharpie (or the appropriate colored marker). Problem solved.

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Thanks guys. I have been trying to find out more about this before I call the dealer back. I called a few other P-car dealers - and they all send their top/trim work out, so I still do not have any idea if this is normal, at least for P-cars. I know the window is supposed to be installed by heating an adhesive, but since they tried twice and failed, I get the feeling that they just gave up, cut their losses, and sewed the window in (leaving a mess behind for me to clean). I know may plastic windows are sewn in on other cars, but I also do not remember the stitching being so obvious either (maybe it's just me). The stitching is black on a black top, so that's not the issue. It just looks, well, different. I will probably be the only one whoever notices, but I do notice. The original top was "clean" looking w/o the stitching

Don, Perhaps you can post a picture of it and other cab owners, who had work done on it before, can chime in on what theirs look like.

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I will post a pic a little later, I did think of that earlier, but my photography skills suck so bad, I figured no one would notice the stitching anyway. But that is a good point, I will give it a shot.

Ok, here is where everyone says a) I need photography lessons, and b) what the heck is wrong with you, it looks fine. It may be that it just doesn't look the same as before that bugs me (coupled with the poor service).

Hate to say it, but it actually looks fine to me. The mess they made of your car is a different story, though. I agree with the previous poster - the condition of your car says a lot about the pride they take in their work and what they think about their customers' cars. Not much you can do about it now, but I'd find someone else to work on my car from now on.

Don - If you do a search of posts here and on the other sites you will see that the separation of the top and window (with the plastic window) is a fairly common problem, and it seems that sewing/stiching the window in place is one of the solutions. The heat/adhesive apparently gives out after awhile. I guess I am lucky as mine is also a 2000 and the window is still holding up. However, on a new top it does seem bad that the top/window has started to separate after less than one year.

Thanks guys. I think that this has a lot to do with the fact that it is a brand new top and window, and the third window since last August (2nd in two weeks). If this was my original top and window that needed to be repaired I would have gone this route, but I had such a battle with the insurance to get an original top from Porsche, I guess I expected it to look "new". It makes me think that they really didn't put much care or effort into it. It really does not look bad, but it's all of the surrounding BS I had to put up with also. The only reason my car went to this dealer in the first place is because they had past experience with this type of work. I actually waited an extra 2 weeks during prime top down weather just so they could do the window (and only the window) originally. This was not the closest dealer to the body shop. As far as the cleanlines of the car, it was pathetic as I mentioned. I had not been able to put my top down since last year, I p/u the car on a 70 deg/sunny day, and can't even put the top down due to the layer of dust and debris on the car, esp the rear window.

Don, I don't own a cab but I did spend 7 years in the fashion industry working with garments. I thought the stitching is uneven. I noticed the inconsistent wavering gap between the window and the stitches. I also don't know where the cab folds in but am wondering why they did not double stitch the back window in. Just my $0.02.

Chsu, I thought the very same thing when I looked at the photos. I would have liked to see much more parallel stiching relative to the rear windows than is evident. If it were me, and fortunately it's not because I don't want the aggravation, I would go back to the dealer and voice my dissatisfaction. Immediately, while it's fresh in both your minds. Then, go to ANOTHER dealer.

The uneven stitching was just the icing. I had an OEM top and window isntalled (for twice the cost) so it would look original and not like it was "repaired". I contacted the body shop that subbed out the work, they are going to try and help by doing a little investigating. They were not happy when I explained the story since they know how particular I am about my car and they told the dealer this beforehand... Like it mattered.