5.0 out of 5 stars Take pics of disassembly and add just a couple of test staples just enough to hold in place and test
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2018
Perfect one piece convertible top! Great material. I used stainless staples which are more expensive but worth adding that extra protection. Spoke with seller on this product very helpful and courteous, a pleasure to deal with! Thank you! The top fit perfect without any wrinkles. Take your time installing and mark where you’re old top was placed at, take pictures to reference if needed this will help you on the reinstall.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2018
UPDATE 6/7/2018 - I've now had the top on the car for a few weeks and been through some VERY rainy weather. I am glad to report that the top does not leak when parked or driving speeds from in
town to interstate highway even in very heavy driving rain.
<end of update>
I installed this top on my 2000 Sebring convertible and thought I'd post a review. I can't speak to the durability yet, but the fit and installation was great. I didn't give it a fifth star because I didn't find any instructions in the box. I was a professional auto mechanic for 15 years, but left that field a couple of decades ago. I've never installed a convertible top before, and only done a few upholstery
related jobs in my lifetime. I was able to install it in one evening. Including time for glue to set, it took me about 4 hours. Read on for how I did it. I writing this the next morning, and so I might miss a step or two, so use this as a guide, not necessarily as perfect instructions.
Tools I found useful in the process were:
Drill with 5/16" drill bit
swivel sockets (1/2" or 13mm, 8mm)
Torx bits and driver (star bits to some people)
Contact cement for gluing the front of the top
on
Phillips screw drivers #1 and #2
Door panel removal tool to help re-inserting the weather stripping (you could probably substitute a butter knife)
Razor knife to help with removing the old top
Foam paint brush for applying contact cement (2" wide)
2' long piece of 1" pvc pipe for propping up the top, you could substitute a box, bucket or whatever. It's helpful to have a couple of sizes.
Pop rivets and tool. You need one pop rivet for each side, but should have a couple
extra. I think mine were 1/8" or 3/16"
Pliers for pulling the old top away from where it has been glued
Side cutters for removing staples from the front edge of the frame and the flanges at the rear of the top.
Before you start
Roll all the windows down completely. Place the new top in the sun to soften it up and make it easier to work with.
Removal
I started with the front. Unlatch the top, raise it at least a foot, and prop it up with the pipe. Remove the Torx screws
across the front, and the flange that they hold in place. Peel the cloth part of the top away from the front edge of the frame. Use the razor knife and cut the old top along the cable on each side so that you can fold the front edge of the top back revealing the first cross bar. Remove the screw from the middle of the cross bar (use the #1 Phillips) Pull the plastic runner out of the groove in the crossbar (you may need to grab the plastic runner with pliers). Fold the top back to reveal the
second crossbar and repeat the process.
Gently pull the weatherstrip that meets the back edge of the back window away from the frame starting at the bottom. Remove the three Phillips screws, then remove weatherstrip frame to the top frame and peel away the part of the cloth top that was tucked under the weather strip frame. Do this on both sides.
Climb into the back seat and remove the screws holding the elastic for the inner headliner to the frame on the sides of the back seat. Pull the
headliner away from the Velcro on the top so that you can cut the top without cutting the headliner.
Fold the top back again, revealing the last crossbar, and pull the plastic runner out of the groove like you did on the other two. There was no screw in the third crossbar on my car. Cut the old top from one side to the other along the bottom window leaving enough for you to pull the top away from the back after you remove the flanges. Using the 1/2" or 13mm socket, remove the nuts and the
flanges holding back edge of the top to the car frame. Pull the flanges and top away from the frame, remove the old top from the flanges.
Before installing the new top
Make sure that the top is propped open far enough for there to be slack in the two cables, then unbolt the Torx holding the spring at the rear end of the cable to the frame. Carefully drill out the rivet holding the front of the cable to the frame. Note that you may need to remove some of the weatherstrip to access the
rivet.Remove any staples from the rear flanges and front frame.
Installation
Lay the new top on the car, Fold the back window portion forward exposing the plastic runner for the rear crossbar. Push the plastic runner into the crossbar, making sure it is centered. Unfold the back window portion, laying it into its normal position, and fold the front portion of the top back to the middle crossbar. Insert the plastic runner into the crossbar, and center it. Install the screw in the
crossbar. Follow this same procedure for the front crossbar.
Climb into the back seat, place the holes in the rear edge of the top over the studs, then place the flange over the studs and bolt it down. I found it helpful to start on one side, and work my way across putting the nuts on finger tight, only tightening once they were all started.
Thread the cables through the runners on each side, small (rivet) end first from the rear to the front. I inserted a straightened out coat hanger from
the front until it came out the back and taped the rivet end of the cable to the coat hanger and pulled it through. Rivet the front end of the cable to the frame. Bolt the spring end of the cable to the frame. Pop rivet the front of the cable to the frame.
Paint the underside of the front edge of the top frame and the front 2" of the bottom side of the top with contact cement. Follow the instructions for the cement. Mine were to let the cement dry until tacky, then afix the two surfaces. I
folded the front edge of the top over, and then reattached the flange with the Torx screws. I then removed the prop, closed and latched the top to let the glue dry for about 30 minutes.
While the glue was drying, I reinstalled the weatherstrip frames at the back of the quarter windows, and reattached the headliner elastics.
5/27/2018 - The top has been on for a couple of days, and yesterday I observed the the 2" velcro across the top of the back window became loose and fell off. I had to glue it back on. This would be worthy of a return, however it is TOO much work to remove the top for return/replacement. I'm also finding that the two pleats along the top of the windows through which the cable goes, don't seem to pull in under the top like they should.
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2022
No instructions, but youtube it. Easy to install, just take your time. And the material is nice. Was expecting thin crap for the price, but I was wrong. Perfect fit as well.
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2018
i recommend having it installed by a professional or at least someone who has the knowledge & tools for a project like this. if it leaks, the cause is most likely poor installation....i knew i didn't trust myself. old high mileage cars are tough because there is a limit to how much is worth spending to keep them on the road. my biggest challenge was finding a professional that would intall a part that i bought myself. the guy who installed it asked me where i got it. he thought it was really good quality for an economical unit like this & he posted a picture on his website after he completed the job. the intallation was done well. the car is sealed up. he said there was no information included with it. he was still able to complete the job in 3 hours since he has the background in auto roofing. it's holding up in noreasters. he cautioned me to carefully use an ice scraper in the winter because plastic is more at risk for cracking in freezing temperatures & it doesn't heat up as easily as glass. i have a small heated electric ice scraper so i hope that will be a good solution. i'm very pleased with this cost effective roof. it's the perfect solution for an old car with a roof leak. i got it for a good price, found an affordable installation, and it allows me to go out worry free again in wet weather.
5.0 out of 5 stars economical way to extend the life of an old car - perfect fit for my 2006 chrysler sebring gtc
By L. Schopf on October 27, 2018
i recommend having it installed by a professional or at least someone who has the knowledge & tools for a project like this. if it leaks, the cause is most likely poor installation....i knew i didn't trust myself. old high mileage cars are tough because there is a limit to how much is worth spending to keep them on the road. my biggest challenge was finding a professional that would intall a part that i bought myself. the guy who installed it asked me where i got it. he thought it was really good quality for an economical unit like this & he posted a picture on his website after he completed the job. the intallation was done well. the car is sealed up. he said there was no information included with it. he was still able to complete the job in 3 hours since he has the background in auto roofing. it's holding up in noreasters. he cautioned me to carefully use an ice scraper in the winter because plastic is more at risk for cracking in freezing temperatures & it doesn't heat up as easily as glass. i have a small heated electric ice scraper so i hope that will be a good solution. i'm very pleased with this cost effective roof. it's the perfect solution for an old car with a roof leak. i got it for a good price, found an affordable installation, and it allows me to go out worry free again in wet weather.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2021
Want a five, send some sort of directions on how to install things you'll need to do it yourself. Otherwise after figuring out what I needed and where to start it's fairly easy to do.
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2021
Internet said 10 hour plus install! I had it done in under three not knowing what I’m doing!
Things to know:
1. You need a stapler gun for the back piece.
2. You need self sealing tar tape. Like for your roof. Why? It takes pressure points away
from the top convertible bars so it doesn’t poke a hole in them. You might think it’s so it sticks but not really!
Other than that, have fun getting it through the cross members because it’s a bitch.
Cheers!
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2019
Even simple instructions would be nice. They have cut marker on the edge to indicate where brackets end/start. I didn't see that until half way through so it would have been nice. That said, I believe it was much easier than the Chrysler parts.
*** This is a difficult replacement***
Take pictures of every screw and bracket before you take it off. I mean everything. You will thank me later. Also find videos of replacements.
One person
mentioned it is thinner. It is but I was thankful as it made the install easier.
It was worth the trouble.
Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021
Great quality and fit ! It does not include two seatbelts material supports underneath
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2020
I done this sort of install before so I am experienced. It went on well I had no problems. If its your first time doing this sort of install request the instructions if you have the option from the seller and check the net for an install video and watch it a few times if you find one it should help with the install.