Convertible top installations are by far the most difficult upholstery tasks that a trimmer can take on. If you do your home work and evaluate the project for potential problems before you accept it as a project, you can save yourself a lot of grief.

In my opinion from the many of tops that I have installed over my lifetime career, I can say that Volkswagen Beetle tops are the most difficult. I wish they were explained in the convertible top book.

check the B pillar arms for cracking before you get to into it

The key is to make the rear section fit as it should, centre the window and pull it hard around the bar to get the lip over the body. Then deal with the front, just be carful not to over tighten it front and back or it will be a bitch to shut, also if it’s been messed about with in the past they have a habit of breaking the frames! make sure it all works as it should before you fit or your be in a world of pain! Good lick

I don't enjoy doing the Mercedes CLK where the top has to slip down along the side of the reuseable rear hard glass in back.

Pad the hours that are listed in the book for most convertibles and buy high quality tops. We get very few comebacks.

Do most of you charge a higher hour rate for convertibles?

G.M. Scissor tops. Especially on northern cars where rust is an issue.

Defiantly the GM Scissor Top.
We only do them if everything is replaced.
As far as hourly rate we charge $25 per hour more for convertibles.

I do. And i charge more for foreign cars than I do domestic.

Our hourly rate for convertibles is $100 per hour, and we do pad the flat rate for cars that are known to be a pain. Remember, the customer is paying for your expertise and experience comes at a cost. If it was easy they would do it themselves. That said, we only install what we sell. If they buy it off the internet to save a buck, they can install it themselves. Our reputation is at stake so we must stay in control of the quality of materials that we use.

I've done my share of convertibles over the years. Even the easy ones have a surprise, or unexpected issue to deal with. If I had to pick the hardest one, it would have to be the recent Audi. I changed the top and headliner on one recently. The only way I could do it was to take many pictures, extensive notes, and really pay attention. I have done several more since, with no problems, but I really earned my $ on the first one. I basically ended up with a shop manual, on what to do, in the proper sequence, and what to look out for. I took about 50 pictures, before, during ,and after; and the digital camera and notebook were the most important tools on the job.

Je remplace beaucoup de capote de cabriolet surtout depuis que les lunettes en verres sont collées à la toile. Celle que j'aime le moins est ma VW Golf I à cause du câble arrière.

Scissor Top

got mine two days ago been doing tops 40+ years but theres something to learn,this fits the bill, thanks THE CAPTAIN!!