You've searched "How to repair a convertible acme" and you're looking for answers, because your convertible pinnacle has a hole, a tear, or a rip, and you lot want to fix that problem. Cheaply and easily. We sympathise. At TopsOnline, we are passionate nigh two things: helping our customers solve their automotive upholstery bug the right manner, and giving our customers the real, honest information they need to make a wise determination. The same holds true when nosotros're asked past our customers "How can I repair my convertible peak?". And so, although we're in the business concern of selling replacement convertible tops (and other automotive upholstery products), we actually do want to help you. And the but way we can do that is to take a different approach from what you'll commonly find, which are manufactures near how piece of cake it is to repair a convertible tiptop or videos which make it look like hand-stitching, patches and agglutinative will do the chore. But nosotros tin can't in proficient conscience do the same thing and here's why:

Repairing a convertible top is non as easy every bit stitches and patches.

So, please give us 3 minutes to let us share what our experience since 1987 in the industry has taught us. Nosotros get a lot of calls from convertible owners that have tried the repair road and are now set to replace their convertible elevation. If you lot can take the time to larn from our customers' experience, so you lot accept our blessing to go forth and make the decision that's best for you.

Tear in Convertible Top Commencement things first, there are no conventional adhesives which will agree patches on vinyl or wearable convertible top materials. So that'south one of the reasons you see convertible tops with duct tape instead of patches -- there just isn't an adhesive that does the job well. So yous'll demand to employ something to seal your tear and concur the patch and that's why people utilize stitching. Stitching, of course, presents issues with waterproofing, so whatsoever stitches washed will demand to be sealed, and so y'all don't go water through the repair.

If yous need to employ a patch, yous're going to demand to remove the top from the top frame to exercise machine stitching, which will give your patch the best chance to work. Mitt stitching is a concluding resort and only actually applicable for tears at the binding, where you may be able to get past with keeping the convertible peak on the frame. But binding tears represent a minority of places where a height may need a repair.

Instead, nigh tears happen in other locations. For these convertible superlative repairs, you'll need to take the convertible top off the frame for the popular stitch-patch-and-seal job. And it's this fact -- the need to take the convertible pinnacle off the frame -- that presents the biggest hurdle in repairing your convertible elevation.

Years of moving the convertible top up and downward, making the top taut then loose, changing temperatures from hot to cold, in wet and dry conditions means your convertible peak cloth has been put through farthermost contrasts. Quality convertible tops accept cloth that is made to hold upward to that stress, but information technology has limits. When you take the top off the frame and start treatment it for a repair, you lot push those limits. Ane of the virtually common things that we hear from convertible owners is that when they have their old meridian off the vehicle, they see that information technology was in much worse shape than they realized. Also, information technology'south very mutual to tear the top when you endeavor to get the glued sleeve off -- later on all, information technology'due south glued. When you carefully remove the glued sleeves, you volition still be dealing with the fact that convertible topping material tin can lose its integrity when information technology'due south being handled beyond its normal routine. Assuming the material maintains its shape and integrity, you'll still need to make the actual repair and ensure it'south watertight. And of course, you then yous take to get the newly-repaired convertible top back on the frame -- without re-tearing the repair y'all've made. With this in mind, yous tin can see why most of the customers we hear from don't make it past the top removal stage before they want or need to get a replacement.

For these reasons, when a customer insists that they want to endeavour to repair their convertible top, nosotros ever encourage them to Delight accept their superlative to a professional upholstery trim shop. (We want you to exist happy with your convertible, and trying to remove the elevation from the frame yourself almost ever ends with bad results.) And so, taking your convertible to a professional gives yous the best adventure of success, especially if the upholstery shop has experience sealing any stitches to ensure the top is watertight. However, sometimes the cost-do good assay is not as dandy every bit you might desire. That'due south because near professionals accuse for the convertible elevation removal, then the cost of the repair, and so the price of replacing the top on the vehicle. Besides, well-nigh repairs are non guaranteed to work, and experienced trim shops volition non guarantee they won't tear the old top when removing it -- considering removing an crumbling convertible top just comes with those risks. Sometimes the benefits of a new top are non far from the overall cost and lack of guarantees that come with repair jobs.

Repairs Replacement
Repairs not guaranteed
No adhesive made for tears
Issues waterproofing the repair
Finding color and material matches for patches
Needing to get the top off and on without dissentious information technology
Access to a sewing car for repairs
Eyesore of repair showing on the superlative		 Brand new flawless top
Comes with 6-twelvemonth warranty
Lifetime window bail warranty for original purchaser (for most tops with glass windows)
Ease of listen

Whether you repair your top or supervene upon it via an upholstery repair shop, you're going to have the a few costs that are the same in either scenario: original top removal and installation of the new or repaired summit. Given that a typical repair job could price you $100-$200, your internet savings may exist less than a couple hundred dollars when compared to a new meridian. For those extra hundred dollars yous get a brand new top that looks and works great, ease of heed and a warranty on the height itself (6-year) and, for most tops with drinking glass windows, the window bond (express lifetime). At the terminate of the solar day, that may be worth more than doing a repair and the dubiousness that comes with it.

In the end, if you practice decide to move forward with a convertible top repair, delight visit our listing of professionals [link to Installers page] to meet if there'due south one near y'all. They'll give you the best gamble for success. And if y'all'd like to buy a new convertible top instead, feel free to shop hither at TopsOnline, or contact united states and we'll help point you in the right management.

All of the tops nosotros sell include an manufacture-leading, 6-twelvemonth warranty, and most tops with drinking glass windows include a Lifetime Window Bail Warranty for the original purchaser -- so fifty-fifty if yous decide to buy a new meridian, you're getting that plus the warranty. That should provide an actress sense of security, something a convertible top repair simply can't provide.