Miata owners

I have a friend who is not a mechanic and wants me to do some work on her Miata (a '92 I believe). Most of it will be straight forward stuff but she wants me to fix the "zipper on the rear window."

My question for you owners is this a common problem that is fixable? Or is it time for a new top? Any help you can provide will be appreciated!

Thanks!

Tad

It is a common problem with NA (1st gen.) Miatas and it is fixable. However, this will probably require the removal of the top from the car to do a proper job. This will also involve the sewing in of a new zipper. Considering the manual labour involved with removing the top, I would just change it completely. The good news is that quality Miata tops are available on Ebay for a couple of hundred dollars. You can go with a zipperless window or even a glass window on the new top which would completely eliminate the zipper and thus any future problems.

Mario

Mario, Thanks! I will pass on the info. I am looking forward to working on the car, since a test drive will be required!

Tad

Tad: Assess the top carefully and do either a cheap repair or complete replacement. It would be poor ecomony to sew or replace an old window and have the old top split somewhere else. I read that some shops can sew a seam or a zipperless window without removing the top.
You might look for a used top at a wrecker. I did none of the above but bought a new top for mine. It took the better part of one day for the installation. I could do one in half a day now. I went for no zipper since I have A/C and would not use the top-up-open-window funtion. Economy tops last about 6 years if parked outside as mine is.

Cheers Ron

Go ahead and get a top with the rain rail already attached. Much easier to install and the current rail may be leaking anyway.

Miata tops also like to detach from their top bow, which allows the thing to vibrate at speed. In other words, like everyone else said, a new top is a good solution.