Enlighten me: Soft top repair

I am the unfortunate owner of a 2006 S2000 (43k miles) with a soft top that is self destructing (and a driver's seat too - but that's an easy to address issue). I've been searching the internet on and off for repair recommendations and they range from Gorilla tape to new top. As a new top is in the $1200 range installed and a PITA to do yourself, I'd like to repair my current one if possible.

• Driver's side: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/ProDarwin/IMG_0711.jpg
• Passenger's side: http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/ProDarwin/IMG_0710.jpg

Above are some pics of the damage. I had a local upholstery shop patch it, but the patches were just RTV + some vinyl on the inside and they haven't held up well. I haven't put down the top at all and they are falling off on the inside. The car is now in my garage awaiting a more permanent solution, which will allow me to lower the top. Note that the S2K top is vinyl on the outside, and fabric on the inside. I'm not opposed to stitching/sewing/whatever. I'm also not opposed to patching from the outside.

• Best looking repair I have seen so far is this one: http://www.zjstech.net/SpyderTop/repair.htm

• Decent repair with bed spray: http://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/880281-flexseal-soft-top-repair/page__view__findpost__p__21134783

• Questions:

• What/How do I fix it?
• If "new top" is the answer... am I going to run into the same problems down the road?
• If repair is possible, how do I protect the top from the frame to prevent this from happening again

THIS SITE MAKES THE SIMPLEST FORMATTING A GIGANTIC PAIN IN THE ASS

When I bought mine I had tears in the same spots starting to form but they were only pin holes. I went to AC Moore and got some fabric iron on patches just like the ones in the Spyder link. I just rubber cemented them on and they've held up quite well for the past ~8 months. This might work on the driver side but the passenger side looks like its too damaged for this to work.

I suppose you could do the bedliner repair first then patch over it the way I did. Not sure how well just the bedliner alone would hold up with the flexing and what not.

Dental floss to sew up the tear. Then goop with black RTV. This has been the best repair technique I've found to date.

Gorilla tape has always failed faster than regular duct tape in my experience. The glue layer is so thick it just slides around without adhering. Doesn't matter which side of the vinyl I put it on.

There are some special clear soft top glues. They've all hardened too stiff and shiny imo. They don't hold as well as black rtv, and don't flex as well as black rtv.

When it's all said and done, it's a band-aid. Worthwhile on a new top that's been torn. Very much a temporary band-aid on and old top that has weathered to the end of its life.

I like the repair technique on zjstech page. Looks like that would do the job in your case.

When my wife got her '97 328iC vert, the stitching in the top was failing from sun exposure, but the fabric was in good shape. I sourced some black polyester thread from a boating supply website and proceeded to stitch my fingers raw. I ended up with a fully refreshed top with only a significant investment in time, not money.

http://www.findtape.com/shop/product.aspx?id=432&setscreen=1&width=1076&height=0 ^^just kinding of course.

My dad used to use dental floss and "SHOE GOO" on the tent trailer when i was a kid.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=shoe+goo+where+to+buy&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GGLL_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=12157050617651481194&sa=X&ei=Hy_WTv-EIqnj0QGn9oCWAg&ved=0CHEQ8gIwAA#

I'm amazed that happened on a car that's so new?

But you could make a patch out of heavy denim, cover in shoe goo or similar and stick to the inside.

Joey

I was going to suggest the iron on patch thing too. It might be simplest to put an iron on on both the inside and outside and since it's canvas it won't as noticeable as it would be if it were vinyl.

I used a matching vinyl patch from the local boat cover shop and some VLC Adhesive on mine.

It's held beautifully, and shows no signs of letting go anytime soon.

I had a top patched on my fiat after one of my parents dogs got bored and chewed on the corner of it. (same dog also got inside the car and shredded the seats... what we got for having huskies.

An I had a shop sew in a patch.. and they added an identical one on the other side to balance it off to make it look more stock

The only way to make it as good as new is to replace the top. It's kind of like cleaning headlights.

I replaced the top on my wife's BMW Z3 several years ago when I was told by everyone on the Bimmer forums it couldn't be done at home, had to be done by a professional shop. ($2500). I bought a vinyl top for it for under $300 and did it all in a weekend. The only problem was I didn't pull the driver's side taunt enough which had a bit of a wrinkle.

I'm like a stoned, drunk one armed gibbon when it comes to repairs, and was able to do it (and document it well enough) that quite a few started doing it themselves.

My point is, search for a cheaper vinyl top and try to do it yourself. If you take your time and make sure to take pictures before taking stuff apart, I bet you could do it yourself in a weekend.

-Rob

I've seen an exploded view of an S2000 top. I wouldn't do that myself.

In reply to joey48442:

It happens to just about every S2000. When the top folds down, there's a part of the frame that rubs in those areas. Some people have it happening after dropping the top less than 10 times.