Hard Top Option...
 

Update: A source has been found (Thanks ParkStr8) see conversations below...

I keep reading more and more with top issues and would like to create a list of all that are interested.

Please let me know if you want to be added to our growing list!

Interested List:

1)blueranger
2)HFO3
3)Mwupskcb370z
4)gr8-wrx
5)fins
6)Don-MT
7)John Bradley
8)ISUFan22
9)ParkStr8
10)Bummer
11)Sprinkguy
12)kentmo280z
13)suzook
14)Bearfan
15)Tokugawa
16)nomodski
17)SnowXTC
18)daZilva
19)wyolancer
20)StevefromTX
21)catching Zs
22)btarte
23)anon1ski
24)StevefromTX
25)370zmiranda
26)mclaren 75211
27)snakebite
28)Bunk
29)HollaZed
30)B Major
31)dhogerhyde





Original Post:
At one point I read a member stated he had a possible source to make a removable hard top option for our beloved roadster. This would be similar to the hard top made for the Honda S2000 roadster and would save several thousands if your top broke outside of warranty.

If we can find such a source I'm curious how many would buy?

The source to buy it from has not been found but please reply if you are simply interested.

:tiphat:


It's Coming... Prototype under development!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e800636e3d.jpg

I would be interested in a hard top option pending the cost is not ridiculous

Yes, interested if price sensible

Keep it coming... This is not an actual order list simply an "I'm interested" count that I can provide a potential vendor.

:tiphat:

Yes, I'd be interested if price is reasonable

Interested

Would be interested in seeing what someone would be able to come up with.

count me in.

Looking good I just need at least 10 "interested" without commitment so I can at least start the conversation for a potential development.

Once I have at least 10 interested members I can start the conversations to see if a vendor would produce such a piece for us.

Also would be great if the original member that I saw try to do this looks at this thread and jumps in with contacts he already made.

:tiphat:

I don't have a Roadster, but I can't wait to see a Z34 with a sexy hardtop.

I'm interested.

I am too

Couple more and I will start contacting different companies.

I know this is a long shot but I think if we have at least 10 "interested" a vendor might entertain the idea to produce.

:tiphat:

be good to see!!! sub

I'd be interested as well.

If it was done well I'd buy one, too. There was a thread along time ago on the 350Z site where a guy had developed it...but I'm not sure that it was sold in any real quantity. Maybe reach out to him for a the 370ZR?

Smooth Line: Hardtop: Nissan 350Z

Great option I have emailed them! :tup:

Hard Top Option!
 

I started this thread because like many others I have had many issues with my top. Of course when you are out of warranty Nissan will not fix your top they will only replace the entire system for $16,000 - $18,000 :eek:

Thanks to this most recent lead I spoke to the manufacturer and explained to them that many of us roadster owners have top issues. We need to have an option when we are out of warranty. This is not only for "looks" (love the hard tops) or track use but to simply have an affordable option.

In order to get this process started they only need the following:
1. At least 15 buyers to develop and manufacturer
2. A loaner vehicle (in PA) that would actually get their top for free!

I asked if they can provide a price estimate and was very surprised it was very similar to the current 350z hardtop they already make (approximately $2500.00 with options).

I think this can really help many of us and I for one would definitely buy a hard top if it looks as good as their 350Z top on our platform.

Please share your thoughts.

:tiphat:

This option would ease my fears of buying a new to me ZR. So count me in.

My only call out - I do want it to keep the same basic profile of the soft top when up. Don't want a bulbous version...lol. 2500 is really good considering it would extend the length of time we all keep the car. And 15 is not that many.

I wouldn't be considered as one of the 15 buyers as I still have 4 plus yrs. of extended warranty on the Z. I would get the soft top replaced. Down the road this sounds real good.

That is exactly what my conversation included... I said to the company it is critical that the hard top have the same profile as the soft top and not look like a bubble. He said that was good feedback to know.

I'm with you and even if my top was perfect I would still love to have a nice hard top option with a carbon fiber look :tup:

I'm in for the hardtop.

And, Old Guy, where did you get your ext. wty. from? My factory wty runs out this November, and I'd buy an extension from Nissan if any dealer offers one online at a reasonable price (ok, I'll search too).

rob

I'm not sure this will help you, since I rather doubt you can get it this far into your ownership, and I'm not at all sure what "reasonable" means for you since it varies so much from person to person, but...

I have the Nissan Platinum warranty. Everything but wear parts - brake pads, clutch friction plate, tires, in general the standard wear items. The fabric of the top is not covered but the mechanism is. According to the paperwork I got at purchase I'm good for a total of 100,000 miles or seven years, whichever comes first.

I think I'm interested.

My main concerns are attachment and construction.

There really needs to be some form of attachment at the sides behind the windows to go with the windshield and center rear, with no disassembly of the existing vehicle required.

As to construction, it needs to be robust enough to serve the purpose without going overboard - not necessarily an easy point to hit.

I'm with you and my willingness to buy is we are dealing with a company that manufactures hard tops. This is what they do so I would hope they are very good at it. Like I said before even if my top was 100% I would still want a hard top for my roadster. I'm hoping that since we have an estimate on cost we can get more to want this options and start the next phase of conversations :tup:


Please note I have no affiliation with any company or source that I discuss. I simply want an option to an issue that I see many of us have with these tops now and in the future.

I too like Bummer got mine when I purchased the Z. It is for 7 yrs. which is actually only 4 yrs. longer than the basic Nissan warranty. I paid a little over 2K for it & it gives me peace of mind in the event of a top failure. I get offers all the time in the mail for extended warranties from different companies. They don't give pricing in the letters but want you to call for info. You should be able to fine the company's names on the internet. Good luck.

I'm glad you guys got extended warranties that covered the operating part of the top...when I took delivery of mine, the first time i put it down it ripped. Immediately back to dealer and they had it for almost a month.

I tried to buy an extended at that time due to my first hand experience...and none were available that covered the mechanism. Maybe because they just replaced the entire top?

If I end up buying this slightly used ZR with 4k on the clock, I will see what is available warranty wise. Its at a Nissan dealer - but so was my last one. And you REALLY HAVE TO READ the fine print. LOL

Either way...a good hard top option would be great because these cars are designed to last and provide years of enjoyment.

Come on guys this is a great option that will turn heads!

How many do we have so far?

Gentlemen,

I've been watching this thread from the sidelines for some time now, and thought I'd share a few thoughts.

First, this is the ideal time to consider a hardtop fabrication, but the worst time to publicly try to get many people on board, as many cars are stored for the winter, and many roadster owners are away from this forum for the winter as well.

I implore those who have interest in this idea to continue, don't give up, but be prepared for pushing forward again come spring when cars start to come out of the garage again.

And that brings up another issue, those who live in areas where we must store our cars for the winter, are going to have no need for a hard top, and therefore no interest in one. But it does factor in as a selling feature for the next owner.

And the final point is based on my own experience with convertibles with a hard top option. I sold my 1955 Thunderbird this last September, which I had owned for 17 years, which had both the soft top and hard top. I also have worked in a restoration shop and helped restore and maintain Mercedes 450SL's and the year 2000 series of Thunderbirds, which had the two tops.

Without exception, the hard tops were used once or twice during the total ownership of the cars, and were a pain to install and remove, taking two persons to accomplish, and then were either suspended on a lift mechanism to the ceiling of a garage, or stored on an upright rack up against a wall in the garage. A great deal of money tied up in an accessory that was never truly utilized.

My point being, if you know you will use the hard top for driving in winter weather (say Portland, Oregon, and places where winter is more rain than snow and ice) or because you fear a fatal soft top failure), think wisely and consider how you would really use it.

My apologies to those trying to get this option fabricated, I'm sure you didn't need this downside pointed out, but having been there myself, with a car with a hard top I never used, I felt it should be voiced.

Gene

There are several reasons why a hard top option is valuable. If you look at a glass half empty it will always be half empty.

Reality for many 370z Roadster owners is we love our cars but have many top issues. Once out of warranty how many are willing to spend more than half the cost of the car to replace?

The benefits I see are several...

Option when top breaks out of warranty.

Looks!

Theft and safety

Track use

And like you said it can also be a benefit if you offer as an option to the next owner if you decide to sell.

It is simply an accessory option just like spending $3k plus on wheels or a sound system. Hell I spent over $25k on a twin turbo kit because I enjoy my car. At the end of the day if developed it can benefit many because it is now an option we have that we didn't have before.

A great example is I own a 1970 Ford Bronco and use the hard top during the winter and a bikini top during the summer. I enjoy my Bronco all year and have the option of a hard top when I want it.

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe that Gene has a good point about the members that live in the cold country. There are some names that I haven't noticed lately, so you might not be reaching everyone at this time of year. Might have to put it on hold for a while.

Might be the case OldGuyFla I just thought most upgrade in the winter time when the car is parked. I do all my upgrades in the winter and enjoy it all summer. Although we do not have snow that sticks for more than a couple of days and we do see highs of 50 degrees and sunny. When these days come in the winter I am out running my car :driving:

My scheduled winter list so far is:

Lightweight Racing Seats
High Stall Converter
Carbon Fiber Pieces
Custom Headlights
17" or 18" rear wheels with Slicks
And this hard top if we can develop :tup:

What is this "car is parked" of which I keep reading?

My Z has about 3" of road clearance. If it snows more than that I borrow either the wife's pickup or SUV. MY other car is a touring bike. That's the only thing I park for the winter.

Thanks to you (and Old Guy) for your replies here re: the extended warranty, and I apologize for hijacking the thread. I won't post any more about warranties here after this post.

The last time I got an extended wty (I think it was when I bought an early model Prius, maybe 2005) the Toyota forum turned me on to a Toyota dealer in TN or somewhere that sold factory wtys online. They were 7/100k like the ones you two mentioned. You could buy them at any time up until your original factory wty expired (which for me is 11/17, for the Z). They were going for over $1200 then, but this dealer sold them for $800 and it was a very easy transaction. I was wondering if Nissan was similar, and if there was a dealership somewhere that discounted them heavily in return for the volume. I am not interested in buying an ext wty from a third party.

Back to the tops. The poster who mentioned the negatives made some good points. I will have to consider the storage/weight issue if someone decides to make these. I live in a highrise condo now, and we can't store anything in our pkg spaces other than our cars.

Please don't let my comment discourage you from contacting your Nissan dealer and ask. It's certainly worth a try.

I'm interested in a hard top for winter to solve a problem that pops up occasionally in cold weather.

The window is designed to lower about a quarter of an inch when the door is opened. It is raised again after the door is shut. (Ah, the magic of computers.) This allows for proper seating into the seal at the top of the window. Unfortunately in the winter the windows will freeze in place causing the window to close against the outside of the rubber seal at the top when the door is closed.

This problem takes a bit of effort to resolve each time. I've learned to whack the top edge of the window with the heel of my hand(s) to break it loose and lower it. I don't really like this solution.

I'm hoping a hard top can be designed with a seal shaped differently so that this is no longer a problem.

I hope others see the potential value this option can bring!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am interested!!

This is great... Keep it coming!

I wonder how many owners we have so far that are interested?

If I lived near the manufacturer I would definitely let them use my car to develop and get this top for free!

Hey guys...

Checking in for any new roadster owners that may be interested in this Option.

I created a list on the first post with the list of owners that are "interested".

Please let me know if you are interested and I will add you to the list.

:tiphat: