You've searched "How to repair a convertible meridian" and you're looking for answers, because your convertible top has a hole, a tear, or a rip, and you want to fix that problem. Cheaply and easily. We empathise. At TopsOnline, we are passionate about two things: helping our customers solve their automotive upholstery issues the correct way, and giving our customers the real, honest data they demand to make a wise decision. The same holds truthful when we're asked by our customers "How tin can I repair my convertible meridian?". So, although we're in the business organization of selling replacement convertible tops (and other automotive upholstery products), we actually practice want to help you lot. And the but style we can do that is to take a different approach from what you lot'll normally detect, which are articles about how easy information technology is to repair a convertible top or videos which arrive look similar hand-stitching, patches and adhesive will do the job. But we tin't in good conscience practice the same matter and here's why:

Repairing a convertible meridian is not every bit piece of cake as stitches and patches.

So, delight give us 3 minutes to allow us share what our experience since 1987 in the industry has taught the states. We become a lot of calls from convertible owners that have tried the repair route and are now ready to supplant their convertible top. If you can have the time to learn from our customers' experience, and then y'all have our approving to go forth and brand the conclusion that'due south all-time for you.

Tear in Convertible Top First things start, there are no conventional adhesives which will hold patches on vinyl or wear convertible top materials. So that's ane of the reasons you see convertible tops with duct record instead of patches -- there just isn't an adhesive that does the chore well. So yous'll demand to use something to seal your tear and hold the patch and that's why people employ stitching. Stitching, of course, presents bug with waterproofing, then any stitches washed will need to be sealed, so you don't get water through the repair.

If you need to employ a patch, you lot're going to need to remove the top from the top frame to exercise auto stitching, which will give your patch the best chance to work. Hand stitching is a last resort and only really applicable for tears at the bounden, where yous may be able to get by with keeping the convertible height on the frame. But binding tears represent a minority of places where a tiptop may need a repair.

Instead, most tears happen in other locations. For these convertible top repairs, y'all'll need to take the convertible height off the frame for the popular stitch-patch-and-seal task. And it's this fact -- the demand to take the convertible meridian off the frame -- that presents the biggest hurdle in repairing your convertible top.

Years of moving the convertible pinnacle up and downwardly, making the top taut then loose, changing temperatures from hot to common cold, in wet and dry conditions means your convertible top material has been put through extreme contrasts. Quality convertible tops have textile that is made to hold up to that stress, but it has limits. When yous take the top off the frame and kickoff handling it for a repair, you lot button those limits. I of the virtually mutual things that we hear from convertible owners is that when they take their old elevation off the vehicle, they see that it was in much worse shape than they realized. Also, it'south very mutual to tear the top when you try to go the glued sleeve off -- afterwards all, it's glued. When you carefully remove the glued sleeves, yous will all the same be dealing with the fact that convertible topping textile can lose its integrity when it's being handled beyond its normal routine. Assuming the cloth maintains its shape and integrity, you'll however need to make the actual repair and ensure information technology'south watertight. And of form, you then you have to get the newly-repaired convertible top back on the frame -- without re-tearing the repair you've made. With this in mind, you lot can see why nearly of the customers we hear from don't make it by the summit removal stage earlier they desire or need to get a replacement.

For these reasons, when a client insists that they want to try to repair their convertible top, we always encourage them to PLEASE take their peak to a professional upholstery trim shop. (Nosotros desire y'all to be happy with your convertible, and trying to remove the top from the frame yourself almost always ends with bad results.) Then, taking your convertible to a professional gives you the best take a chance of success, especially if the upholstery shop has experience sealing whatever stitches to ensure the top is watertight. However, sometimes the cost-benefit analysis is not equally great every bit y'all might want. That'southward because most professionals charge for the convertible acme removal, then the cost of the repair, and and then the cost of replacing the top on the vehicle. Also, most repairs are non guaranteed to work, and experienced trim shops will not guarantee they won't tear the old height when removing it -- because removing an aging convertible top simply comes with those risks. Sometimes the benefits of a new acme are not far from the overall cost and lack of guarantees that come with repair jobs.

Repairs Replacement
Repairs not guaranteed
No adhesive made for tears
Problems waterproofing the repair
Finding colour and material matches for patches
Needing to get the meridian off and on without damaging it
Access to a sewing automobile for repairs
Eyesore of repair showing on the top		 Brand new flawless top
Comes with 6-year warranty
Lifetime window bail warranty for original purchaser (for most tops with glass windows)
Ease of heed

Whether yous repair your top or supplant it via an upholstery repair shop, you lot're going to take the a few costs that are the aforementioned in either scenario: original superlative removal and installation of the new or repaired elevation. Given that a typical repair job could cost you $100-$200, your net savings may be less than a couple hundred dollars when compared to a new top. For those extra hundred dollars you get a brand new pinnacle that looks and works cracking, ease of mind and a warranty on the top itself (6-twelvemonth) and, for well-nigh tops with glass windows, the window bail (limited lifetime). At the finish of the solar day, that may be worth more than doing a repair and the incertitude that comes with it.

In the end, if you do make up one's mind to motion forwards with a convertible top repair, delight visit our list of professionals [link to Installers folio] to see if there'southward ane virtually yous. They'll give you the best chance for success. And if yous'd like to buy a new convertible summit instead, experience free to shop here at TopsOnline, or contact u.s.a. and nosotros'll assistance point you in the correct management.

All of the tops we sell include an manufacture-leading, half-dozen-year warranty, and about tops with glass windows include a Lifetime Window Bond Warranty for the original purchaser -- so even if you lot make up one's mind to buy a new top, you're getting that plus the warranty. That should provide an actress sense of security, something a convertible top repair simply can't provide.