Sierra auto tops (autotopsdirect) vs EZ-ON top
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I have a Sierra Top...I'd suggest a Robbins top. A Sierra top is approx $500 and I'd say it's worth about that much. The pattern they use isn't quite right in a number of ways that weren't immediately evident. You may notice many of the differences when doing the install, but since getting the top to go up and down properly involves a number of interconnected steps happening at once, it's difficult to tell what effect the differences you see are going to make until later. The side brackets have to be transferred over and riveted to the new top...and the new top doesn't have the holes pre marked or drilled where those brackets are to be located - I could be wrong but I don't believe that's needed on a Robbins. All of the rear mounting holes aren't pre-drilled. The distance between the two sides of the top that the strap attaches to is too small, causing the strap to be a little slack, causing the strap not to do it's job, causing the top "ears" not to pull in and causing the top to not be able to be tossed over your shoulder and go down like the factory top. The channel the strap goes through also isn't like factory....probably contributing to what I just described. The glass is probably the cheapest Chinese glass available (yes, Chinese characters printed on it)....so the rear defroster didn't work on the first top I got (the grid wasn't applied fully) and I had to go through the effort to pull that top off and put on yet another one (the owner let me keep the old top so I was able to recoup some of my personal labor costs by selling the one with the bad defroster).
Another thing that sucks is that there's no way to know whether an aftermarket top is a good choice without actually closely examining and understanding the top you have (you learn many things about the top's workings *during and after* you've removed the old top too), then comparing it to the new top....which you can't do because you're buying it online.
Keep in mind that OEM probably eliminates all these headaches.
Another thing that sucks is that there's no way to know whether an aftermarket top is a good choice without actually closely examining and understanding the top you have (you learn many things about the top's workings *during and after* you've removed the old top too), then comparing it to the new top....which you can't do because you're buying it online.
Keep in mind that OEM probably eliminates all these headaches.
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Check http://www.autoberry.com/toyota/MR2/convertible-top/spyder
I would stay away from vinyl.I would either get the German Sonnenland, Stayfast Cloth. The German Sonneland is the real deal.You won't get those ugly wrinkles like in vinyl when putting it up.Mercedes, BMW, Porsche,Volve ,Saab use this material. Stayfast(canvas) will last longer than vinyl as vinyl losses its original color over time.Its the alternative for OEM and less expensive for the original German Canvas.
I would stay away from vinyl.I would either get the German Sonnenland, Stayfast Cloth. The German Sonneland is the real deal.You won't get those ugly wrinkles like in vinyl when putting it up.Mercedes, BMW, Porsche,Volve ,Saab use this material. Stayfast(canvas) will last longer than vinyl as vinyl losses its original color over time.Its the alternative for OEM and less expensive for the original German Canvas.
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this is what i have. i love it. rich black color compared to vinyl. get a soft bristle brush and some canvas cleaner and sealant from http://www.autopia-carcare.com/raggtopp-fabric-top-kit.html works great
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Thanks for the link. It will save me some money as they have them cheaper.
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And what was the brand?
It's a problem for me, cause I'm in Moscow and here are no aftermarket tops. So I can't understand the quality of each item.
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excellent link! love the blue tops. i was originally thinking about red/burgandy, but the blue is speaking to me.
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I recently changed my top with a gahh (california company that ships worldwide) canvas stayfast material top. It was quite expensive, just over 1000$. The quality was excellent but I did have to swap over two metal brackets. It had guide holes on the inner re-enforcement strips on where to punch holes through the canvas material.
*** If your strap was a little slack you probably have it routed wrong, it goes underneath a metal bracket when the top is partially folded before going through the tunnel see :
http://spyderchat.com/forums/showth...ars-or-Installing-A-Top-Strap&highlight=strap
edit: I also ordered an installation dvd from Ebay 20$, if you're gonna do it yourself it will save you a lot of headaches and guesswork
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/310377667846?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyota-MR2-MRS-Convertible-Top-And-Heated-Glass-99-06-STOCK-READY-SHIP-/310391543851?fits=Make:Toyota|Model:MR2%20Spyder&hash=item4844c7182b&item=310391543851&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr
Is where I bought mine. Don't forget to order the Raggtopp kit for keeping it nice. ( I have to go back , 'cause I forgot...)
You get a DVD with it. The DVD has a couple of small gaps, but very useful. I would highly recommend you use it.
I had a question, emailed, and the guy called me up from a birthday party on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I got the Hartz stayfast cloth, by EZTOP. It fit like it's supposed to. It was REALLY tight to close the first time (3 guys, 5 minutes!). I think it is way better looking than the vinyl.
Pay attention to the strap routing for the "ears" removal. There are a few threads about that- search is your friend.
I assume shipping to Moscow is gonna cost an arm and a leg.
Is where I bought mine. Don't forget to order the Raggtopp kit for keeping it nice. ( I have to go back , 'cause I forgot...)
You get a DVD with it. The DVD has a couple of small gaps, but very useful. I would highly recommend you use it.
I had a question, emailed, and the guy called me up from a birthday party on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I got the Hartz stayfast cloth, by EZTOP. It fit like it's supposed to. It was REALLY tight to close the first time (3 guys, 5 minutes!). I think it is way better looking than the vinyl.
Pay attention to the strap routing for the "ears" removal. There are a few threads about that- search is your friend.
I assume shipping to Moscow is gonna cost an arm and a leg.
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The strap is properly routed on mine....but the straps on the new top that the strap that goes across the top attaches to are too long...so it's too loose. I thought it might have been the Dev's strap the car came with so I tried a stock strap...it improved a little, but it's still not right. It's 100% a manufacturing error.
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I had misrouted mine at first and thought you might have done the same. When I bought my car it was misrouted and at first I copied it, noticed right away it wasn't right. I did also install DEV's top strap which I would recommend to anybody changing tops.
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Go for it you will not regret it.^_^
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Couldn't you get the strap shortened, would just have to fold it over onto itself in the middle and sew. Just an idea.
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Joe is right. I actually cut mine and put a new snap on it, still doesn't work to pull the ears in. On my Sierra top there is no-where to route it, just under the headliner. One of the multitude of things that pissed me off about this top. I'm considering replacing a section of the strap with elastic.
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Didn't know it came without the tunnel for the top strap. Mine had it but the ends were lightly glued shut. Once I seperated those dev's top strap was hard to pass through (because of the snap protector) but it actually works better than I would have thought. No more ears, At least for now.
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On the first Sierra top I got, the channel for the strap was there, but it was unlike stock. It was a bonded rectangular piece of material across the width of the top.....but it was bonded all the way around. It was also wider than necessary. I was able to pry the material open to allow me to thread the strap through. When I e-mailed the owner, he indicated it was just a byproduct of the manufacturing process...but I was unconvinced. The replacement top came with a tunnel that had openings at the end....but since the piece of material that makes up the tunnel was still WAY WAY wider than it should be (should be 1", but is about 3"), all of the force applied by the strap is concentrated on the 1" gap at ends of the tunnel where the strap passes through. The bonding there started to pull away. Some kind of reaction to the glue being pulled has soaked through the stop and affected the outer vinyl layer...making two little oily looking spots...the spots also look white depending on how hot or cold it is.
Bottom line....I was really impressed with the top when I first got it. Now that I understand how the top works and should work, I would NOT recommend a Sierra top.
Bottom line....I was really impressed with the top when I first got it. Now that I understand how the top works and should work, I would NOT recommend a Sierra top.
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My stock top tunnel is wide at the ends (4 inches) and narrow in the middle (2 inches). On my new gahh top it's uniform all the way through and narrow (can't really measure it with the headliner installed), not sure if your problematic one is like that. The bonding was definately stronger lenghtwise and very light at the ends, I figured it was just an excess of glue that spilled over at the ends. Now you got me thinking, hope I don't get the white spots!!!
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