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Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / July 2008Robbins top... AGAIN!
Yesterday I found the rear window had separated from the top again, this is the second time. Robbins replaced the top in September so it's been 10 months, that's good, the first top only made it a couple of days. It's this top: http://www.miatamania.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=58586 Mine's the 239-580 There's gotta be something wrong with the way they bond the top to the glass, maybe? > Yesterday I found the rear window had separated from the top again, > this is the second time. Robbins replaced the top in September so it's [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > There's gotta be something wrong with the way they bond the top to the > glass, maybe? Sounds like it. Cheap glue? New method to bonding the seal? Mazda can make a bond that holds, Robbins used to be able to, and your's is one of several that I have heard about in the last year. Their warranty and customer service is good, but downtime for having a top put on, especially 3 times in a year, is not good. Very bad for Robbins too. Including this latest replacement that is coming up, how much are they going to have spent so far in labor to sell you one top? Pat > Very bad for Robbins too. Including this latest replacement that > is coming up, how much are they going to have spent so far in > labor to sell you one top? This'll be the second they've replaced. I suspect they have some kind of a deal on the installation but they will have sent two replacement tops and paid shipping on both. I suspect the profit on the first isn't enough to cover the one they've already replaced plus this next one? seems to me that you might want to just ask for your money back and buy something else. at very least i would ask them to candidly tell you if this problem is specific to this one piece style with glass window. if they are wishy washy about answering that i would ask if they have any problems with the their two piece non-zipping tops and if they say no then i would ask for them to replace your top with the two piece style. good luck. >> Very bad for Robbins too. Including this latest replacement that >> is coming up, how much are they going to have spent so far in [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > isn't enough to cover the one they've already replaced plus this next > one? > seems to me that you might want to just ask for your money back > and buy something else. I doubt if it's possible. I bought the top and installation from Mike's Place because I can't do any work myself now. They get their tops (at wholesale) from ??? I think it's Miata Mania who gets them from Robbins. I don't know if Mike's Place talks directly to Robbins or not. > at very least i would ask them to candidly tell you if this > problem is specific to this one piece style with glass window. Now there's a waste of time, Mike continually says the glass window is too heavy for the Miata top and will NOT recommend them, I won't have any other top, no zipper, no plastic so there's no possibility of compromise there. Incidently, the answer to the question is yes, it is. Other tops have other problems, read on: > i would ask if they have any problems with the their two piece > non-zipping tops What in the world is a two piece non-zipping top? You mean a zippered window that doesn't have to be unzipped? I don't want that, the fabric around the zipper is what rotted out on my Kwiktop forcing replacement after only 2 years when the rest of the top was still almost like new! That's the reason Mike won't recommend a glass window, he has several examples at the shop with the zipper fabric completely rotted out, it only takes a couple of years of Phoenix sunshine to do that. I know the fix for the problem but there's no way I'll spend the money. The fix is to have a garage and I don't have one nor will I buy a new house to get one! ;-) The Miata sits outside all the time, I let him into the carport once and he nearly split his timing belt he was so confused...... by two piece top i mean like the original na style top. one piece was for the window section, the second piece was the rest of the top. the na had a zipper but smart top designers figured a simple modification for the older na tops to fold without unzipping. this requires a couple of straps to be installed between the second and third bow, and the third box and rain rail, and it requires a top that is not attached to the third. this is similar to what mazda figured out for the nb but mazda did it with a spring that folds the third bow automatically (no manual push/pull required). mazda also kept the two piece design with their zipperless top. robins two piece zippered or zipperless is their most popular and has a great reputation. sounds like the one piece one is junk and regardless of whoever mike, it is your car, your dollars, and your time with a car in the shop, so i would call robbins and tell them what a disappointment the experience has been and ask if they would replace the top with the two piece style with glass that can be folded without unzipping the window. then bring that to mike to install for you. he doesn't want you back in another few months for your thrid one piece so he would probably install it under his warranty. if you just go directly to mike you will probably end up with the another one of these one piece tops and will likely end up with the same problem again in a few months... the installer likely doesn't care about the labor as that is cheap for him (a couple of hours of a workers time, possibly even when a worker might otherwise be idle). the cost of the more expensive two piece top would cost him hard cash so i doubt he is going to go out of his way to make that happen which is why i am suggesting that you call robbins directly. hope that makes some sense. good luck to you. ps. was the the kwiktop that failed also one piece with glass and vinyl? my two piece cloth kwiktops cloth zipperless glass top is still going strong after three years... and it is also parked outside all the time. >> seems to me that you might want to just ask for your money back >> and buy something else. [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > The Miata sits outside all the time, I let him into the carport once > and he nearly split his timing belt he was so confused...... > by two piece top i mean like the original na style top. OK, I thought so. > Robbins two piece zippered or zipperless is their > most popular and has a great reputation. sounds like the one [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > has been and ask if they would replace the top with the two piece > style with glass that can be folded without unzipping the window. You missed this: >> I don't want that, the fabric around the zipper is what rotted >> out on my Kwiktop forcing replacement after only 2 years when the >> rest of the top was still almost like new! I also mentioned Mike had several Miatas with the zipper fabric rotted out and the window fallen down. I'll go with the replacement one piece unless Robbins has an alternative. sounds like 'mike' is the wrong guy for top repair. i heard that robbins had a problem with the windows in their one piece tops but thought they fixed that problem. it doesn't help them to sell garbage that just makes them look bad and costs them money to replace. not to blame you but to understand what you might be doing to have this same problem repeat even with different brands of tops... what do you think you are doing that is different than everyone else? i mean this is not a wide spread problem. is it particularly hot where you are? do you leave the top down for extended periods without the boot covering it (the underside is not uv protected). do you put things on top of the top when it is down? it seems to me that something is missing from this story. it is curious why you have had such unfortunately luck. perhaps it is your comment about the 'the fabric around the zipper is what rotted' suggests that your problem might be that your top is not water tight and when the car heat up in the sun the moisture collects around the hot top and mildews and rots the fabric. spray the car down with a hose and then feel around to see if any of the carpet on the back ledge, floor, or trunk have any water in them... >> by two piece top i mean like the original na style top. > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > I'll go with the replacement one piece unless Robbins has an > alternative. > sounds like 'mike' is the wrong guy for top repair. Why would you say that? > i heard that robbins had a problem with the windows in their one > piece tops but thought they fixed that problem. Apparently not. > not to blame you but to understand what you > might be doing to have this same problem repeat even with > different brands of tops... what do you think you are doing that > is different than everyone else? i mean this is not a wide spread > problem. It is, don't you read this group? was trying to help. won't bother you again. best of luck sorting out your problem. >> sounds like 'mike' is the wrong guy for top repair. > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > It is, don't you read this group? > was trying to help. won't bother you again. best of luck sorting > out your problem. I appreciate the help but the problem is Robbins problem and they're the only ones who can do anything about it. |
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