soft top repair question
 

I need some advice on repairing a couple of items on my soft top.

The side window stitching is beginning to unravel at the fold point and also the there is a thread bare area developing on both rear top corners along the back ridge line. The stitching problem is a more immediate problem that are the worn areas.

I had thought about merely re-stitching the areas myself with a canvas needle and good thread. I started the process and quickly determined that I would probably do more harm than good.

At my last service, the dealer graciously offered to replace my top for $4,800. Not exactly what I want to do.

Any thoughts? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Forget the dealer. Find a good upholstry shop that will do the job. You shouldn't have to spend more than $1000.

repair soft top
 

I must have read the posts wrong! $1000 to repair stiching? Nuts. A good uph shop should restich (by hand) lost stiches for under $100. Abe G

I was talking about replacing the soft top. With the wear points he's showing, any fix is just prolonging the inevitable. It's not worth throwing much money at a fix when the entire soft top needs to be replaced.

Gentlemen:

Thanks for the replies............

A few details that were inadvertantly left out of the original post:

1999 SL 500 sport - triple silver (exterior, soft top, hard top) 40K miles

The stitching that's coming loose is about 2 inches long on the driver's side rear panel - window side only of the double stitching.

The worn areas are on the corners of the rear-most ridge (above and to either side of the rear window) and are only about 1 inch long or less.

The rest of the top is really in great shape. No stains and no other worn areas. I cleaned the windows (which were almost opaque) with plastic polish and they are like new now.................no current leakage, but the missing stitching will leak I'm sure.

Sorry to leave the details out.......the upholstery shop should be able to handle this stitching? Any way to treat (water proof) and/or stop this "wearing" on the ridge corners?

Thanks again!

The soft top has a rear quarter section that can be replaced seperately...which is about 90% of the wear present when most of us go about repairing/replacing our tops.

That section goes for about $300-400, including the "glass"..factor in upholstery shop labor costs as well.

I had the same problem with a small area of stitching coming loose. For 900.00 I had a new top installed and it is well worth the change over. The vendor told me that to remove my soft-top and repair the stitching would be 250-350.00 and there was no guarantee that the rest of the stitching would hold up. Good Luck

sl stiching
 

i am thinking of buying a sl500 with a black top and the top looks like it needs some work - stiching and new windows
The car doesnt have a hardtop. :mad:
Check it out:
Looks like the windows are shot and the sticking needs repaired?
How much is a new top at an custom canvas shop? 900 for the whole job?
Thoughts?

Are you sure you want to buy a SL w/o the HT? I believe you would have a hard time upon resale.

i agree is wish it had one....
but its a 1999 sl500 with 65k amg sport the colors i want for $19k...

you can buy hard top for $500 any time...
I'll sell you mine(black) for $500:D

Please post the pictures and other info in order to purchase your top.

who makes the best canvas replacement top
 

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i am moving forward with the 1999 sl 500 and for it to be perfect i want to replace the top and windows

anyone who where i can get the best one?

The cost of the top isn't the issue, it is the LABOR... A good top will run 600.00 but the Labor hours are approx 17 hours... That is where the cost comes in. I had the back of the top re-glued to the frame(the corners were flipped up) and it was 300. His initial estimate was 400, I can't believe he called me about that I wouldn't have known anyway. That is why I think this guy is legit and I believe him when he told me the labor time for top replacement.

I just bought a 380SL with no hardtop (but a newish softtop) at an extremely good price. Ironically, I have no place right now to store TWO hardtops, anyway. But if I decide to get one, there are a lot more hardtops out there than cars, for reasons that should be obvious; you can get a bargain if you are willing to drive a bit.

The top prices you quote make me flinch, but as I understand it, the 129's soft top is MUCH more difficult to install than is a 107 softtop. Apparently, NOT a first time do-it-yourself job on a 129...