Sl roof replacement

[94mattda]

Going to replace my roof with a new one...Original MH material in Black with all the check straps, thicker grade windows as was originally used and strengthened corners and pockets...

I can get a replacement roof for as little as £391 which seems to be the going price from auto trimmers etc but then they want another £300 - £400 to fit it.... anyone had experience of fitting one... is it very complicated?

Would be good as a HOW TOO to put up on the forum i thought!!!

 

[stats007]

You won't get an original roof for £391.

It is a two man job and takes a day so the figure for fitting is about right. You don't want to do this yourself.

 

[Doodle]

I have what appear to be workshop instructional videos, one of which covers this job (I wanted them to work out how to take the seat apart). I've watched it, and while it seems simple enough and I'm pretty good mechanically, it's still a job I don't want to take on - getting it wrong doesn't bear thinking about.

I recall a thread way back about getting the thicker windows; IIRC it was a case of "not available in the UK, but the German manufacturers will sell and fit to UK customers who come to them"

 

[BTB 500]

I wonder if thinner windows might actually be less prone to cracking when folded (with the roof down).

Do you actually need a whole new roof?

 

[gbjeppm]

Here is the daddy of threads on this subject (might take a few hours to read though)

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/bodywork/26860-r129-soft-top-replacement-recommendations.html

I don't believe that the OP has sorted it yet either.

 

[219]

One of the best known and respected suppliers of soft tops for Mercedes-Benz cars is Klaus Hermann Mayer in Germany . They also supply carpets and upholstery in original materials .
Klaus Hermann Mayer Kraftfahrzeugtechnik in Esslingen

 

[jaymanek]

Around £400 for a german made roof is about right.. Fitting is a FULL days job, maybe more.. a decent trimmer will want 2-300 to fit..

i have a good supplier fitter here in Coventry if that may help.. the company is called soft tops.. Soft Top & Rear Screens - Repair & Replacement for Convertibles - Coventry, West Midlands UK

he did my R107 for £550 a while ago and the roof is better than MB in my opinion.

 

[94mattda]

Thanks everyone.......

I have had quotes to replace the rear section with the windows at around £300fitted.....which is not terrible, The actual rood itself has only a few small holes. My thinking is though i would probably want to replace the hole roof rather than spend some money on the windows which have totally gone and then still want to replace the roof at a later date.

None of the roofs i have found have been original at the prices i have found. I have contacted 8 places across the country for quotes and they all come back between £655 and £1200 to supply and fit, however the actual roof to supply only start at as little as £391.

Alot of the places asked states they use original quality MH material and use original thickness windows. Some even said they include check straps, and have the reinforced corners etc as used on the original roofS....

I would love to give it a go but i cannot afford to waste money if i mess it up.... so from what has been said here its definitely a professional job then!!! I better start saving lol.....

 

[94mattda]

You won't get an original roof for £391.

It is a two man job and takes a day so the figure for fitting is about right. You don't want to do this yourself.

Not an original roof but made to original specs.....after market though you are right. Fitting price is not terrible but i am all for saving a bit of money and trying myself....but this does seem to be sounding more and monre difficult

 

[94mattda]

I wonder if thinner windows might actually be less prone to cracking when folded (with the roof down).

Do you actually need a whole new roof?

Possibly....good thinking.

 

[stats007]

Not an original roof but made to original specs.....after market though you are right. Fitting price is not terrible but i am all for saving a bit of money and trying myself....but this does seem to be sounding more and monre difficult

Think of the fiddliest job you've ever done and then some. You will regret trying to do this yourself.

Are they re-using your current headliner? These are £270 from MB if not. The roof can be bought in two sections - both £1k a piece so really don't think you're going to get OEM quality for £391. Given the little use they get I'm sure it will be fine, however.

 

[Doodle]

Bill, you have a valid point on the window thickness - the windows on mine let go a couple of years ago and we had them replaced as the hood was looking worn but still serviceable. The replacement windows are thinner, this added flexibility seems to result in far less creasing.

In hindsight we probably should have gone for a complete new hood but at the time it didn't seem worth it as it looked like we weren't going to be keeping the car.

 

[BTB 500]

My SL hood windows are just starting to go - along the line where it folds when the roof is down. A little white mark each side of the main rear screen and on the nearest edge of the side windows. One of those turned into a crack last year (maybe 3-4mm long, on one side edge of the main screen) but it hasn't grown noticeably since.

The original M-B plastic seems pretty thick, hence my comment about thinner stuff possibly folding better.

The hood itself (12 years old) still seems perfect, although I'm not sure whether the seams around the windows might be more prone to coming undone in future if I have them replaced.

 

[Doodle]

The seams on mine are unchanged after 2 yrs, no signs of release.

 

[94mattda]

This place was the cheapest roof i found online at Mercedes

and this was the place that i thought had the best description better quality and spec to the original roof Products Car hoods Select your Cabriolet Mercedes Benz Hoods Mercedes SL R129 Two Piece Hood - BAS International

Will certainly keep lookng around....but it definitely needs doing soon as you can see....

 

[EDZ649]

Hmmmm..... that is bad. Let me know where you eventually get yours from as mine will need doing in the not to distant future.

 

[C43AMG]

A friend of mine and a new member (Ian Bushell) has just had his 129 windows done at D- Class of Woking, they did a first class job and the old perspex was much thicker than what they installed.

They said you can order the OEM perspex from MB, very very expensive they said. I think that is a good point Bill re the thickness.

He did think that they should have offered him the option of going down the OEM route.

 

[94mattda]

Hmmmm..... that is bad. Let me know where you eventually get yours from as mine will need doing in the not to distant future.

Will do....will add some pics when i get it done. I unfortunately dont have an endless flow of cash but at approx £400 ots not a bad price, a quarter that from Mercedes Dealer and you can have 4 replacement roofs for the price of one....

 

[pandaruk]

I've just had a new third party hood fitted to my MY95 SL500 by Bielawski's in Sheffield

£660 + VAT

They've re-fitted my original liner and made an all round splendid job of it

I would recommend them to anyone (No affiliation etc.)

 

[rusty55]

Been looking on utube on changing top and I don't think that I want to try this unless there is a tried and tested diy person out there that will help and payment is fine with me