My 88 RX-7 vert (almost new black paint job) needs a new top. Local shop quoted just under $1000 for new top (both pieces) and labor, for Robbins top (?). Is this fair price? They quoted this for American style cloth, $220 additional for German Style cloth; they said both are same material, but different weave, with the German style being closer to original. Is Robbins a good fitting top? Any suggestions?

Original top is black, and that is what was quoted. I thought tan top would look great with black paint, but wonder with grey leather interior if tan top would not look right. Any thoughts?

 

That is an decent price for a cloth top installed.

Robbins makes most of the replacment tops out there.'

Black is the easiest to keep clean... The lighter the color although it won't be quite as hot, is much harder to keep clean on a cloth top.

 

Take a look at a sample of material.

The original is vinyl. My replacement is canvas.

The only difference in the "German" and American style may be the inside/underside of the top canvas cloth.

Some cheep cars like porsche and mersadies do not have an upholstered or finished top interior like our classic verts, and have a patterned underside.

Since this does not show, you do not need that material.

 

The real test comes in how well the shop puts it on. Robbins makes a great top, but if the shop doesn't know what they are doing it will look like CR*P.

 

Go to your local Mazda dealer, parts department. Make buddies with the Parts Manager. Buy him beer, lunch, what ever.

Then, ask him to refer you to the upholstery shop he sends the dealers cars. With his referal, you would probably get the labor down to his cost. Thats exactly what I did, although I had made friends with him long before I replaced my top. Got it done for under $800.

Robbins is one of the better makers of replacement tops. If you do a search, I remember a thread that had 3 links to different supplyers.

Also, here is a website that has at least two links. Just click the "Links" label at the left of the page.

Good luck!!

http://www.rx-7.cc/

 

When i had my top redone i went with black vinyl (also a new black paint job) if you're willing to put the time in on care, tan would look awesome (although with grey interior, not as much) but they get so dirty so fast. . . Put up pictures if you go with a contrasting color!
Rain
P.S. I also wonder about how waterproof cloth is, maybe you are never caught in the rain and have a garage, but i'm not so lucky.