Roof blew open on the highway!!!
04-10-2008, 09:00 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Roof blew open on the highway!!!
Scared the &^$%# out of me! Its an 04 and I was just cruising along no problems nothing and then WHAM it opened. Like the whole top part lifted so i instantly pulled on to the ramp, opened the roof and went to close it and wont reach the top of the winshield. I literally hung off of it to try to get it there and I can close it and that didnt work. I put the roof down and went to where my friends were for help I assume a couple bars bent from the wind so anyways there was nothing visably wrong so we opened it like halfway kinda and pulled it forward and i guess we bent it back a little bit and now it reaches the top of the winshield just not perfectly lined up I have to kinda wiggle it into place. Whats funny is ive been staring at my center L shaped latch thing lately saying somthing dosent look right but its been closing fine and staying shut. Went to nissan this morning to order the center and left latch and it does not sell seperatly. It comes complete all 3 latches and I guess the cable inside that connects them all and it was like $1200 CAD. Absolutely ridiculous!!! So at least the roof is closed now and I'm just avoiding the highway until I go to a convertible top shop here in Toronto and im just crossing my fingers they can pull off some magic. What a night 
04-10-2008, 09:21 PM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ya im not totally worried about the frame so so much. If a random friend of mine got it to close again I'm sure with the precision and expertise of a shop they can get it to line up perfectly from here on. Its just this $1200 issue I definetly need a new latch set but Nissan is definetly on something with that price. I replaced those actually on my S2000 before and it was no where near that. I went to Nissan expecting to pay like 200-300 but 1200 is totally insane. I love but hate how rare this car is.. finding used parts is gonna be a pain!
Trending Topics
04-11-2008, 05:15 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Hood Canal, WA.
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Your car was dieing to go topless. Too much winter weather.
That's a real bummer about the repair cost. I heard that the tops need to be replaced every 3-5 years. Is that true?
That's a real bummer about the repair cost. I heard that the tops need to be replaced every 3-5 years. Is that true?
04-11-2008, 05:18 AM
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Holy crap... don't forget to replace the seat as that perfectly round hole your azz sucked out of the leather will start to bug you. Pilots call this pucker factor.. and yours must have been high.
04-11-2008, 08:18 AM
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
well cars at the roof shop now. Pretty much underneath the big main handle there are these little gears that control the cables that go to the left and right latches as well as the center. The main top gears teeth are worn down which caused it to slip. God bless the old owner grr. So the gear only uses not even half of it so our first idea was to spin it around and use the other good side but the gear is actually welded on to a little bar which bolts to the roof and once again how convenient nissan has to sell you the entire thing for 1200 plus tax. So i left the car hes gonna try to figure something out and call all these people to scrounge parts till then im in a rental. I cant even find a used roof here besides the ones on ebay which will take forever to get here. I dunno ill keep you guys updated as it goes along
04-11-2008, 11:25 AM
#17
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by THE ROADSTER
did you for get to lock the front hatch ?
No I mustve driven at least 7-8 km (i dunno 5 miles?) anyways ya everything was nice and closed. I was just cruising along the right lane about 12:30am minding my business then there she flew. And now after opening it up it looked like it was a ticking time bomb.
04-11-2008, 12:39 PM
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So Im not getting the car back today. That gear that we couldnt spin around is actually sent out to a special welding/machine shop i dunno and from what I know they are cutting the gear off the arm, spinning it around to the good side and welding it back that way. Again it is a convertible place so I'm trusting them. I will still definetly be looking for a latch and or replacement roof. Ill let you know when I get it back how it is.