[David44]

Could anyone tell me the best, or worst accessory soft top, for a Vitara.
My original 97 soft top rear window's zipper and back window needs replacing. Very expensive, so my as well replace the whole lot.
A good price on ebay for about $450 mark, but not sure which maker is best.
Any advise would be helpful.
David

[morpheus]

i got a price from a caravan/canvas place to re-stitch my entire back window zipper, and replace all the windows with tinted plastick for $150..

if you get a top. make sure it has the straps that keep it tight when you just pop the top open.. not all of them have that, and when you just open the top, the back saggs really badly..

[Saam]

AUSTOPS FOR SURE no competition a little bit expensive at around the 600 mark but you will never look back, i know the bloke who makes them personally through buying my soft top, is a great dude very supportive if anything was to go wrong, mate just bought one for his vit and it looks and works great

the austops ones have all the little jiggers and some extra thingies so that they sit nice and tight all the time.

www.austops.com.au

sam

fixed my soft top when i damaged it in a roll for cheap cheap

[shandy92]

hey mate,
i got my rear window on my soft top vit replaced, only about 1 month ago.
cost me $70, not the thin stuff as he doesnt like the stuff, had it ready with in 8 hrs, (10 am ready at 6 pm). pity he's in WA. keep looking.

Mitch

[Fluffy]

i'm looking at these from www.mucanvasproducts.com

i think they are about $250

i looked at getting my zipper fixed but they wanted about $300

[steve]

Fluffy, those fastback things always look very loose and flappy in the breeze, like they are not a very good fit.

[Fluffy]

yeah steve i know what u mean . altho im planing on putting a roll bar in mine so i'm thinking of using that for a bit of support..
.could also make a support to go from the rear corner to the b pillar much like the bow on the fullsize top to keep it tight

[Saam]

yeah thats why i like the austops stuff, no flappy at all

[Zook_Fan]

my austop has a cracked window, and it does flap around a bit even before the window cracked. Doesnt leak though so im happy.

[Saam]

strange, mates one is perfect and so is mine

[David44]

Thanks for the help and advice.
Looked at AUSTOPS, price is $595 for the standard black, and from what Saam posted, it has all the jiggy things ( can't go wrong Hey )

The second one found on e-bay, is manufactured by Pavement Ends, which is supposed to be Bestops, apparently Bestops supplied the origional soft tops to the Suzuki factory. Price is $435

While searching found a link to someone not happy with Chinese made Bestops, bad stitching and fit, for a Jeep.

Some others from overseas UK and Asia, but would prefer Aus. for Aus. conditions.
Still looking.
P.S. Were is SpellCheck.
David

[BJPK]

pavement end tops flap leak and are just allround pretty average.
i had one sold it and bought an austop much better. thats on my sierra though.

[matty_wall]

i have a pavement ends top on my vitara.
its doesnt leak at all, but its a little tight.
i only paid $300 for it but

[David44]

Thanks for the advice fellas, although l thought there would have been more Vitara soft top people with buying experiance registered with this forum.
Sent e-mail to Austop, and they have all the right fittings, except the f/glass rod for the back window. So it looks like l will get one from them.
I'll fit it, then get back to you with my thoughts.

[Scrawny]

I haven't seen too many soft top Vits getting around Brissie, not sure what the rest of the country is like?

[Saam]

David44 wrote:

Thanks for the advice fellas, although l thought there would have been more Vitara soft top people with buying experiance registered with this forum.
Sent e-mail to Austop, and they have all the right fittings, except the f/glass rod for the back window. So it looks like l will get one from them.
I'll fit it, then get back to you with my thoughts.

i am confident your going to be happy with it mate

[David44]

Thanks Saam, will try it and get back to you.
Hey ScrawnC, soft tops in SA were very popular, every second blonde girl had one, the previous owner of mine was also.
I think the great weather we get may have something to do with it.
I think l see more soft top Sierra than hard tops.

[Scrawny]

I was talking about Vits. There's heaps of soft top Sierras up here too but bugger all soft top Vits

[David44]

Sorry only the last sentence refered to Sierras.
All the rest was reffering to Vitara's
.
Maybe someone with more knowledge would be able to say for sure, but in Adelaide l think the ratio for soft top 3door Vits
( before Grand Vits ) is higher.
From memory the soft tops were given more publicity, as being Cool, go figure.
.
The only reason l bought a soft top one is for spotlighting out of,
and having enough power to comfortably tow a trailer, with trail bike and camping gear economically.
P.S. how do l find spellcheck.
.

[atari4x4]

David44 wrote:

P.S. how do l find spellcheck.
.

use firefox & it's got a built in spell checker... p.s it's not outer's so there aren't any spelling nazi's on here....

[David44]

atari4x4 wrote:

David44 wrote:

P.S. how do l find spellcheck.
.

.

use firefox & it's got a built in spell checker... p.s it's not outer's so there aren't any spelling nazi's on here.... wink

Thanks for that, but l have enough trouble using Internet Explorer.
My brains nearly reached it's max data storage, getting to old to learn more stuff.
.
Anyway, from the advise given here, l ordered a soft top from Austop's web sight. But got to now wait for two to three weeks for it to be made, so must be patient.

[Jester]

well what do ya know! my vit's previous owner is a blonde woman too! but around my work in the Adelaide CBD i do actually see more hard top vits, though as other people have noted more soft top sierras