Jarrod

Okay, now I'm getting a little further into the problem. This morning I came out to look at the cables and the top wouldn't open at all. It was pretty much the same problem described in the thread you linked to - I could hear it trying to work, only the top didn't move. So I took the clamshell off from inside (that was really hard), and found a couple of pieces missing and a couple broken. Here's a rundown - 1) This one was my fault. While trying to get the clamshell off I broke the clip that held on the black shock absorber looking thing. Here's a pick from the other side that's still intact - 2) On the passenger side there's a bolt missing. It looks like a mechanism that guides the canvas into place. It still works alright, which is probably why I've never noticed it not being there. 3) The push rod with the red clip on the drivers side is missing the bold that connects it to the V lever. It's not the bolt on the V lever itself, but one in between the lever and the push rod. I think this is what caused the problem in the first place. 4) The V lever on the passenger side has some sort of rubber washer that's falling apart. 5) The straps on both sides that (I think) pull the canvas inside the plastic are broken. From what I can tell they are supposed to wrap around a metal bar on the inside of the top. If so, that's an easy fix. Now I need to make sure I know what all these parts are, where to get replacements, and how to install the replacements. None of it looks too terribly complicated so long as I can get the right parts. Any help there would be greatly appreciated. Also, is there anything else I should be doing while I'm back there? Like checking cables or transmissions or anything?

The top on my 98 Boxster doesn't rise properly. It starts rising normally, and the clamshell rises and lowers evenly. But about half way through, just before the top clears the roll bars, the drivers side slows down. After a few more inches there's a pop, then the drivers side catches up with the passenger side. After that it finishes closing normally. I just bought the car a few days ago and it didn't have this problem, so I think I caught it early. After some reading I thought it might be the cables. Any ideas?

Alpine is just now releasing (available in April I think) a new head unit just for iPods. It's got a display on the right that's the same size as the iPods and shows the same menu system. Apparently Apple had some input on this, which is why the display uses the iPods fonts. It's all controlled with a large nob in the middle of the unit. Your iPod plugs in through USB and send the songs, and their info, to the head unit digitally - so the display shows album art and all just like an iPod. The downside: no CDs player. http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/products/p...?model=iDA-X001 - also watch the Related Video in the right column of the page. I was thinking about getting one and running the USB cable into the storage bin between the seats.