Paranoia Poll (Convertible Top)
 

Not a day goes by without another post about a significant Gen6 convertible top problem. If it's not the rear window separation issue, it's a plastic cover smashing. I realize people are much more apt to chime in with problems than to say all is fine. But I'm starting to wonder how prevelant these failures really are. My car is over a year old with very low (non-daily driver) mileage. Will my top not only break but do so post warranty? I don't even trust the only dealer in my vicinity to do free oil changes.
It would be helpful for all reading this to reply with their car's age and mileage and whether or not they've had serious top trouble. Then those of us who haven't yet encountered top problems will know if we are twitching too much or not enough.
Thanks.

I have an early 2016, non-daily driver, with 7800 miles.

If you check the threads about the top you will find that I had a bad hydraulic cylinder that caused the top to operate in a manner that would have resulted in the damage to interior panels that others have reported. I stopped raising and lowering it until it could be fixed.

I also had one retractable flap that would not fully seat itself when the top was down. It also had a somewhat restricted sliding action that resulted in me lubricating it with white lithium grease. That helped and made the motion much smoother.

The flap now seats properly since the failed cylinder was replaced. This repair required that all the rear interior panels and seat be removed to get at the mechanism. Putting it back together got everything properly aligned so the flap now moves easily and seats properly.

Just as a side-note, the only other problem I have had with my car was an intermittent blacking out of the DIC. This was one of those "cannot be duplicated" problems that got mysteriously fixed by the dealer. Probably a loose ground.

I don't know how prevalent the top problems are, but I know from research that the mechanism is not that different from what GM has used on prior generations of Camaros.

Signs of a failing cylinder are these: the top is slightly tilted at an angle while raising or lowering when viewed from behind. And the top will move erratically by going at the proper speed and then plopping down when lowering or coming down hard onto the windshield frame when being raised. You may also hear a clang from the metal arms that are touching some of the non moving structure.

2017 purchased in September 2017 so one year old and about 6,800 miles (daily driver but short commute). I have had no problems at all with my top. Lets hope I just didn't jinx myself... :mad0233:

Enjoy your convertible, If it breaks it is not the end of the world... Mine was a used rental yes I had the little flap break it was fixed under warranty. Warranty is now expired, the only thing I do is minimize top motions. Less movement less chance of an issue. I had a 2011 vert and had no issues jumping to my 2016...

I bought mine end of May of this year.

A week into ownership the top ripped up the left side back panel.

Took it to the dealership, they simply popped out the retractable flap, ordered a new panel.

Then, thanks to this forum, learned of the de-lamination of the rear window. I looked at mine and what do ya know, it was coming undone. So they ordered a new top.

They decided it should all be done at once, so, a month later the top comes in. They can't install it, but they have some other place do it. Took over 3 weeks (22 days) to get my car back, only to have part of the new top not on the frame.

My situation is a bit different.

It was a brand new 2017 SS Fifty. Which I wanted a Fifty as soon as I had learned about it. It sat on the dealer lot for almost 1 full year. It was not prepped well, if at all, before delivery. The dealership was not a good one, again, it was about the car, not the dealership.

Now I have an appointment with a dealership closer to me that I hope will address it.

As for the car itself.

It is truly an amazing vehicle. Granted I have less than 1,000 miles on it, 1/2 driving back and forth to the original dealership, but with the top down it is a blast to drive.

I am just looking forward to enjoying it without all these issues.

June 2016 build date, so it is a late 2016. Zero issues, I have mine down daily. Quite often while the car is moving 30mph or below I will take it down or put it up. Just over 15,000 miles.

Mid build 2016. 9K miles. Top down most all the time and I put it up when in a store for more than a few minutes or even parking in garage most of the time. zero issues. Has worked flawlessly for the 2 years I’ve owned it.

2017 1ss m6 25,000 miles top is up and down daily usually multiple times lol love this thing. No problems enjoy it FYI would have more miles but in mi, lol don't drive in winter.

2016 4-9-16 build, 18000 miles no issues:amen:

300+ cycles no problems.... unless you count the small crowds of kids that ask me to put it down with my remote...

2017, about 24000 miles on it.

I had my top replaced under warranty due to the delaminating rear window.
Before this issue, I put the top up and down dozens of times. This car is my DD.
They sent it off to another convertible top shop to do the replace. My car was the first 6th gen they replaced.
They did an OK job;but I still see some sloppiness that I want them to look at and fix. It's been so hot, rainy and wet here, I haven't been able to drive with the top down in weeks. Getting back to the top shop is a pain in the ass, as it's not convenient for me to stop by.
I fixed a few things on my own, but I definitely want it looked at again.
Bottom line; I would have been a lot happier without having the factory install "violated" with an aftermarket install. I don't think it's ever going to be the same.

14mo 4500mi no problems. Top goes down every time she gets driven.

2017 2SS Fifty, 1670 miles on it in 15 months, top up and down several times a day when I use it and have had 0 issues.

2017 2SS, 7200 miles in 15 months, DD, top was up/down several times most nice days. 14 months with NO issues, then in last month had 4: TPMS sensor needed to be reset; eBrake showing error, (dealer said no code saved), Power Steering assist went offline until I restarted the car (dealer said no code saved) and broken piece on convertible top. Top issue sounds like everyone else's: going up, plastic crunching, cover retract spring drops down in car, top mechanism bent when pressed against the non-retracted panel. Dealer said I had 2 options: they would bend it back to fix or replace top. I chose to have top replaced - waiting on them to get replacement parts so I can bring it in. I don't mind a minor issue, but all of these happened within a week. Still love my V8, M6 though!