One Way Only!

[0586slb]

I've just joined the forum and I'd like to share my experience. All of this information would ave been invaluable to me some time ago. You've got permission to laugh as I now can see the funny side...

Last year, out to the local supermarket in my 2002.5 Boxster S. It was winter time and when it rains in England, its whole water! Just as I was pulling in to the car park, the warning lamp for the top came on. I thought the top may not have been closed properly so pressed the button. Nothing. Ah, yes, unlatched the top-lock, pressed again. I realised that I'd pressed the wrong side of the switch only when the clamshell was fully open and the roof was open 4 inches! The light was now out on the dash, tried to close the top but wouldn't motor closed. (Would still like to open though) Rain lashing down now, 8 miles from home, 10 miles from the Porsche garage. Decided I would try to drive to the Porsche garage, but even at 20mph, holding on to the roof handle it was trying to lift me out of my seat (rain still pouring in, windows down halfway as well, remember).

Just then, red and black ball joints flashed through my mind, as I'd read the emergency procedure in the manual when I got the car. I managed to take cover under a filling station roof and set to work, with onlookers that couldn't move for laughing. It felt quite a brutal experience when popping the balljoints off, red ones came off OK but felt something would really break when trying to get the black (clamshell) ones off, so removed the spring clips instead. Dignity and watertightness restored, I headed home.

A few days later, the top was fixed in a couple of hours at the Porsche workshop (under warranty)