Considerations
We know there are many convertible top retailers in the market place and sometimes it can be difficult to know which convertible top meets your requirements. We also know there are many poorly fitting, poorly manufactured convertible tops in the market place that appear to be cheap at first but end up costing the owner more money when they fall apart and degrade at a quicker than acceptable rate.
Not all convertible tops in the market place are the same and we believe the most important considerations to make before purchasing a new convertible top are as follows:
- The quality of the materials used I.E. The topping material, the window material and thread.
- The quality/precision of the overall fit.
- The design and manufacturing techniques used.
- The level of service and experience the manufacturer or retailer employs.
We at Prestige Autotrim have been engineering and manufacturing premium quality convertible tops and interior trim for the British and European motor industry for over 30 years. Our UK production facility utilizes the latest hi-tech manufacturing processes and carries extensive stocks of factory quality materials to ensure our convertible tops are second to none in quality, detail and precision fit.
Topping Materials
Prestige carefully select factory grade materials for our convertible tops to ensure first class quality and durability.
Cabriotex™ Vinyls and Fabrics are aftermarket reproductions of factory original materials that offer customers excellent quality for a low price. Cabriotex™ materials differ to none branded aftermarket materials in the quality of construction and durability. Cabriotex™ materials are offered exclusively in our Aftermarket range of convertible tops.
Haartz® Vinyls and Fabrics are top of the range Factory Quality materials and are the materials of choice for Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Mazda, VW and Bentley convertibles. They are the finest topping materials available and offer exceptional durability, workability and color definition when compared to other materials. Haartz® materials are available in our Factory Quality range and Premium Bespoke range of convertible tops.
Plastic Windows (Please skip to the next section if not applicable)
Prestige only use premium grade, DOT approved Wopavin 9101 plastic and Strataglass™ plastic in our plastic window convertible tops.
Wopavin 9101 is the factory original window plastic for Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Mazda and MG convertibles. It is a UV stabilized, premium press polished plastic that comes with DOT approval.
Strataglass™ is a premium UV stabilized, press polished window plastic with a specially formulated scratch resistant coating. Strataglass™ offers exceptional clarity and longevity compared to many other plastic window vinyls and is DOT approved.
Quality and Precision of Fit /Design and Manufacturing Techniques
Many companies talk about the manufacturing techniques they use but this is irrelevant if the methods used to pattern and design the convertible tops are not to factory standard. Not everyone has the knowledge, experience or passion to precisely pattern and develop a convertible top to the highest standards of quality and fit. If this process is not carried out correctly, no amount of hi-tech machinery will make the convertible top fit and function as precisely as the factory original.
Our pattern makers work closely with the Production facility to ensure the highest standards are employed throughout the design and manufacturing process.
The Prestige Design Studio
Our pattern makers have worked in the industry for nearly 40 years and have developed OE convertible tops for various British car manufacturers. In order to successfully employ their considerable knowledge and experience, we established the Prestige Design Studio within our production facility that includes the latest CAD/CAM development software and a workshop to allow our pattern makers to develop and improve new and existing convertible tops on the actual cars and not on jigs.
Manufacturing Techniques
This is an area that many of the manufacturers that offer cheaply priced convertible tops cut corners in order to lower the price. However, the manufacturing techniques used can be the difference between a convertible top lasting 1 year and 20+ years. For example: Many of the cheaply priced convertible tops are simply stitched together in a workshop using low grade thread instead of stitched, welded and heat sealed (where necessary) using factory original thread, techniques and machinery.
We utilize the latest hi-tech manufacturing machinery and techniques to ensure our convertible tops are precision manufactured and offer exceptional longevity and a precise fit. Our Design Studio works closely with the Production facility in order to evaluate new manufacturing techniques and improve existing techniques to ensure Prestige Convertible Tops meet or exceed original specifications.
Service and Experience
Your new Prestige Convertible Top will also include excellent sales and technical support.
Our vast range of convertible tops offer customers’ the chance to specify custom material and color combinations beyond the typical offerings from other retailers and our experienced sales team are on hand to help you choose the correct convertible top to meet your specific requirements.
Our convertible top installers are on hand to offer advice and technical support for convertible top installations and comprehensive installation instructions are also included with convertible tops.
We ship our products worldwide on a daily basis using fully insured express shipping services and online tracking details are emailed upon dispatch of orders.
We hope that this guide has provided useful purchasing information and also highlighted why Prestige Autotrim has been the preferred supplier of Premium Quality convertible tops for over 30 years.
