Anyone need roof catches?
Discussion
no worries mate - next time I see you I'll bring one along. Dunno how much they cost from RS components so no idea how much to charge. Proceeds to be offset against the rather quickly mounting costs of project S 
They are still wrapped from RS so was thinking £4? I seem to recall they cost me about £8 delivered when I last needed one.
if thats a rip off then by all means tell me
They are still wrapped from RS so was thinking £4? I seem to recall they cost me about £8 delivered when I last needed one.
if thats a rip off then by all means tell me
Big Ian said:
My S3 does not have any roof catches.
There was a memorable tale last year as I recall of one S owner without roof catches whose targa panels flew out at speed along the motorway...
IMHO, for the price of a couple of pints its worth fitting the RS plastic catches (alloy / stainless ones are available at a premium) as targa panels seem to be rarer than the proverbial rocking horse dung.
SotonS2 said:
There was a memorable tale last year as I recall of one S owner without roof catches whose targa panels flew out at speed along the motorway...
IMHO, for the price of a couple of pints its worth fitting the RS plastic catches (alloy / stainless ones are available at a premium) as targa panels seem to be rarer than the proverbial rocking horse dung.
I really cannot believe they can just pop out, without some help. Mine are as stiff as a board when in and IMHO look better without catches. When put in the boot, do the catches rub on the panel below? If its true...which I have no reason to doubt you...its a bit scary
. All the more reason to drive as much as possible with the lid off 
Big Ian said:
There was a memorable tale last year as I recall of one S owner without roof catches whose targa panels flew out at speed along the motorway...
IMHO, for the price of a couple of pints its worth fitting the RS plastic catches (alloy / stainless ones are available at a premium) as targa panels seem to be rarer than the proverbial rocking horse dung.
If its true...which I have no reason to doubt you...its a bit scary
Not wishing to worry you but....
aka Spike said:
Are you replacing the panels or just getting them re-trimmed?
Reason I ask is that I need to fit a new panel (or both...) after it blew off on a dual carriageway (don't ask). Trying to find a good source for a replacement but they seem pretty few and far between.
And in a bit more detail....
aka spike said:
I'd gotten into the habit of occasionally (when in a hurry) not locking the catches at the front of the panel.
One day, I was in a hurry.
On the motorway, making, er... good progress... wind gets a tiny bit more under the roof panel than it would under normal circumstances, not as much force holding it in place as would be normal... *whoosh*,
Pulled over smartish and got out expecting to see a trail of carnage across the carriageway, thinking the panel *must* have gone through somebody's windscreen, who would have spun, hit someone else... etc..
Fortunately, the panel was resting peacefully in the central reservation , cars zipping happily past me (wondering why some idiot had pulled over with only half a roof).
Phoned the traffic police. "Don't try to retrieve it" they said. "Don't worry" I replied, "I'm not going anywhere bloody near it".
They came out, lights flashing, copper ran into the central reservation, recovered the panel and breathlessly returned it to me.
"I'm really, really sorry" I said. "Don't know what happened, but my roof catch must have broken". "Never mind", he said. "These things happen". And with that, they were off!
And I was left with a badly mashed up roof panel.
It's actually a testament to the resilience of these things - the panel is still in one piece, still fits (pretty much) and actually doesn't look too bad in place.
It's a lesson well learned and a moral to us all - *never* forget the bloody roof-catches; they're there for a damn good reason!
Did I mention that I need a new back-hoop as well?...
Even though mine is a very tight fit just through locking the struts, I personally would not take the risk without the catches in place.
As you rightly say though, a good excuse to go topless more often
You think this could be the culpret in this instance? For the panel to be dislodged you have to move the back hoop over 1 inch.Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff