Vinyl Roofs return, especially on new 300C

[kansaiwalker1]

Vinyl car roofs return to cheers and jeers Metro drivers like the look, much to dismay of designers By Brett Clanton / The Detroit News Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche confesses to tearing up the first time he drove the new Chrysler 300 sedan, realizing his company had finally created a masterpiece. But now Chrysler executives are wincing at the sight of a small batch of the elegant sedans, which they believe have fallen prey to lowbrow consumer tastes. Some buyers are asking dealers to install 1970s-style vinyl roofs on their new 300s, as many owners of Cadillacs and Lincolns have long done and still do today. While every vinyl roof installed sends another Detroit designer into a hyperventilating fit, consumers are keeping the tradition alive and making their own decisions about what’s classy and what’s not. Chrysler officials are quietly asking dealers to stop having the faux-convertible tops installed, but dealers say the response from customers has been too strong to quit now. “No kidding, the first time we did one, the thing lasted about three hours and it was sold,” said Joe Vogel, a salesman at Roseville Chrysler Jeep, who has installed vinyl roofs on about 10 of the 300s and plans to do more. The conflict is a classic example of what happens when an automaker’s vision for a vehicle clashes with consumer tastes. Chrysler designers intended the brawny 300 — with its oversized chrome grille, chiseled lines and Bentley cues — to be the automaker’s ultimate luxury statement. Stretch a vinyl roof over the top, they say, and something is lost. “I’ve likened the car to Arnold Schwarzenegger in a black tuxedo,” said Trevor Creed, Chrysler’s design chief. “That’s what it looks like now. But when they (add vinyl roofs), it makes it look like Arnold is having a bad hair day.” Chrysler, a unit of DaimlerChrysler AG, and rivals Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. began offering a wide range of vinyl roofs on their high-end passenger sedans during the 1960s and 1970s to evoke the image of regal horse-drawn carriages. But when demand for vinyl roofs began to fade about a decade ago, the Big Three stopped offering roof treatments as a factory-installed option. Chrysler, for instance, made its last vinyl-roof-topped car — a Chrysler New Yorker sedan — in 1992. That left the custom auto parts industry to take up the baton. Though the market is small for vinyl roofs, “it seems to be holding its own, rather than going away,” said Jim Spoonhower, vice president of market research for the Specialty Equipment Market Association, a trade group that represents auto accessory makers, including vinyl roof manufacturers. At one time, the association estimated that vinyl roof sales hit 100,000 units a year, but Spoonhower said the group has not tracked sales in more than a decade. Brian Ingrahm, a division manager at vinyl roof installer Ideal Accents in Ferndale, said sales of vinyl roofs are on the rise, especially on the new Chrysler 300. “We were probably doing 40 or 50 a year (on the old Chrysler 300M), but it looks like we’re ahead of the game on this new one,” he said. Jerry Roman, owner of vinyl roof maker Roman Chariot in Cleveland, said the new Chrysler 300 has been a bonanza for his business. “We’ve done five already, and by the end of this month, I bet we will have done 20 of them,” Roman said. “It’s brought in about $100,000 in business in a little over a month.” That’s because customers such as Rose Ford want to add a little personal flair to their cars. Ford, 50, of Warren, recently bought a two-toned silver Chrysler 300 with a vinyl roof and couldn’t be more proud of her purchase. “It really makes it look more unique than just having the whole body one color,” she said. “Everywhere I go, people stop to compliment me on it.” Though often called “vinyl roofs,” add-on roof treatments are actually made of fiberglass and then covered in cloth or vinyl, adding about a quarter-inch of height to a vehicle’s roof. Customers can choose a full cover, called a “cabriolet”; a half-cover, known as a “landau” or “brougham” top; or a quarter-cover “carriage” top. Dealers say they can make up to $2,000 on one vinyl roof, so it’s not surprising that they’re reluctant to stop taking orders just because a few Chrysler executives think they look tacky. Besides, it’s the customer who should decide what he wants to do with his car, said Dan Frost, president of Southfield Chrysler Jeep, the largest Chrysler dealership by sales in the United States. “You don’t tell a customer no on anything,” he said. That doesn’t mean vehicle designers aren’t allowed to feel a bit slighted when a customer fiddles with their work of art, said Jason Vines, a Chrysler spokesman. “It’s kind of like going to a fancy restaurant with a great chef and, when your food is brought to the table, you reach for the salt shaker. It’s considered rude. Why not try the food before you salt it?” Chrysler’s Creed, who admits to being “horrified” at the sight of vinyl roofs on the 300, said there is a bright side to the trend. “It points to a lot of excitement about the vehicle,” he said. “It gets people’s creativity flowing, and they want to make the cars unique.” But there are limits. “I have not seen gold wheels and whitewall tires yet,” Creed said. “I might draw the line there.” Creed is not the first auto executive to blanch at the thought of crowning a showcase car like the 300 with a faux top. In 1999, Ford’s Lincoln division sent a memo to dealers asking them not to sell the recently launched LS sedan with vinyl or cloth roofs. The sleek sedan was designed to compete with foreign rivals such as BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Lincoln said such flashy accessories would only cheapen the brand’s image over time. At the same time, Cadillac was trying to get dealers not to adorn the new Catera sports coupe with a fake roof. GM’s financing arm even said it would not finance add-on roofs on lease cars because they wouldn’t hold their value at resale. But dealers are a stubborn and resilient bunch. Lincoln and Cadillac models are still sporting fancy faux tops. And there’s not much chance Chrysler dealers are going to back off with the 300, either, said Jon Titman, national sales manager for Columbia, Md.-based E&G Classics, a vinyl top maker. “If the customer didn’t want it,” Titman said, “they wouldn’t buy the car, and we wouldn’t be in business making these parts.” You can reach Brett Clanton at (313) 222-2612 or bclantondetnews.com.

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[kansaiwalker1]

Image of 300C and PT Cruiser with "cool" vinyl; also poll on popularity:

http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosins...a01-189823.htm

[Red-CL]

:thumbsdn:

I hope this trend doesn't catch on.

[goldmemberer]

que horrible.

[Black CL-S 4-Life]

:thumbsdn: To the vinyl comeback.

[95gt]

God the horror, the horror. Hopefully the people that like this will be dying off in the next couple of years and we wont be subjected for too much longer.

[ruski_RENAMED]

I hope for some acid rains.

[brian6speed]

Heh reminds me of the altima i saw yesterday with a vinyl top and chrome spinners. Also reminds me of that green cl with one. Definately the ugliest cl evar.

[gavriil]

I saw an Altima with a vinyl roof last week and it looked great.

[ItalianStallion]

1... gav you must be kidding with that last statement.

2... you see em everywhere around here (old people ) on camrys, altimas, maximas, caddys, olds, buicks, i hate em.

3... the 300C is everywhere here too, a couple days after they arrived at dealers i saw 5-7 on the road consistently for a few days, the effect has kinda worn off, but i still think its hot, just now its ho hum hot.

4... i want a dodge magnum, i saw my first one at dulles last night and im in love.

[Zoot]

i once saw a TL with a vinyl roof! It even had a raised acura symbol on the hood, gold package and chrome wheels! terrible

[gavriil]

Originally Posted by ItalianStallion

1... gav you must be kidding with that last statement.

.

I am not. It looked good.

[Moog-Type-S]

Vinyl Roofs

[charliemike]

So is "Metro" now a new euphemism for African Americans?

WTF?

[kansaiwalker1]

This a letter to the Detroit News and the response from the editor regarding the use of the word "Metro"


Posted: Mon. 06/21/04 10:45 PM
From: Harold Washington
City: Chicago, IL USA
Subject: So, what's a
Comments:

Metro? Now that's a new one on me. You wouldn't happen to mean "African-American", would you?


You know, Detroit News and Brett Clanton, it's a free country, and if you mean African-American just say it, but please don't get so politically correct you sound like a bunch of blithering idiots. For one thing, it might demonstrate you have a little bit of integrity; for another, it would have saved me from having to read the article, because I thought the darn column was about the Geo Metro! Needless to say, I was pretty darn amazed when I read after all these years that "Metro drivers like the look, much to the dismay of designers."


One of us is out of touch here, and I think it's YOU.
Editor: No, the word "Metro" doesn't mean African American. Metro is simply a shorthand way of referring to "Metro Detroit" and, in this case, anyone who lives here, regardless of race, age, etc.

[charliemike]

I don't know who's giving me bad ratings but I'd appreciate it if they'd cut it out.

If someone disagrees with me, then so be it. But dammit, be a man about it.

[Minch00]

I saw an Accord with a top like this once........I wanted to cry.

[kansaiwalker1]

I can't wait until the first hemi powered Dodge Magnum is spotted with a vinyl roof!

[gavriil]

Originally Posted by kansaiwalker1

This a letter to the Detroit News and the response from the editor regarding the use of the word "Metro"


Posted: Mon. 06/21/04 10:45 PM
From: Harold Washington
City: Chicago, IL USA
Subject: So, what's a
Comments:

Metro? Now that's a new one on me. You wouldn't happen to mean "African-American", would you?


You know, Detroit News and Brett Clanton, it's a free country, and if you mean African-American just say it, but please don't get so politically correct you sound like a bunch of blithering idiots. For one thing, it might demonstrate you have a little bit of integrity; for another, it would have saved me from having to read the article, because I thought the darn column was about the Geo Metro! Needless to say, I was pretty darn amazed when I read after all these years that "Metro drivers like the look, much to the dismay of designers."


One of us is out of touch here, and I think it's YOU.
Editor: No, the word "Metro" doesn't mean African American. Metro is simply a shorthand way of referring to "Metro Detroit" and, in this case, anyone who lives here, regardless of race, age, etc.

Did you send that letter to the editor?

[SpeedyV6]

Web posted Tuesday, June 22, 2004

http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/st...62204058.shtml

Vinyl car roofs making a comeback

DETROIT (AP) -- A trend that was popular in the 1970's is making a comeback on some Chrysler vehicles -- much to the displeasure of a few company executives.

The new Chrysler 300 sedan has been a point of pride for the division of DaimlerChrysler AG. But Chrysler officials are wincing at the sight of a small batch of the sedans, which they believe have fallen prey to lowbrow consumer tastes.

Some buyers are asking dealers to install vinyl roofs on their new 300s, as many owners of Cadillacs and Lincolns have long done and still do today.

But while the vinyl roofs may be giving Detroit designers fits, consumers are making their own decisions about what they like, The Detroit News reported in a Monday story.

And dealers say the response from customers has been strong.

"No kidding, the first time we did one, the thing lasted about three hours and it was sold," said Joe Vogel, a salesman at Roseville Chrysler Jeep, who has installed vinyl roofs on about 10 of the 300s and plans to do more.

Chrysler designers intended the 300 to be the automaker's ultimate luxury statement. Stretch a vinyl roof over the top, they say, and something is lost.

"I've likened the car to Arnold Schwarzenegger in a black tuxedo," said Trevor Creed, Chrysler's design chief. "That's what it looks like now. But when they (add vinyl roofs), it makes it look like Arnold is having a bad hair day."

Chrysler, a unit of DaimlerChrysler AG, and rivals Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp. began offering a wide range of vinyl roofs on their high-end passenger sedans during the 1960s and 1970s to evoke the image of regal horse-drawn carriages.

Though often called "vinyl roofs," add-on roof treatments are actually made of fiberglass and then covered in cloth or vinyl, adding about a quarter-inch of height to a vehicle's roof

[ItalianStallion]

ok, i saw a vinyl roof on a Caddy DTS today and ill admit that in black with dark tinted windows it is the only acceptable vinyl roofed car.

[nandowong]

It could look decent if done right on a 300. wont knock it till i see it

[kansaiwalker1]

No, I didn't send that letter but I love to read the letter section in the Auto Insider of the Detroit News. It's a constant flame war in there!

[SMR Type S]

I had a 1971 chevelle with a vinyl roof. It was a red two door hardtop with a black vinyl roof, and I think that it looked good. However, almost all of the vinyl roof treatments that I have seen on modern cars are fugly!