Open your (coupe) tailgate with one hand!

[NCC1701]

OK, so why is the Coupe tailgate so much more complicated to open than the Cabrio?

[dichrodave]

Originally Posted by Padawan

Dichrodave, what luggage mat is that in your photos? Any other pics?

I bought it at Target for $10. The size is 16 x 32.

[SmartDigger]

Originally Posted by NCC1701

OK, so why is the Coupe tailgate so much more complicated to open than the Cabrio?

Before I got the Cabrio I was looking at a coupe and the dealer said you have to open the glass then lower the gate.

[Smart Enuf]

Originally Posted by SmartDigger

Before I got the Cabrio I was looking at a coupe and the dealer said you have to open the glass then lower the gate.

But how do springs in the lower half of the car (intended to pop open the tailgate) help with opening the upper glass hatch? I'm still not getting it.

[dichrodave]

Springs and upper hatch/window not related.

[NCC1701]

Originally Posted by dichrodave

Springs and upper hatch/window not related.

From reading, I gather in the Coupe the rear window is opened before the tailgate. Then, through a sequence of latch pulls/presses, the tailgate can be lowered. And, that normally takes two hands to accomplish. I've never operated the tailgate of a Coupe, so that's what I've pieced together.

In the Cabrio, the tailgate is opened first, followed by the 'window'/roof back. To close, the roof back must be closed first, followed by the tailgate. This is the reverse of the Coupe order.

But, the strange thing to us Cabrio owners who've never opened a Coupe tailgate is the complexity of doing so, as described in this thread. The Cabrio tailgate is a one hand deal. Once it is unlocked, just press the release and it falls into your hand ... the same one which you used to press the release. We didn't know there was a difference ... so don't really understand the function of your springs.

I hope I explained the cause of the confusion.

[sandalscout]

haha, okay, I have not looked closely at a cabrio, so I'll explain how the coupe window/tailgate works, if one of you would explain the cab setup. Fair?

On the coupe, the glass opens upward, and the tailgate opens down. you open the window first, which exposes two buttons on the top edge of the tailgate, normally behind the glass. You grab both of these at the same time, pull toward you and the gate wings down in your hands. The spring mod above causes each side to kick out enough to not relatch if you only do one side at a time. Otherwise, you have to pull one side, pull the other side, and then reach back over and pull the first side.

Make sense?

[sandalscout]

haha, NCC, thanks for the clarification, I was typing as you responded. You are correct, hope that my explanation cleared up the coupe even more. I think I understand the cab side of things now too. thanks!

[SmartDigger]

The cab set up needs two hands to put the top back down or up. The back window part folds up to increase the gate hight. On both sides of the top is a lever that you press to release the top. Then you lift up( gate must be down to open back of top). To put it down, you push on the corners to lock it into place. The gate can be open or closed with the top back down.

[John_H]

When we cabrio owners reach into the handle and pull, pressing a button through that motion, both sides release electrically. Is the glass release from a button under the back gate handle as well?

To close the cabrio top, I always perform a quick tug down on the middle from full open, effectively slamming both corners shut. It's only the corners of the closed gate I sometimes need to "nudge" to fully locked because it's not easy to get the lower hatch's closing force just right.

So we have two levers, too, but they're for the soft top after the lower hatch is down.