Ahh the feeling of the summer air, breeze and sunshine as you drive in your convertible. Nothing beats it. Unless you have screwed up your convertible top! If you don’t have a convertible, but are thinking seriously about buying one, here are some things to consider.
Let’s face it, that coolness that comes with your Audi, BMW, MINI, or Mercedes convertible is high maintenance. Yes, I said it! Convertible tops are high maintenance. There is no question that in the later models, they look better than ever and operate smoother and better than ever. But, they do have to be “babied”.
Tips to avoid convertible top replacement
- If you have no operation of the unit when you press the button. STOP! It will not self-heal or anything like that. You do not want to burn out the motor.
- If your convertible top is in the “up” position or partially open position and has stopped, do not drive it on a free way. You can bend the frame while driving at a highway speed. If you have to drive your car to your local technician, drive slowly to avoid any damage to the frame.
- Keeping the back window clean, and the canvas top is a must. Those long dusters, (called California Dusters) are great to bring with to lightly dust off any debris before you close that top down into the folded position. Taking convertible top down if it is dirty, is just asking for a scratched back window and unsightly marks on that beautiful canvas top.
- Never rub that back window on your convertible top with anything. If you happen to have a hand vacuum, it is great to use on the canvas top and the back window, for the times that duster is not doing the trick.
- Don’t take your convertible through a car wash. Just don’t do it! Hand wash is a must to keep that baby looking fantastic. For the canvas top, use a cleaner and protectant such as RaggTop brand, and follow the directions on cleaning and protecting the top on your convertible.
- Look for noticeable frays or loose threads and always monitor for wear to the canvas top. There are few good quality upholstery shops that specialize in repairing the canvas convertible tops, if necessary. Those rear plastic windows that have cracked and turned brown from the sun, can be replaced, too. Depending on the year and model, those can even be replaced with specialized glass units.
Don’t forget that we can help you with your AUDI, BMW, MINI, and Mercedes. Enjoy the road!
Read more: http://www.thedrivingmachine.com/tips/avoid-convertible-top-repair#ixzz2XxOmcpOZ
by Mary Payne
http://www.cooksupholstery.com
No comments:
Post a Comment