Long term appearance of lighter colored tops- Opinions?
 

I'll need to decide on a new top for my seal grey boxster soon. It came with a grey top which I like, but it seems it's always dirty. Keeping it clean requires intense scrubbing, then waterproofing. My prior car was also a convertible with a tan top on a black car. I really liked the color contrast but it seems to me that lighter colored tops show more stainsand wear over time than black tops. Anyone have experience with both light and dark colored tops? Is black easier to maintain?

I personally prefer the appearance of the black tops on any color boxster. Get a GAHH or Robbins retro fit top with the glass window and the A5 German Canvas. You won't regret it.

You're dead on Wret, go with black. I've had them all, over the years, and black outlasts others by two to one, and looks great the whole time. :dance:
I don't have an idea what is used for dye in the canvas tops, but I manufacture plastic items and black is several times more resistant to UV light than any of the UV inhibitors in other colors. They use carbon black for the pigment in the polythylene and it really holds up in the sun.
I believe this is also why black tops last longer and look better, it withstands the UV better.

Wret,

I can't argue with what the others said above. I also believe a black top will look better over time and probably last longer than lighter counterparts.

Having said that, I ditched a perfectly good OE black top because I wanted a grey top, and a glass window. No regrets whatsoever.

My car isn't a DD and therefore doesn't get subjected to a lot of the crap out there. If it were a DD I might have done it differently.

ddb

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...-3-07010cd.jpg

I have a 1997 with a black top - the orignial top. Body is silver.

The reason it is black is because that was the only color for 1997.

Pretty Box, DDB. :cheers:

Ragg Topp is the key!

No soap on the top.

Don't drive in winter.

Garage parked.

Clean every week or every other week with tape roller.

I think all tops will look great if you can do these tips.

Mine had the graphite gray top when I got it and I liked the look. I had to replace it for other reasons and when I compared my top to new ones at the shop even the areas I thought were clean definitely weren't. Mine was a bit worn and the car spent a year of its life in Ohio and had enough miles put on it that year (before I bought it) that I know it was driven there through the winter. It definitely showed wear and dirt that I couldn't get out. I replaced it with a black top because of this and I'm glad I did.

markings
 

I'm really not happy about how the convertible tops leave etchings over time. I look at convertible tops on other cars and they look good after years of use, yet mine is flawed with frayed marks, you know what I mean. I'm just glad I didn't buy my car new and I knew what I was getting into (expected to pay for a new top which will also become blemished). I even looked at a 2002 boxster with 5,000 miles on it, still tainted? A big drawback on this car.

Thanks guys. I think I've about made up my mind on black for the next one.

Navy is nice too, particularly against a dark grey...and it Keeps clean just like black.

Rinse it weekly if its parked outdoors allot. Helps get the dust out, which is the big culprit in breaking down the fabric.

Second on the Ragg Topp...my '02s top looks almost new, except for creases where it folds. Disclaimer: My car is garaged, weekend driver and rarely gets left outdoors, except when I drive it to my Wisconsin home (no garage, yet).

Thanks for the info on Ragg Topp. I'll take the seconded endorsements here to heart.
They also have a product I hadn't considered, the convertable leather interior cleaner and protector. I've had several rag tops over the years, but the boxster is my first with hide interior. Makes too much sense that the leather is going to take way more of a beating in the convertible than in a coupe.
Just ordered their fabric top kit and leather kit.
I also got Aerospace 303 vinyl cleaner/protector for the seals. It arrived today from Campmor. They were the only supplier that came up on google who had it in 8 oz bottles (and the best price on all sizes). I hate to buy a big bottle of something to try it. Like everyone else, I'm sure, I have a couple of shelves with stuff I bought and used once. From reading their supplied information kit, I'm going to use the 303 on my dash. Maybe the sand beige shows it more, but the dash seems to really pick up crud from top down driving.