Soft top care?
 

Is there a proper way to care for the fabric on the soft top? Any conditioner or way to brush it? Light pressure wash to lift dirt out?

Oh, and what oil weight should I use and where do I put the jack? :dance:

I use Raggtop, as do a lot of other folks here. General consensus seems to be that it is the best product to use.

www.wolfsteins.com

As to the oil, don't worry about weight, not important. If you get to know the folks at your local garage you can get them to save the stuff they drain out of other cars for you. Just pour it through some cheesecloth to filter out the chunks before you put it in your engine.

You really want me to tell you where you can put your jack? :D

I've had good experiences using Raggtop cleaner and protectant. I've also heard good things about 303 as well. I need to clean my roof again and reprotect it (not an issue since it's in the garage). Bought a few cans of the Porsche-labeled protectant to use.

I clean with 303, then use Renovo waterproofer. I like the Renovo better than raggtop because it brushes on, so you don't have to worry about over spray onto the paint and it goes on thicker.

Tim, plain water only, and a brush with medium/soft hair. Rinse, let dry and apply a silicon base waterproof spray (the one tested for car soft tops with UV protective this & that). Although kept indoor, I still carry out this maintenance quarterly.

I never wash the soft top when I wash the car. I just rinse it and gently rub with one hand.
No soap, no high tech anything. Looking as new after 15 years

I used RaggTop my first year. I think the water repellent just didn't hold up very long. I had to reapply a few month later. The kit gives you plenty of cleaner but only a couple applications of repellent

Does anyone know if it'd be a good (or bad) idea to use a vacuum spot cleaner to clean the fabric top?

Just water and a soft brush to clean it. Then I use Aerospace 303 (available at marine stores). Apply it with a throw away brush, don't spray it as the overspray makes a mess. Really goober it on, more is more, about half the bottle. At first it will leave a foamy film but it goes away quickly.

I do my top maybe twice a year, it rains a lot here, and the top always beads water like the paintwork.

Are you sure to use with silicone based spray product for ragtop, i've heard its not "breathable" for clothing ??:confused:

If the Raggtopp cleanser doesn't get it out I'd be surprised. Use an OXO feathertip brush from one of the detaling websites like autogeek.net
Keep an asborber type sponge to dry the top (don't use that on paint).
Then follow up with the Raggtopp protectant in a non-windy space.

The problem with household cleaners are the detergents. They attract dust. Dust leads to thinning of the thread, which then leads to the stretch marks when you operate the top. So if you run the car through a car wash, you have to make sure the top is extremely well rinsed with a fair amount of pressure, twice.

I agree with the 303 all the way.... I use the 303 fabric cleaner first, spray it down and give it a good scrub with a soft brush, then rinse it, let it dry and then apply the 303 Fabric Guard and let it dry in the shade or in the garage (not in the sun).

Afterwards I clean the plastic window with Meguiar's Clear plastic Cleaner #17 and then finish it up with Meguiar's Clear plastic polish #10... leaves it soft, no haze and crystal clear.

H

Does the 303 cleaner take out the 303 Fabric Guard? And for the plastic window, do you polish by hand or with a polisher?

Do not attempt to use any other than a towel on the plastic window. They aren't very robust, especially with age. Plexus is the best thing to use on the plastic window.