Is it ok to keep the roof open

[rexcramer]

I believe the most important issues regarding open/closed are; water intrusion and temperature. With temperature, the plastic window is more pliable the warmer it is. There have been reported cases of the plastic splitting because it was stiff from the cold.

I still have my original, plastic rag top and it is in great condition. My car also came with the factory hard top. I believe my car spent most of its life with the hard top on. Which explains why it is in good shape. I also keep a soft towel in the fold of the plastic when it is down. This helps to keep the plastic from rubbing against itself. I never raise/lower the top below 70 degrees. I also keep a car cover on it all of the time. Wife's car gets to sleep in the garage.

[78F350]

+1 to Rex.
One of the cars I bought had a hardtop on most of the time the previous owner had it - that means that the soft top was 'open' for years. The top looked great and almost new until one sunny morning I opened it with the temperature still in the 50s. The window cracked.
A towel or soft cloth in the fold is a great idea to keep it from getting scratched while folded.

[Frodo]

Right or wrong, I've typically left the top down (car garaged) most of the summer. The only downside I've experienced is that the dash, etc, builds up dust faster that it otherwise normally would. My back window is (2001 vehicle) is still in good shape. I do avoid opening/closing when it's too cool out, so one wouldn't want to wait until winter conditions have set in before addressing the matter. (I have, in a pinch when it's gotten cold out, bundled up and taken the car for a drive and then put the top back up. I figure engine heat would to some extent warm things up back there. AND, putting it up I think is much less stressful on the vinyl than putting it down. So far so good.)

[Jasper7821]

Originally Posted by rexcramer

I believe the most important issues regarding open/closed are; water intrusion and temperature. With temperature, the plastic window is more pliable the warmer it is. There have been reported cases of the plastic splitting because it was stiff from the cold.

I still have my original, plastic rag top and it is in great condition. My car also came with the factory hard top. I believe my car spent most of its life with the hard top on. Which explains why it is in good shape. I also keep a soft towel in the fold of the plastic when it is down. This helps to keep the plastic from rubbing against itself. I never raise/lower the top below 70 degrees. I also keep a car cover on it all of the time. Wife's car gets to sleep in the garage.

Yes, I mentioned it's warm and the plastic is probably more pliable. I'm in AZ and it's in the 100's now and in my garage with my other car (plug-in Hybrid) charging the battery overnight that dissipates heat like crazy and my garage this time of year is usually about 110 or so overnight.