Soft Top Care - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Mr. Boone · 09-05-2005, 10:14 AM

Any suggestions on what products to use to treat the soft top??

Mine has some discolorations, like 1" diameter dots that run along the center hoop and what appears to be fold marks. Dealer says "normal wear and tear and will not replace the whole top under warrantee.

Thanks for replies.

gschiener · 09-05-2005, 10:50 AM

I use RaggTopp cleaner and protectant... it's an excellent product..

willche · 09-08-2005, 11:41 AM

Yes Raggtop Cleaner & Protectant and also Plexus for the plastic windshield

deliriousga · 09-08-2005, 12:52 PM

I haven't used the Raggtop, but heard only great things about it. I use the Renovo dry cleaning and protection system. The dots won't go away, though. They come from compression on the top when it's down.

ralegen · 09-08-2005, 04:53 PM

I was just wondering. Is there any type of DYE to color the top? My top is black, but it looks a little faded in the sun. I was wondering if anyone has tried dying the fabric.

Mr. Boone · 10-04-2005, 08:29 PM

I bought The Ragtop cleaner and protectant kit and found it works great. Water beads up on it so much it looks like snow. Top looks really good, almost like brand new but the pressure marks and abrasions, although diminished, did not come all the way out. All in all it worked great. Plus you gotta love a product with the main ingredient being Paraffinic, Napthenic solvent. Hey, is this not the same thing as Napalm? No wonder there are warnings all over the can about not using near sparks or open flame!!

MNBoxster · 10-04-2005, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Boone

I bought The Ragtop cleaner and protectant kit and found it works great. Water beads up on it so much it looks like snow. Top looks really good, almost like brand new but the pressure marks and abrasions, although diminished, did not come all the way out. All in all it worked great. Plus you gotta love a product with the main ingredient being Paraffinic, Napthenic solvent. Hey, is this not the same thing as Napalm? No wonder there are warnings all over the can about not using near sparks or open flame!!

Hi,

I agree that the RaggTop is the best stuff to use. Keeps the top in, well, top shape!

BTW, Paraffinic, Napthenic solvent is not Napalm. The term Napalm was initially used only to describe the thickening agent (polystyrene) which was added to Gasoline. Of course, later, the whole mixture took on that name.

Napalm is actually a mixture of 46 parts polystyrene, 33 parts gasoline (usually AvGas) and 21 parts benzene. Had some experience with it when I was in my 20's- Nasty stuff!

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

PS BTW, Parafinic Napthenic Solvent is the stuff we used to use when I was in the Boy Scouts in the early 60's to waterproof the Canvas Tents we used. It is essentially Wax suspended in Naptha. You Paint it on the Canvas and the Naptha carried the wax deep into the Canvas fibres. Then the Naptha would flash-off leaving the wax behind. Smelled very strong, and made you dizzy if you breathed it for too long! Hadn't smelled it in years until I treated my Top.

98Boxster98 · 10-05-2005, 04:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralegen

I was just wondering. Is there any type of DYE to color the top? My top is black, but it looks a little faded in the sun. I was wondering if anyone has tried dying the fabric.

I ran across this once when I was looking for Renovo plastic cleaner:

Renovo Fabric Soft Top Reviver

I have no idea how well it works.

deliriousga · 10-05-2005, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98Boxster98

I ran across this once when I was looking for Renovo plastic cleaner:

Renovo Fabric Soft Top Reviver

I have no idea how well it works.

It works wonderfully on the color, but it will not get rid of the scrubbed fabric where it is lightly fraying.

RandallNeighbour · 10-05-2005, 10:20 AM

I too have those 1 inch round circles on my original, 1997 top. It's normal.

danspellman · 10-05-2005, 10:48 AM

Don't give up on replacing the top under warranty.

I have a '02 BoxsterS that had a few scuff marks. I thought that it was normal wear.

I also have a tenacious wife that can be a real pain in the ___. I pointed her at my dealer and turned her loose. Now I have a new top.

TerryB · 10-05-2005, 03:00 PM

I have a 2004 Box S (but new). I recently noticed that the top has wrinkles between the side windows and back windows. It must have been there when I bought the car but I didn't notice it. Is this a big deal??

larez2 · 10-05-2005, 03:23 PM

I would have thought more people would use the Porsche Tequipment Cabrio top protectant. That's what i use and it works great. To clean it, I follow the advice of my local upholstery shop. I use only water and a soft bristle brush and gently clean it. (and since i've gotten the Mr. Clean AutoDry, I use only filtered water on it now) No soap, nothing else. My top is going on 7 years old and still looks good. I have those dots too. Haven't thought about dying it - sounds like a messy job.

HTH,
Larez2

Perfectlap · 10-06-2005, 07:27 AM

my car spends allot of time in a parking lot so I cover it with a softop cover that you can get on Ebay. If the car is sitting for more than two hours the cover goes on.
A weekly high pressure rinsing is excellent. Raggtopp cleanser with an OXO feathertip brush when ever it gets stained/bird droppings/etc. The Raggtopp protectant after cleansing. Replacing the softop is an entirely preventable expense.

KShep · 10-06-2005, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

my car spends allot of time in a parking lot so I cover it with a softop cover that you can get on Ebay. If the car is sitting for more than two hours the cover goes on.
A weekly high pressure rinsing is excellent. Raggtopp cleanser with an OXO feathertip brush when ever it gets stained/bird droppings/etc. The Raggtopp protectant after cleansing. Replacing the softop is an entirely preventable expense.

Didn't know they made one of those...will seach for a link.

Edit: found California Pop top covers....made of Tyvek. Cannot determine what kind of lining it has or if it would be abrasive to the soft top in wind or just normal install/removal. How would you store the cover should it get wet and you need to get home from work or a long running appointment? Duffel maybe?

Mr. Boone · 10-09-2005, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNBoxster

Hi,

I agree that the RaggTop is the best stuff to use. Keeps the top in, well, top shape!

BTW, Paraffinic, Napthenic solvent is not Napalm. The term Napalm was initially used only to describe the thickening agent (polystyrene) which was added to Gasoline. Of course, later, the whole mixture took on that name.

Napalm is actually a mixture of 46 parts polystyrene, 33 parts gasoline (usually AvGas) and 21 parts benzene. Had some experience with it when I was in my 20's- Nasty stuff!

Happy Motoring!...Jim'99

PS BTW, Parafinic Napthenic Solvent is the stuff we used to use when I was in the Boy Scouts in the early 60's to waterproof the Canvas Tents we used. It is essentially Wax suspended in Naptha. You Paint it on the Canvas and the Naptha carried the wax deep into the Canvas fibres. Then the Naptha would flash-off leaving the wax behind. Smelled very strong, and made you dizzy if you breathed it for too long! Hadn't smelled it in years until I treated my Top.

Ah yes you are absolutely right. Good thing I am not a chemist. Never the less I think they mean business when they say keep the sparks and open flames away when applying. Paraffin suspended in naphtha sounds pretty darn flammable to me as well.