What do you convertible owners use on your top to make them shine?

 

Good question. I've always just kept it clean by brushing it off regularly and using soap and water very occasionally, but I would like to hear what others do, too.

 

The top has been on my car for 5 years now. I haven't used anything but soap and water and the top has kept a like-new appearance. The car is garaged and covered when not used. As well, I don't take it out in foul weather. And finally, it's a black top so it won't show dirt like a white top will. I do like the white top look a lot better but, man, are they hard to keep white over the years.

Randy C.

 

I saw your post this morning and asked my buddy who's worked in auto upholstery for about 40 years. He said you don't want to put silicon products like armor all on it. That you really shouldn't be focused on a shine, but a clean surface. The shop he works in uses a product called 303 to clean convertible tops. He's going to find out who makes it and I'll add that information to this post. His comment about different kinds of vinyl treatment is that the different vinyl and plastic parts have slightly different compositions. So when someone says that Acme products really made their dash pad look nice and last forever, that doesn't mean it will do the same for your door panels. That was his caution. John

 

I used simple green and a soft brush to give mine a good cleaning after I got the car and just a little soap and water since then. Not a fan of most vinyl treatments since they can run onto the paint - assuming I ever took it out in rain .

 

To be honest I never thought about a shine on the top. I use Mothers Convertible Top Cleaner, a nice soft brush and follow the directions on the bottle (very simple stuff), lots of water to rinse,dry real good and then use an air hose to get excess water out of the trim piece on top then let the sun do the rest for about an hour.


My top is about 11 years old but it's always in the garage and if it comes out of the garage,the top is down so it doesn't really get dirty. Since I had the work done on the car all those years ago,I've only put 3k miles on it so I can't really say how well the Mothers works on real dirty stuff. I've only washed the car about 5 times in about 11 years,it's always under a cover and I use a California duster when I want to give it a quick dust off.

 

Some convertible tops are a vinyl material, like GM made them, and some are a cloth-like material (a "fancy" aftermarket option).

None are ever shiny.

- Eric

 

Whatever would make them shine will usually attract dirt, too.
I use soapy water and a large soft brush once a year during a wash job and rinse off, just to keep it clean.

 

My top is white and does have a slight side sheen, looks flat straight on though, and I wash it with Maquiars car wash liquid. It's held up well for almost 12 years now. I live on a gravel road with red iron oxide dirt on it and the car and top has to get a bath every time I take it to town, probably washed it more times than any car I've owned....Tedd

 

I searched the web and found this info on the product 303 aforementioned by John. http://www.303products.com/shop303/i...yl-cleaner.cfm

I've never used this on my cars, but would consider giving it a try.

 

I assume you are talking about a vinyl top and not a cloth top. You can get the 303 products at West Marine. Really good stuff but expensive.

 

and this one looks to be available at regular auto parts stores:
http://www.303products.com/303r-fabr...p-cleaner.html

 

I have used RAGGTOPP on the cloth top on the 54 Olds and found it to be really good. It is expensive and you may have to order it on line. I only found one place in Dallas that carried it. They have cleaner and protectant for both cloth and vinyl. Here is the link:

http://www.wolfsteins.com/products.htm#cleaner

 

Duct tape!

[sadly, it's true]

 

I have seen a lot of convertible tops repaired with duct tape. That is not a pretty site.

 

A friend of mine recommended 303 for my RV trailer and also for my pontoon boat. I tried it and really like it. I have a 2004 Bennington pontoon and the seats are made of vinyl and a coating of 303 when I store it in the fall really seams to keep them like new. So I started using it on my Olds white convertible top and it is great for that also. I bought a 1 gallon container on ebay that was expensive but alot cheaper than buying it by 8oz bottles and auto zone or the like.

 

I've used Simple Green and a soft brush on stubborn spots on mine for the last 4 years and it does a great job. I use microfiber when I'm just wiping it off at shows.

 

"repaired"

more like "replaced" by the time we went from CA to MI with the VW rabbit in tow

 

Well what about car wash? because i am using that from a year and never face any problem.. does anyone use WD40 after washing them to get good shine.. because I heard about that, never tried.. can you please tell me is that safe to use that?