How frequently do you drop the top?

EyeStealth · #1 08-03-2009, 08:25 PM

Newbie here. Just picked up a 08 MSC Convertible last week. Private seller 1st owner who got a new job along with new company car, but moving to a cold climate state. Car had 30K miles on it.

I have not owned a convertible before. I am wondering if these convertible are built to withstand a lot of opening and closing. Is it better to be conservative with opening and closing the top? Part of me feels that the whole reason we buy convertibles is to enjoy drop top driving. Part of me also feels that why be conservative, especially while the car is under warranty. I have 3.5 years or 20K miles whichever comes first. I am assuming that the top is fully covered under this warranty from a mechanical perspective. If it is going to fail, I certainly want it to occur under warranty.

Perhaps, future issues with the mechanics just comes with the territory and it is something to be expected.

My wife had an Odyssey Minivan and as good a quality as Japanese cars are, one of the automatic sliding doors eventually had a motor fail and it was rather costly (as far as Japanese cars go) to get it replaced (it was no longer under warranty).

I would be curious to know how frequently drivers are dropping the top and what has been the experience with the whole mechanism.

So like the title says:
1. How frequently (on average) do you say you drop the top? (3 times a week, once a day, just a ballpark and you can qualify your response however you want)
2. How long have you had your convertible?
3. Have you experienced any mechanical problems related to the top?

Thanks!

gawannamini · #2 08-03-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeStealth

Newbie here. Just picked up a 08 MSC Convertible last week. Private seller 1st owner who got a new job along with new company car, but moving to a cold climate state. Car had 30K miles on it.

I have not owned a convertible before. I am wondering if these convertible are built to withstand a lot of opening and closing. Is it better to be conservative with opening and closing the top? Part of me feels that the whole reason we buy convertibles is to enjoy drop top driving. Part of me also feels that why be conservative, especially while the car is under warranty. I have 3.5 years or 20K miles whichever comes first. I am assuming that the top is fully covered under this warranty from a mechanical perspective. If it is going to fail, I certainly want it to occur under warranty.

Perhaps, future issues with the mechanics just comes with the territory and it is something to be expected.

My wife had an Odyssey Minivan and as good a quality as Japanese cars are, one of the automatic sliding doors eventually had a motor fail and it was rather costly (as far as Japanese cars go) to get it replaced (it was no longer under warranty).

I would be curious to know how frequently drivers are dropping the top and what has been the experience with the whole mechanism.

So like the title says:
1. How frequently (on average) do you say you drop the top? (3 times a week, once a day, just a ballpark and you can qualify your response however you want)
2. How long have you had your convertible?
3. Have you experienced any mechanical problems related to the top?

Thanks!

I have had convertibles for 30 years and I say "damn the torpedos drop the top" - at will and don't give it a second thought. I have had 3 BMW convertibles, 3 Fiat convertibles and a Mazda RX-7 convertible and I have never had a problem with any of the tops and I often cycle the top several times a day.

The MINI's top is I believe a basic BMW design. The power unit sounds just like the one on my BMW 3 series. The older tops with plastic rear windows were a pain as they would yellow an require replacement.

One thing I am careful about - let the top dry before you put it down. I have on occasion put it down when slightly wet for a short trip and made sure I put it up to dry when I got it home. Also there is no need to scrub the top vigerously when you wash the car. The tops are treated and I don't get carried away with scrubbing the top.

I have only had my MINI for 2 months but I am not concerned as I have seen many older MINI convertibles and the tops looked/worked fine.

Enjoy your convertible. I have been a convertible addict for years. Bad day? drop the top and hit the twisties!!

EyeStealth · #3 08-03-2009, 08:57 PM

gawannamini,

I like the "damn the torpedos, drop the top" philosophy. You should put that in your signature.

Jeremy1026 · #4 08-03-2009, 09:04 PM

I have a 2nd gen vert, but I'll chime in here anyway.

1. Top comes off whenever I get in. Whether I'm motoring around the block, to the store, or to the next state.
2. I've only had it for a week and a half.
3. One problem so far, but I don't think it was a problem due to opening or closing. A trim piece clip broke, and it could have been delivered that way. I didn't even notice my stripes were left off until the next day, so that piece very well could have been broken at the time of delivery.

SpaceCity SideWalk · #5 08-04-2009, 01:05 PM

Top down A/C on full blast, very hot here in Houston
Owned for two week
Not first convertible, don't worry just let the top down.

Not4no1 · #6 08-04-2009, 01:14 PM

Yep, that about sums it up. Don't worry, Be Happy!

RckyMtnTwisties · #7 08-04-2009, 02:20 PM

My wife drives it with the top down, except when it rains. Her work commute is 3 miles. The top see's 1-3 cycles (one up + one down = one cycle) per day. Ride on!

miniblucabrio · #8 08-04-2009, 02:34 PM

I put mine down whenever I can. Doesn't matter how far I'm going. And on those days when it's just a little too cold for full top down driving the sunroof feature is used.

EyeStealth · #9 08-04-2009, 02:34 PM

Cool and you have an 05. I plan to have the top down every chance I get to enjoy the Carolina blue sky.

davavd · #10 08-04-2009, 02:37 PM

I've had my 06 for a little over 3 years/62K+. Reasons to put top up:
1. Raining (not "might rain")
2. Passenger complaints - I'm usually alone in the car
3. Sickness
4. Over 1 hour at interstate speed

Otherwise mine is down, probably about 85-90% of the time for me, and I always put it back up when I park the car. No problems yet.

raleel · #11 08-04-2009, 02:47 PM

i'm as the previous poster, but I do put it up when it cracks 100 F. it's just brutally hot and i don't feel like shoving cold air into the environment.

I will put it down at 45 F for myself, and 60 F for others. I have heated seats and this helps quite a chunk.

EyeStealth · #12 08-04-2009, 02:51 PM

I agree for the short period I have had the car, I have had the top up just to give me some shade because I was just too hot with the sun pounding down on you.

gawannamini · #13 08-04-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeStealth

gawannamini,

I like the "damn the torpedos, drop the top" philosophy. You should put that in your signature.

Yeah, when you have the sun baking your head for 30 years you get kinda crusty.

I think you answered your own question correctly when you said

"Part of me feels that the whole reason we buy convertibles is to enjoy drop top driving."

The top material is really tough and the glass back windows eliminated alot of the mainteneance that convertibles used to require when they aged. Cool feature; if you will notice your window actually drops down a fraction of a inch when you open the door and then goes back up when you close it. This is classic BMW and it is one of the reasons that I have never, in 3 BMW convertibles, had a drop of water or a wind leak. This seals the window tightly into the door seal. I had a window motor mount fail on a BMW but it was covered under warranty.

These are rugged assemblies and even if dropping the top at a moment's notice imparts a little more wear and tear I would rather have the repair than let it make me ever hesitate to drop the top. If you like the open air experience that a convertible offers the rewards far outweigh the risks and my convertible experiences have shown minimal maintenance. So drop away fellow MINI vert owner.

I am impressed that my '09 convertible is as quite as a MINI hardtop (believe the same its true of the '08's). The top is well padded.

blue lightning · #14 08-04-2009, 06:19 PM

Hi,

answers to your questions
1 When ever I drive the MCc the top is down unless it is raining, or over 90.
2 I have had the MCc for 2 years now
3 The top has been replaced once, and needs to be replaced again, the fabric has wear and started to fray.

I agree with the others, why have a cabrio and not put the top down, and when washing the MCc I just hose the top with plain water and treat the fabric every 6 months.

Perfusion · #15 08-04-2009, 10:03 PM

My top is down 90+% of the time... Usually the only time it is up is on the way to work in the morning (5:30am) - I'm not a morning person, so I enjoy the quiet of the top-up freeway experience on the way to work. On the way home, though -- top down and my foot is in it to get home!

Fly'n Brick · #16 08-05-2009, 01:18 AM

The top goes up?

Mine is garaged so the top stays down except for really bad wx or bath time. It also goes up when parked in unfamiliar, potentially hostile territory.

My very first car was a TR. I never put up the canvas. In fact, I drilled a couple of holes in the floor boards so the rain water could drain out.

Cadenza · #17 08-05-2009, 01:50 AM

While I like the top down, I've only truly enjoyed it when driving along Pacific Coast Hwy, open mountain roads, and when the temperature is comfy. I don't like sitting in traffic with the top down or cruising on the freeway with hundreds of commercial trucks spewing diesel fume. So the top is down mostly when I'm driving to/from the beach.

And how do you guys eliminate the squealing? I've looked at a few Audi TT cabrios while shopping for the Mini and all of them were quiet.

Fly'n Brick · #18 08-05-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cadenza

And how do you guys eliminate the squealing? I've looked at a few Audi TT cabrios while shopping for the Mini and all of them were quiet.

I give the scissor joints an occasional shot of Liquid Wrench Dry Lubricant. Hold a shop rag behind the joint to keep the spray under control. Works fine for me.

Cadenza · #19 08-05-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fly'n Brick

I give the scissor joints an occasional shot of Liquid Wrench Dry Lubricant. Hold a shop rag behind the joint to keep the spray under control. Works fine for me.

Can u access those joints w/o removing the inner liner?

Fly'n Brick · #20 08-05-2009, 11:26 AM

I just run the top about halfway down (or up, depending of course) then spray only the joints that are exposed. I am a little timid about digging around in there too deeply so if a squeek gets started where I can't get to it, well...

BlimeyCabrio · #21 08-05-2009, 11:50 AM

Mine is down 90% of the time also. But I put it up when I park usually. So after 34 months and 56,000 miles, I estimate that my roof has seen approximately 1200 up/down cycles. Other than squealing when it's been left down overnight, no issues.

nickheart · #22 08-05-2009, 02:53 PM

Sadly, we got ours used on the 19th of July, so we didn't get to sign the 80/20 clause :( But we did get the cover that says "Are you absolutely sure you need to put the top up" button over the buttons.

For the two weeks so far the top goes down and up at least 3 times a day. I'm with the others that say "unless its raining, or if its over about 90 outside.

BlueBonnet · #23 08-05-2009, 11:56 PM

The top on my 2005 goes down always except if it is frozen. It goes up when I park so when I drive it that's back and forth a few times. Just tonight I put it down to pack for an early morning departure to MITM. Then put it back up.

That said, I've had three tops and innumerable trips to the dealer for top repairs. I don't believe it is the mechanism but mechanics who don't go quite far enough. For example, I've had a popping sound on the driver's side for 50000 miles . . . just last week a new part which should have been ordered 4 repairs ago was installed and it seems fixed.

Still, because the repair is warranted, I've yet to pay for any of the repairs. I know it is in the MINI computer . . . but I don't know how many times I've been in. I know that about 40,000 miles ago I realized that 10% of the miles I'd put on the car were in driving it to and from the dealer for top repairs.

I love the car! I don't think it is the car. Don't ask me if I love the mechanic.

Cadenza · #24 08-06-2009, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlimeyCabrio

Mine is down 90% of the time also. But I put it up when I park usually. So after 34 months and 56,000 miles, I estimate that my roof has seen approximately 1200 up/down cycles. Other than squealing when it's been left down overnight, no issues.

1200 cycles... I feel better now. The squealing just doesn't inspire confidence.

gawannamini · #25 08-06-2009, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueBonnet

The top on my 2005 goes down always except if it is frozen. It goes up when I park so when I drive it that's back and forth a few times. Just tonight I put it down to pack for an early morning departure to MITM. Then put it back up.

That said, I've had three tops and innumerable trips to the dealer for top repairs. I don't believe it is the mechanism but mechanics who don't go quite far enough. For example, I've had a popping sound on the driver's side for 50000 miles . . . just last week a new part which should have been ordered 4 repairs ago was installed and it seems fixed.

Still, because the repair is warranted, I've yet to pay for any of the repairs. I know it is in the MINI computer . . . but I don't know how many times I've been in. I know that about 40,000 miles ago I realized that 10% of the miles I'd put on the car were in driving it to and from the dealer for top repairs.

I love the car! I don't think it is the car. Don't ask me if I love the mechanic.

I am a mechanical engineer and it is really frustrating when you get a mechanic that throws parts at a problem without a clear understanding of the cause. The MINI tops and the BMW tops are pretty well designed, but if something is in a bind/out of alignment or if the computer does not get the right signal from position switches etc. you can have a problem. Hopefully they have now found the true cause as your experience is not what have found to be normal in the 5 automatic top convertibles (Mazda, 3 BMW and new MINI) that I have owned.

I once had to take a new BMW convertible back to the dealer 5 times to find and resolve a loose rear shock mount that left the factory that way. They replaced top cover latches, and one thing after the other including numerous "could not duplicate" wasted visits. It can be so frustrating!!! After about 20,000 miles they finally found the cause -a loose shock mount bolt in the exact area that I had identified since the first service visit

Hang in there!!