It's hard to see in the photos due to the lighting.

As you fold your top down, note every location where the fabric folds; those locations are now turning white on my top.

Basically there is a spiderweb of white across my top; especially along the sides.

I was originally told in 2014 that this qualified me for a new top. Today I am not so sure. I decided not to do it in 2014 as we were still waiting to see if the new tops had the gasket rubbing issue and my car did not show that wear.

When I took my car in recently I was told that the white marks were normal wear and tear; however the senior service agent took some photos to see if it would be covered.

Then I noticed that my top was now rubbing against the gasket; I took a few photos and sent them to the SA.

I am getting a new top, but I don't know if the white spiderweb qualified the replacement, or that the top is now rubbing on the rubber gasket.

For those new to the thread, see the first few posts for info on the gasket rubbing issue

Photos of my "awful" top. Sure it's cosmetic, but it looks bad under normal lighting. Note that my top is almost always down.

 

Have you tried a convertible top cleaner on it yet? 303, Raggtopp and other fabric top cleaners on the market might take that white stuff off. I started noticing the same on my top, which is now due for cleaning and waterproofing. I bought the 303 convertible top care kit the other day and will use it this coming week. I'll try to take some before and after pictures.

 

I used the cleaner and top conditioner which helps with the mark some.

 

I'm in the same boat. I use Raggtopp and it doesn't get the marks out completely, unless I'm doing it wrong. Mine is down a lot of the time, and it's not always super-clean when it goes down, so maybe these are the result of rubbing when it's folded.

 

Kind of in the same boat here. I've talked about it before but never really found an answer. It is a normal wear issue on most soft tops so I doubt those will get covered under warranty, but let us know what your SA says...

Our car top is down only when we drive, which I think helps to get fewer white marks over time. And the car sleeps in the garage which minimize UV sun exposure. When I wash the car top thoroughly some of the marks tend to disappear some. I've used Raggtopp since the beginning and it seems to make the marks more visible, likely due to the synthetic nature of the coating, which gets pressed when the top is folded, especially if not fully dry (it's hard to get it to dry before the next use in the North East). I came to the conclusion those vinyl tops just get fold marks from long exposure to being folded. It is likely just cosmetics, similar to when someone iron a synthetic shirt with too hot an iron. But it does bug me...

What I'd be happy to know is if there was a coloring "freshener" that could be used for soft tops, I could apply after the wash and before the Raggtopp treatment to get a nice uniform color look...

 

I keep the top up in garage... 99% down when driven. Have not used any product on the top and it still shows some very similar light grey marks... like the ones pictured above.

We had quite a bit of weather up here, and lots of wind when it wasn't raining, so didn't get the 303 project done yet. Looking at mild, sunny and calm weather for the first part of the week, so I'll have to get it done then.

After washing the car and using the convertible fabric cleaner does everyone let the top dry completely before applying 303 or Raggtopp water repellent? Doesn't seem to say on the 303 instructions.

 

Yes, that's the kicker... water repellent repels water so if the top isn't dry well enough it won't stick to the top as well. Frankly I find the timing difficult to manage... time for the top to dry + time for the repellent to dry, I often find it difficult to secure a whole day to do this before the car needs to be used again. Once I didn't wait long enough on the RaggTopp to dry and marks where a lot more pronounced...which stayed that way until the next wash. Cool to cold weather makes it hard. That's why I don't get to use the RaggTopp as often as I'd like to.

btw from what I gather the 303 is a better water repellent, and the RaggTopp a better UV protection. I decided to stick with RaggTopp for that reason hoping it will protect the color a little longer...

 

Thanks for the info TG. Further reading on the bottle of 303's tiny print instructions note that product should be applied when it's 70 degrees or above. May have missed that boat altogether now up here. It's hard to get to 60 degrees for more than an hour during the day when we do get a mild one. We haven't hit much more than 50 degrees in quite a while. Our warmest day coming up this week is Tuesday. The forecast is advertising near 60 degrees, but only 40s and lower 50s the rest of the time.

I could try to go south somwhere, though. Sounds like a great excuse for a road trip to me!

 

+1... I've been looking for a product like this for a few years now. The only one I found wasn't for canvas though, only for the plastic/vinyl like a lot of American cars have.

 

I got some clarification. MINI agreed to replace the top under warranty due to the gasket rubbing that is now occurring; so this is the original issue raised by this thread.

The spider web of wear marks are considered normal wear and tear.

One point of concern. My top did not originally have the gasket rubbing issue. It appears that over time the top relaxes and begins to rub against the gasket.

 

Thanks for the update, did they do an adjustment to set it a tad higher in open mode, they did this on the gen1 r52 also.

 

They replaced the top. The SA mentioned that the new tops provide more space between the top and rubber gasket when down; but it's only a couple of millimeters.

My 2012 has the manual top, and the new one is extremely stiff. The SA mentioned that it will get easier with use. I also noticed what might be some vibration induced rattling when the top is up, but I need to do some more investigation.

I will be taking the advice from above and putting my top up whenever the car is parked; hopefully this will help prevent the white spiderwebs from forming.

 

Yea, thats what they did on the R52, then R57, now looks like the R59. Yea, dont store it with the top down. Clean and treat that top at least once to twice a year.

 

My convo top also has the "spider web" look; however I am also concerned about the little rain gutter above the windows. On my 2013 Cooper the gutters have cracked, split and peeled off. I had been using 303 a couple f times a year. When I first brought both issues up to 2 different SA's, I was told first, "it might depend on the products you're using..." then, "Well, you're going to get wear marks....". The most recent SA sounded doubtful but said that she would send pics to MINI USA and let me know. She just sent me an excited text stating that MINI had given her permission to order me a new top. She said it would take a bit to get in and would call for an install appointment when it arrives. I'm very happy with the outcome; however I'm curious: has anyone else experienced the rain- gutter deterioration issue? If so, do you attribute it to one protectant product over another? I'm pretty careful and use a cardboard guard when I apply the protect around the edge of the top near the rain gutters, but they cracked and peeled away anyway. Any advice for treating my new top? Thanks!

 

Glad to hear that Mini will replace your top. Mini seems to take owner's seriously.

Do you keep your Mini in garage or outside? What part of the country do you drive. I've seen some pretty beat up rain-gutters on some Roadsters with varying degrees of top maintenance or neglect. The two worst ones I've seen were for sale in Florida early last year while I was looking to buy a Roadster. One was a 2015 with 15 or 17 miles on the ODO. May have been on the lot for quite a while, the bad gutter rubber material was on the passenger side if I remember correctly, but top was otherwise in good shape. I figured it was sun/UV tortured on one side by the way it may have ended up parked.

I took pictures of all the Minis I was interested in, to keep as references during the time I tried to find the right one. They had stopped taking orders on new ones by then. Unfortunately, I cleared those pictures out right after I bought our Roadster last November. Would have been interesting to show you the gutter pic.

 

On my 2005 MCC when the top was replaced, the rain gutters stitched rubber was still fine. I treated my whole top and just watched the paint and trim on the beltline. The treatment did get on te gutters and they were fine. I had no cracking. Might be your location? Are you in FL, Arizona, or Vegas where there is lots of sunlight?

 

I live in the Ozarks of Northwest Arkansas: cold winters, hot sunny summers and lengthy, beautiful springs and falls. We have a small farm and old farm house which unfortunately doesn't have a garage. The cracked and peeling rubber gutters are probably the result of sun / UV / weather exposure. I'm buying a carport especially for the new top; however that wont help much 5 days a week since my work parking lot isn't covered. Thanks for the feedback. I'll continue to use the cleaner and protectant a couple of times per year and hope that the shade and weather protection from the carport will lessen the damage. Happy Motoring! Most fun and reliable car I've ever had the pleasure to own.

 

So after a couple of weeks I had the following issues.

• Vibration when the top was up. Like a to-loud speaker, but without the music.
• Rattling when the top was down. Similar to what I think the automatic tops were experiencing. Felt padding mostly helped.
• The top was not lining up correctly. Before latching the top was shifted left about a 1/4 inch. Perhaps the torque placed on the frame when closed causing the vibration?
• Belt-line moulding was coming off.
• One of the lines in the rear defroster grid was not working.

Took the car back and now I am getting new top material (???) and a new beltline.

I guess you can get the top material without the frame?

Anyway, about what I expected; which is why I delayed in the first place.

Car won't be back in my hands for another few days.

 

--dongood... I may have missed it if you mentioned it, what's the region you drive?

We never warmed up to anywhere close to the 303 recommended application temperature since I got the stuff, so it looks like I'll have to wait until Spring to apply. Temperature outside at moment is 8 degrees and dropping, so the Roadster is probably not going to go out top down for a while.

--TG. I use one of those big floor fans out in the garage if the humidity slows the drying process. Moving the air really helps dry out that top quite a bit faster after a wash.

 

I'm driving around in sunny SoCal; so the top is down almost every day.

 

You guys have it way too nice! And now the temps down to 2.7 degrees. No tops down Warning issued.

 

Shut up, shut up!


just kidding
I think with pretty heavy winters we still get our average in the 60+%
Often I see people in CA who are too hot to open the top

 

Yes, I should improve my garage situation to help out. Not a bad idea

 

For some of you that Mini replace the top and structure because top wear on each side over driver and passenger.

Long time after replacement, the top is it always in good condition or the top begin to wear at the same place?