Hi kids,

My first ever rag top is on his way through the panama canal, and I want to make sure I can properly care for his top. I looked through the existing threads, but couldn't find anything about cleaning/detailing a convertible top. If it makes any difference, Basil will have a blue top...

Thanks!

 

303 makes some great products for fabric tops... 303 Fabric Cleaner and 303 Fabric protectant. I found them at boating supply stores and at Smith and Hawken (high-end gardening goods). I've used them both on my garden/patio furniture (cloth) and loved 'em. Others on this board have had good luck on their softtops with these products.

Another highly spoken of product is "Ragtop". I've never used it. You will want the version of the protectant that is made for canvas roofs, not vinyl (the aerosol spray protectant, not the pump protectant).

Try a search through the forums w/ these product names.

Congrats on the new 'vert!

 

You can get all of the products I mentioned here: http://www.detailersparadise.com/_sy...20060425132441

or here: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/exter...-top-care.html

 

Thanks Agranger! I still have a couple of weeks to get my car care products lined up....

 

You'll find you don't need to wash your top, unless a bird hit it or something... The first thing I do b4 I wash my car is grab my shop vac, with the brush attachment, and vaccuum the top - it does a fantastic job. Then I was the car as I would any other car (I just don't wash the top, but I do spray it off (NO POWER WASHERS)). Also, Mini says the top only needs "reprotected" annually?

 

Never use carsoap to wash your top. Carsoap has oils in it that make your top a lint magnet. You don't need to wash your top every time your wash your Mini. All I do is spray my top down with the hose really good to get the dirt & dust off every time I wash. Approx every 3 months I actually soap my top using top cleaner & reapply protectant. Every time you actually wash your top (using a cleaner) you will need to reapply protectant. Canvas tops are not waterproof so you must reapply protectant to keep them that way

I used 303 Top Cleaner & the 303 High Tech Fabric Guard for over a year & I was never dissatisifed with it but the last time I did my top clean routine, I tried the Raggtopp. IMHO the Raggtopp kicks 303's butt. It rained a few days after I used Raggtopp for the 1st time & WOW it looked like it was sleeting instead of raining on my top. The raindrops were bouncing off like crazy. The 303 didn't make the raindrops dance like that. I am now a Raggtopp convert but I highly recommend the 303 Aerospace protectant (which is a totally different product than what you use on your top) for cleaning & protecting the inside of your Mini & the black outside bits. It is kinda like Armor All but much better & it doesn't leave that nasty shine behind

p.s...for the love of all, when spraying protectant on your top immediately wipe off overspray (there will be tons of overspray) from your window's & paint. I found out the hard way that once that protectant dries on your paint/windows you will be sorry. I had to use claybar & mega elbow grease to get it off

 

Bamatt: 303 Protectant is good, but try Meguiars #40 on the exterior bits... I think you will find it lasts much longer on the outside.

 

I found a lint roller comes in handy also, My car is aslo parked outside, so I always wipe it down in the morning with my absorbing towel before I put it down. I believe I read not to put it down when its wet. (maybe I'm just paranoid)(Mini owner + paranoid, is that redundant?)

 

From the owner's manual, it's okay to put the top down while wet, as long as you don't leave it down for more than 24 hours. I guess the real potential for damage on a wet top is mold/mildew/fungus, so you don't want to keep the top folded too long while wet.

Scott

 

Thanks will give it a try

 

Thanks for all the good tips! I can't wait!

 

Here's one other tip with regards to the waterproofing (303 Fabric Guard or Raggtopp): spray it on in full sun and let it cook - the hotter the better. This according to the 303 product material. Something to do with the specific chemical reactions and cross-linking of the polymers.
Oh and for the over-spray, its best to not even get any over-spray on the rubber or painted bits. Tape and newspaper are in order and the more complete the better. More so if it is even slightly windy. I used an old bed sheet and slightly lifted my top and put the sheet under it. I then lowered the top and put the sheet over the sides, windshield and hood. Saved some taping and protected well.
I used the 303 Fabric Guard and it still beads like crazy since July. I've heard the Raggtopp is great too. Detailers Paradise (from agranger's link is a great place to get either product). http://www.detailersparadise.com/_sy...20060425132441

Cheers

 

Is there a way to apply the protector without spraying (like spray on a cloth and dab on)?

Thanks again!

 

Absolutely! In fact, I was reading through this thread thinking that I wanted to explain a few application variations for you... then you asked!

We sell three incredible products... each for a different application "personality" if you will. Here is the lowdown on each:

RaggTopp Fabric Protectant
Aerosol spray can
Good: Very even coverage due to the aerosol sprayer.
Bad: Can cause a good bit of overspray if you're not careful, and sometimes even if you are careful.
Note: RaggTopp is what most manufacturers (including MINI) use on your top initially (but before the tops are cut and sewn). As such, it is endorsed by most manufacturers as the best product.

303 Fabric Guard
Pump spray
Good: Much less overspray, if any, than RaggTopp.
Bad: Only semi-even coverage if you aren't thorough. If you are thorough, then you can achieve just as good evenness as RaggTopp. If you aren't, then you won't.

Renovo Soft Top Ultra Proofer
Non-spray bottle
App note: With Renovo, you pour the proofer into a small container, like a tupperware bowl, and then you brush it onto your top with a paintbrush.
Good: No overspray and excellent coverage/evenness
Bad: Not as quick and easy as the RaggTopp or 303 FG. (although no overspray to cleanup or no need to tape-off... for some that could offset the quick factor to some degree).

In our testing, we have found very similar durability results (with proper prep in all cases). It is important to use a top-specific cleaner before you use a protectant. You will see better durability and won't seal in any nastiness.

All said and done, I'm a firm believer in allowing the customer to choose the product of the three based on their application preference. 99% of the time, after I explain the differences, the person knows immediately which application is most appealing to them.

-Heather

 

You guys are awesome! Thanks for all the tips!

 

Ok, I’ve got two questions then. How good is the Renovo Soft Top Ultra Proofer compared to the other 2 products? After you put the protector on should your roof bead water like your well-waxed paint?

 

Well, I use the 303 stuff, and the water actually beads FAR BETTER on the convertable top, after protecting, than it does on even frweshly waxed paint. Water rolls off it like mercury rolling off ceramic tile - literally all of the moisture skitters off. It's damned impressive.

Heather of Detailers Paradise was dead on- the 303's trigger sprayer makes getitng totally even coverage problematic - I ended up using almost half of the bottle for my initial application. That was almost 3 months ago, and the top still beads water VERY well. I'm already getting a small spot that's starting to bead less perfectly - I'll touch it up the next sunny day. And yes, doing the application on a hot day in direct sun is actually the PREFERRED environment, as it helps the sealant "cure" much, much faster.

 

Yes, your roof should bead water just like well-waxed paint... with any of the 3 products.

I have to admit... Renovo is my favorite product despite the fact that it takes me longer to use. It beads wonderfully! I've personally found slightly better durability results with Renovo over the others, but others find RaggTopp lasts slightly longer. Others find 303 to last slightly longer!

**I do believe that in the case of these 3 products... if you choose the product based on the application that suits you, you'll probably do a better job of applying the product- whichever one it is. Thus, the better you like the application then the better durability you'll see... by a small bit. Really the durability is very similar between all 3, all said and done.

All 3 products work excellently. Just depends on your app style, IMO.

-Heather

 

TOTAL tangent, but I must say that I prefer 303 FG to proof my dog beds! Yes, it's true that I use car care products on my dog stuff. (Dogs are my first love!) I also prefer the 303 FG for interiors and the like.

(is it strange to quote yourself in a post??????)

-Heather

 

I don't even have a 'vert and I'm loving this recommendation! Very cool suggestion.

 

Oh hail yeah
I will def try the Renova paint-on stuff next time. I mean it would take no time to brush this stuff over my top & to not have to worry about overspray is a dream

 

The sheet thing IS a great suggestion, although this would not help with the edge where the back meets the trunk, would it? I've read that the petrolium base in the protectant will discolor the rubber trim around the windows and edges, so I used a peice of cardboard as an overspray sheild, then wiped any overspray off the rubber ASAP with a rag (having a second person following along behind you would be the ideal way to do this). I have no marring or discolorization anywhere, so even waiting a minute or two to wipe it off seems to be fine. I DO like the sheet suggestion though - that would protect the front and sides totally. I think I'll use a plastic tarp, though.

 

Just a note...what's stopping you from pouring the other products into a bowl and paint-brushing them on?

I often apply most of my spray-on product onto a towel or rag first then rub them on. I learn time and time again from overspray and drips not to bother spraying them on directly.

 

Nothing, I guess, except that the manufacturer recommends that they be applied a certain way, and I figured they knew what they were talking about. I'd be interested in seeing a side-by-side comparison test with 303 or some other product using this as a controlled test, though, if anyone's interested. I'd do it, but it looks like I'm not due for a reapplication for a few months yet.

 

One important note: Raggtopp (and maybe the others too - I don't know) has two different products, one for vinyl and one for canvas. The MINI is a canvas top. Make sure you save yourself some trouble and order the right one.

Mark S