Leaving The Top Down?

[111wfb]

When the car is stored should you unlatch the top to relax the fabric or keep it latched tight

[Indydriver]

Originally Posted by 111wfb

When the car is stored should you unlatch the top to relax the fabric or keep it latched tight

Latch it.

[tonysplanb]

Originally Posted by Indydriver

I had the great good fortune to spend 20 minutes at The Reveal with a Camaro Program Manager going over my top and discussing convertible design issues. For those of you who eschew the tonneau cover and ride around with the top down and exposed (and flapping in the wind), you may be reassured to know that he stated categorically that there is "no way" the top can lift at speed with the tonneau off. "We tested that."

Regarding the interior cover, it suits my use as my car is a GQ, never being driven in rain. I will use the cover when parked at the golf club or a car meet when I can be fairly certain no one will mess with it. I do not use it for errands where it will be parked among the morons in a public lot. As a result, my top has been down and tonneau on for about three months. It will continue in that position until fall.

Indy, I took a ride with mine this summer for 3,767 miles with the top down. I went from NY to Pittsburgh,Cleveland,Cincinnati,Kentucky (Corvette factory),Nashville,Memphis,New Orleans,Destin Fl,Jacksonville,Savannah,Charlotte, Outer Banks and back to NY in 21 days. Top down even with temps at 95-100. Stopped using the Tonneau early in the trip and never looked back. I used your recommendation for 303 protection and it works beautifully. It was a great trip with out a single problem or scratch. We can't wait for next year to do the other side of the United States.

This picture with the top up was only until we hit the highway. 14,600 miles on her

[Mpsmith1]

When I'm away from home, I never leave my ZL1 unattended with the top down. That would be crazy IMO. I'm lazy, but not THAT lazy.

As far as when it's in the garage, the tops stays down until it gets cold. The reasons are that 1) there's no dust in my garage and 2) it looks so damn good topless. #damnyousexy

[Indydriver]

Originally Posted by Mpsmith1

When I'm away from home, I never leave my ZL1 unattended with the top down. That would be crazy IMO. I'm lazy, but not THAT lazy.

Not sure how you figure laziness to be a factor...

The convertible top is the most complex and vulnerable system on the car. Every mechanical system contains parts with failure rates. It is common sense that the less you use the top, the longer it will last. Next next factor in deciding how to protect your convertible is, do you find it acceptable to drive with the top down and not covered by the tonneau? I do not. I hate the look and the flapping around of the fabric, which can't be good for it.

So, the question for me is, do I install the tonneau every time I drive then remove it and raise the top or leave it in place and install the interior cover. I have found the latter system to be preferable.

I will add that I understand my system doesn't work for everyone, especially a daily driver. My car never sees rain, let alone snow. It is insured as a collector car so it isn't used for errands. I am very selective as to where I drive it so I really have no security concerns using the cover vs top up.

[Mpsmith1]

Originally Posted by Indydriver

Not sure how you figure laziness to be a factor...

Just kidding, my man. Was trying to joke that I was too lazy to wait the 20 or so seconds it takes to put the top up. #jokefail

[NYCamOwner]

Originally Posted by Indydriver

Not sure how you figure laziness to be a factor...

The convertible top is the most complex and vulnerable system on the car. Every mechanical system contains parts with failure rates. It is common sense that the less you use the top, the longer it will last. Next next factor in deciding how to protect your convertible is, do you find it acceptable to drive with the top down and not covered by the tonneau? I do not. I hate the look and the flapping around of the fabric, which can't be good for it.

So, the question for me is, do I install the tonneau every time I drive then remove it and raise the top or leave it in place and install the interior cover. I have found the latter system to be preferable.

I will add that I understand my system doesn't work for everyone, especially a daily driver. My car never sees rain, let alone snow. It is insured as a collector car so it isn't used for errands. I am very selective as to where I drive it so I really have no security concerns using the cover vs top up.

I have found that when not using the tonneau cover, if I put the back windows up (yes, the little dinky things..) that the flapping of the top goes away. I can drive pretty much any speed with it like this and the top is not being affected.

[Dameat63]

Me too. When its a short trip and I don't feel like putting the tonneau on and I'm not going on the highway for very long, I raise the rear glass about 3" on either side and the top fabric moves very little.

[Edzo]

I used to leave the t-tops off on my Capri all the time. Even overnight. I did get caught a few times in the rain when I had to run out and put them on. I never wanted to put them on in case I went back out. Might have been different though with a power top. Never left anything valuable in it. Still don't in the Camaro even with it locked.

[Bobbymsams]

A catch: I'm thinking of a c5 corvette coupe, so taking the roof off/on is not a press-button affair. I would mostly use the car for short trips, so it would be a lot of hassle to be continually changing the top. Thus "always leave the vehicle with the top up" would basically equate to "never get to drive it with the top off".

To cut out the obvious, there would be no bags or purses or anything left lying in the vehicle, (and no rainclouds .

What kinds of things can be done to make a vehicle with the top down safer? What kind of security additions and systems are recommended?

What kinds of situations would a typical convertible owner leave the top down, vs never dream of leaving it down, eg:

- Grocery parking lot, affluent suburb, daytime, in the store for 30 minutes?
- Same, night time?
- Work parking lot, 9-5pm?
- Downtown Seattle parking lot, daytime, 2 hours?
- Downtown, night time, 1 hour?
- Downtown parking lot near nightclub, night time, 4 hours?
- On street parking, suburb, 1 day and 1 night?
- Urban field/park, parking lot, evening, 1 hour?
- State park parking lot, daytime, 3 hours?




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[samman11]

Is there any harm to the top created by leaving it down for long periods of time? For example, any increased crease marks, etc? I have mine garaged with a cover at night, so leaving it down will not allow any dirt in.

[Indydriver]

My experience with crease marks is that you get them every time the roof is down whether for a day or a month. So....I don't want to see it. I don't want the wear and tear on putting it up and down not to mention the relatively fragile tonneau cover. Once summer arrives, I put it down, install the tonneau and leave it that way until end of summer. Whatever creases are in the top when I put it up eventually come out. You can help them with a little massage.

I can tell you in absolute terms that leaving the top down for extended periods does not harm anything and, more than likely, extends the life of the electronics, folding mechanisms and tonneau.

[samman11]

Originally Posted by Indydriver

My experience with crease marks is that you get them every time the roof is down whether for a day or a month. So....I don't want to see it. I don't want the wear and tear on putting it up and down not to mention the relatively fragile tonneau cover. Once summer arrives, I put it down, install the tonneau and leave it that way until end of summer. Whatever creases are in the top when I put it up eventually come out. You can help them with a little massage.

I can tell you in absolute terms that leaving the top down for extended periods does not harm anything and, more than likely, extends the life of the electronics, folding mechanisms and tonneau.

It sounds like the way to go, other than when the temp is a little too cool for having the top down.

[Mr. Stacy]

Just curious. My BMW vert had an automatic system that if you locked it with the fob with the top down, nothing would open it except the fob. Even if you got in, the glove boxes wouldn't open, nothing would turn on, none of the lock buttons or trunk buttons would work either.

Does the Camaro do anything similar?

I would try it but the weather here is crap. :(