Does it hurt the convertible top if you don't put the boot on? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

nocanoe · 07-07-2011, 07:19 AM

I have a 2011 camaro convertible and when I am driving on the highway with the top down and not booted it tends to flap. Will this hurt the fabric of the top? The boot is nice but a pain to keep putting it on and off.

Number 3 · 07-07-2011, 07:27 AM

It shouldn't have an impact. When I drove on the highway last year in Florida it just fluttered a bit, which should be no problem.

SUX2BU · 07-07-2011, 12:08 PM

No, GM sells some of these cars without the boot.

woodj · 07-07-2011, 12:50 PM

Mine flaps around without the cover on but having the cover on is scary. I'm afraid the toneau cover is going to go sailing off the car. It's happened once (before I installed the pins for the retaining clips) and it's just nerve wracking to drive the car with the cover on.

Bodih · 07-07-2011, 03:56 PM

More folks have reported "damage" from having the cover on than off. The cover tends to create wear marks on the front section of the top. Some have resorted to putting a towel under the cover, or gluing fabric to the underside of the cover to protect it. Drago77's thread about the tonneau cover taking flight has allot of info on this.

http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132147

Drago77 · 07-07-2011, 05:30 PM

The top does flap around a LOT without the tanneau cover on, which scares me driving without it... (I think of those older convertibles with the stretched out balloon looking tops) so whenever im doing any highway driving I have it on. Like others said, peruse the other threads on this topic, there's a lot of good, helpful tips to "save your top"... towel between top and cover, 303 fabric guard, washers on the tanneau posts etc... the joys of owning a convertible, lol!

IL-Tracker · 07-07-2011, 05:44 PM

Fwiw.

Followed Drago's instructs on the tanneau post install, then went to Wal-Mart and bought a dozen 12"x9" pieces of black felt in the craft department, twenty cents a piece. I place three stacks of four sheets (middle and both sides) and overlap the front edge of the convertible top, prior to securing the tanneau cover. Generally around town and short trips, no cover, but on longer trips at interstate speeds, I have it covered. So far, so good.

tracker

Drago77 · 07-07-2011, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IL-Tracker

Fwiw.

Followed Drago's instructs on the tanneau post install, then went to Wal-Mart and bought a dozen 12"x9" pieces of black felt in the craft department, twenty cents a piece. I place three stacks of four sheets (middle and both sides) and overlap the front edge of the convertible top, prior to securing the tanneau cover. Generally around town and short trips, no cover, but on longer trips at interstate speeds, I have it covered. So far, so good.

tracker

Even easier than multi-stacks- I bought a 36" x 48" piece of black felt at fabric store for about $2... I place it over the exposed section of top then tanneau cover (gives the cover less wiggle room too). When I take the cover off, I wrap it in the felt instead of the bag; win-win situation!

plan-b · 07-08-2011, 12:16 AM

My sales guy installed the boot cover when I took delivery of my car (note: despite GM marketing, it's not really a tonneau cover). That's the only time it's been installed. I do have rub marks on my top though. Nothing I'm worried about, it's a convertible, it'll get marks on the top. I'd be massively impressed at the failure of GM engineering if driving w/o the boot cover does any appreciable damage to the top. With that said, it is a little annoying to look in my rearview mirror on the highway and see all the flapping.

Doogie · 07-19-2011, 05:25 PM

The tonneau is a pain in the Arse. I was left to install the posts with the help of the forum after I found them in a bag in the trunk and the salesman couldn't identify them. I just rolled 2000 km's (1200 miles) all with the top down. Now the post on the drivers side has lost it's ability to hold the "fork" on. The plastic fork has worn to the point that it does not snap into place any more. I am going in for first service next week. Should be fun!!

bowtye · 07-19-2011, 05:50 PM

I WAS THINKIN THAT SAME THING BUT!the 1 ss and 1 lt dont haveone so if it dont come with it so i guess it cant hurt to run with out it???????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????

Doogie · 07-19-2011, 06:54 PM

Count your blessings you dont have one. Maybe the future sees a zippity do da retractable top into a hard cover tonneau???? SWEET

OrangeVert · 07-19-2011, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doogie

Count your blessings you dont have one. Maybe the future sees a zippity do da retractable top into a hard cover tonneau???? SWEET

Aftermarket maybe? Would be SWEET indeeed!

Augie1978 · 07-20-2011, 07:26 AM

Yeh I would like to see an aftermarket cover that is leather and better quality, or maybe one that is all body color other than vinyl.

07-07-2011, 07:19 AM	#1
nocanoe Drives: Triple Black Convertible Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Toronto Posts: 8	Does it hurt the convertible top if you don't put the boot on? I have a 2011 camaro convertible and when I am driving on the highway with the top down and not booted it tends to flap. Will this hurt the fabric of the top? The boot is nice but a pain to keep putting it on and off.

07-07-2011, 07:27 AM	#2
Number 3 Hail to the King baby! Drives: '19 XT4 2.0T & '22 VW Atlas 2.0T Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Illinois Posts: 12,170 View My Garage	It shouldn't have an impact. When I drove on the highway last year in Florida it just fluttered a bit, which should be no problem. __________________ "Speed, it seems to me, provides the one genuinely modern pleasure." - Aldous Huxley

07-07-2011, 12:08 PM	#3
SUX2BU Quit being a pu$$y Drives: FAST Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Sachse TX (DFW) Posts: 5,825 View My Garage	No, GM sells some of these cars without the boot. __________________ <----- Click HERE to see ALL of my mods/write ups

07-07-2011, 03:56 PM	#5
Bodih I Got My Orange Crush Drives: it like I stoles it... Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,079	More folks have reported "damage" from having the cover on than off. The cover tends to create wear marks on the front section of the top. Some have resorted to putting a towel under the cover, or gluing fabric to the underside of the cover to protect it. Drago77's thread about the tonneau cover taking flight has allot of info on this. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132147 __________________ My love is in league with the freeway. Its passion will ride, as the cities fly by, and the tail-lights dissolve in the coming of night. And the questions in thousands take flight ~Robert Plant - Big Log~

07-07-2011, 05:30 PM	#6
Drago77 Treasure Coast Camaro 5 Drives: 19 2SS vert, Mosaic Blk, A10 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Stuart, Florida Posts: 4,565 View My Garage	The top does flap around a LOT without the tanneau cover on, which scares me driving without it... (I think of those older convertibles with the stretched out balloon looking tops) so whenever im doing any highway driving I have it on. Like others said, peruse the other threads on this topic, there's a lot of good, helpful tips to "save your top"... towel between top and cover, 303 fabric guard, washers on the tanneau posts etc... the joys of owning a convertible, lol! __________________ My build:http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132722 http://www.treasurecoastcamaro5.com

07-07-2011, 12:50 PM	#4
woodj Drives: 2SS/RS RJT Vert Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Madison, AL Posts: 658 View My Garage	Mine flaps around without the cover on but having the cover on is scary. I'm afraid the toneau cover is going to go sailing off the car. It's happened once (before I installed the pins for the retaining clips) and it's just nerve wracking to drive the car with the cover on.

07-07-2011, 05:44 PM	#7
IL-Tracker That's why......... Drives: Traded a 2011 2SS/RS A6 Blk Vert Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 118	Fwiw. Followed Drago's instructs on the tanneau post install, then went to Wal-Mart and bought a dozen 12"x9" pieces of black felt in the craft department, twenty cents a piece. I place three stacks of four sheets (middle and both sides) and overlap the front edge of the convertible top, prior to securing the tanneau cover. Generally around town and short trips, no cover, but on longer trips at interstate speeds, I have it covered. So far, so good. tracker

07-08-2011, 12:16 AM	#9
plan-b No Compromise Drives: '04 996 C4S, '11 2SS Convertible Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: SFBA, California Posts: 199	My sales guy installed the boot cover when I took delivery of my car (note: despite GM marketing, it's not really a tonneau cover). That's the only time it's been installed. I do have rub marks on my top though. Nothing I'm worried about, it's a convertible, it'll get marks on the top. I'd be massively impressed at the failure of GM engineering if driving w/o the boot cover does any appreciable damage to the top. With that said, it is a little annoying to look in my rearview mirror on the highway and see all the flapping.

07-19-2011, 05:25 PM	#10
Doogie Drives: 2013 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 25 View My Garage	The tonneau is a pain in the Arse. I was left to install the posts with the help of the forum after I found them in a bag in the trunk and the salesman couldn't identify them. I just rolled 2000 km's (1200 miles) all with the top down. Now the post on the drivers side has lost it's ability to hold the "fork" on. The plastic fork has worn to the point that it does not snap into place any more. I am going in for first service next week. Should be fun!!

07-19-2011, 05:50 PM	#11
bowtye Drives: 2011 iom ss/rs convertable Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: boston Posts: 142 View My Garage	I WAS THINKIN THAT SAME THING BUT!the 1 ss and 1 lt dont haveone so if it dont come with it so i guess it cant hurt to run with out it???????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????

07-19-2011, 06:54 PM	#12
Doogie Drives: 2013 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 25 View My Garage	Count your blessings you dont have one. Maybe the future sees a zippity do da retractable top into a hard cover tonneau???? SWEET

07-20-2011, 07:26 AM	#14
Augie1978 Drives: 2011 2SS RS Vert Join Date: May 2009 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 621	Yeh I would like to see an aftermarket cover that is leather and better quality, or maybe one that is all body color other than vinyl. __________________ 2SS RS, Triple Black Vert, Manual, Hurst Shifter. American Racing Headers, Roto-Fab CAI

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