HELP: Big problem with soft top

[rseica]

one day to another, my roof become like this.

Anybody know what happened, it seems to me sunburned.
But it was so fast, I am in doubt.

What can I do ... to solve this problem
help me

 

[gannet]

do you apply any hood treatments at all?

looks a bit dry to me...

 

[rseica]

No i only wash with bmw products

 

[Richard!]

I use 303 Fabric/Vinyl Convertable Cleaner every now and then on the top. Does a very job of cleaning. Might be worth trying this or some other similar soft top cleaner.

edit: I believe BMW sell a soft top cleaner too...

 

[Andy]

i think thats where the metal is underneath.. i get a pattern similar to that when it freezes.

 

[pvr]

With you being based in Portugal, you do have extreme heat over there so the protection will be needed if the car is parked in the sun.

 

[AlanJ]

one day to another, my roof become like this.

Anybody know what happened, it seems to me sunburned.
But it was so fast, I am in doubt.

What can I do ... to solve this problem
help me

From previous experience when using a branded soft top cleaner you have to ensure the whole soft top is thoroughly covered in cleaner and worked in using and appropriate 'soft' brush or sponge before rinsing off. If you fail to throughly clean and rinse then when it drys you get a patching effect. Not sure if this has happened here but certainly worth trying a thorough wash again. If the wash was done in hot sun then the cleaner may have dried into the fabric before a clean water flush.

 

[rseica]

this weekend i cleaned with bmw soft top cleaner, twice

but the greys areas remained

the only thing i didn't do is aply the water repellant, but i thing
that is not the problem.

 

[klarky]

the marks are where the metal is underneath i think, so its probably heat related - we dont have much of a problem with this in the uk!!

also never fold the hood down when wet / just after cleaning.

 

[rseica]

No i only wash on shade and at the end of the day 6pm, because here we have like 30 to 40ºC (86 to 104ºF).

I clean the soft in shade with bmw product's and with one sponge in circular moves form the centre to outside.
My car has 5 years, never had this problem.

I went 3 week in vacation, and let my car parked in the garage. I return and drive one week and was ok, no problem.
One day became like this.

the marks are where the metal is underneath i think, so its probably heat related - we dont have much of a problem with this in the uk!!

also never fold the hood down when wet / just after cleaning.

No, i never fold/open the roof wet ...

OK but what can i do to solve this ????

 

[Andy]

Is the car under warranty ?

Almost looks like the metal heating up has burnt the canvass in some way.

 

[GAZA62]

As said above looks sunburnt but strange its only happened after all this time.

My mate lives in NZ and they have lots of problems with sun damage on cars they cannot even leave the washing on the line to long as it gets bleached by the sun.

Try as said to use the BMW kit again and if its still the same all i can suggest is trying Renovo to put the colour back http://www.renovointernational.com/

 

[easty027]

i have only had that when i left it outside when it was extremely cold, i.e. freezing...

 

[bigshurv]

looks like sun damage/fading. We'll never have that problem in the UK. Any USA owners had this?

 

[rseica]

The car is out of warranty
Ended in february

 

[GAZA62]

The car is out of warranty
Ended in february

I doubt if warranty would cover that.

 

[jan_tekin]

You could try using something like Renovo Fabric Soft Top Reviver, could be messy tho.

This might be of some use and a little read.

 

[rob davey]

looks like the sun has taken the colour out of it, you wouldnt get it back to black without dye. then park in the shade 8)

 

[Sticks]

The car is out of warranty
Ended in february

It's still worth asking your dealer about, warranty or not, as it shouldn't look like that. If they're any good they'd want to put it right, it's a bad advertisement for the car, if nothing else.

Good luck

 

[GAZA62]

Once you get it sorted may be worth getting a soft top cover