SOFT TOP CLEANER

[brack1e]

WASHED THE CAR TODAY AND NOW AUTUMN/WINTER IS SOON TO BE UPON US, I WONDERED WHAT VIEWS PEOPLE HAVE ON THE BEST SOFT TOP HOOD CLEANER AND PROTECTOR IS TO BUY. FOUND CARPLAN SOFT TOP CONNOISSEUR KIT IN THE LOCAL CAR SHOP AND IT SOUNDS GOOD, HAS ANYONE USED THIS OR ANY OTHERS ?

 

[Ewazix]

I use the BMW stuff and it works well. If you search the forum a bit you will find lots of info, particularly about the unusual roof construction which is designed with an absorbent top layer, and has a waterproof inner membrane which could theoretically be affected by some proofing agents. This was news to me until I read it here, great forum

 

[cj10jeeper]

SWITCH THE CAPS LOCK off. it was hurting my ears.

IMHO stick to one of the top 2 products of BMW own or Ragtopp. to clean and one of the matching proprietory treatments (note not sealants)


Here's what Ewazix references that I posted some time back:

One thing to note is the 'canvas' is not waterproof and not designed to be.

(I refer only to the automatic roof as the manual roof is an uninsulated construction):

The roof is actually 3 layers. The outer layer is itself 3 layers of poly-acryoniltrite fibres, polyethylene fibres and butyl rubber. Underneath that is a 15mm layer of insulating polyester (sound proof and warmth) and the final inner layer of polyurethane foam and polyethersulfone, for inside finish and insulation.

Pretty complex for a folding bit of canvas

My interpretation of this is that water should actually permeate the outer layer and rely on the butyl to be the waterproof layer, so your not really waterproofing it but removing dirt from the outer fibres and protecting them. For this reason I'd be very careful of any detergent and what I used, no scrubbing and use a proper product.

 

[IK.]

As CJ says, it's a complex roof, and from what I've read, you shouldn't be sealing it at all - it needs to breathe to do the job it was made to do.