Soft Top

G

Generalmoz

New member
Good afternoon guys,
I am looking for advice regarding cleaning and waterproofing my soft top on my Z4?
Look forward to reading replies.
cheers
Paul :driving:
 
Hi Paul

The Autoglym 2 part kit works well, it just depends what sort of condition your top is in before you start.
The sponge that comes in the kit is ok but you get better results with a short bristle stiff brush. The one thing to avoid when applying the waterproofer is avoid getting it on your glass and paint as it's a bitch to get off.

If you have any green mould to get rid of the Milton sterilisation tablets are good at cleaning it off and killing the spores.

Stuart
 
I use the autogylm cleaner and sponge but dont find their water proofer lasts too long. So I use Fabsil Gold to water proof it. It was originally recommended to me by a car detailer. It isn't a car product as such and it's available in places like Go Outdoors. Its designed to water proof hiking clothes/boots and tents etc but works well on car roofs and last ages if you dont use strong cleaners on the roof (which your not supposed to do anyway)

If you do use it make sure you get the gold stuff, its a bit pricey but is something like 5 times as strong as the regular stuff.
 
MACK said:
I use the autogylm cleaner and sponge but dont find their water proofer lasts too long. So I use Fabsil Gold to water proof it. It was originally recommended to me by a car detailer. It isn't a car product as such and it's available in places like Go Outdoors. Its designed to water proof hiking clothes/boots and tents etc but works well on car roofs and last ages if you dont use strong cleaners on the roof (which your not supposed to do anyway)

If you do use it make sure you get the gold stuff, its a bit pricey but is something like 5 times as strong as the regular stuff.
Click to expand...

You might want to check out the chemistry in Fabsil and make up of the BMW triple layer roof. The top layer is not supposed to be totally 'waterproof' so that the material can dry fully without being trapped, many people use other water-proofers and swear by them but that is not how the is designed to work (the company that make BMW roof materials also do Audi, Mercedes etc).

Fabsil is nearly 100% Heavy Petrolium Naptha. The actual waterproof layer underneath is made of Butyl. According to freely available technical data the resistance of Butyl to Naptha is the lowest rating at 'unsatisfactory' i.e. may be damaged by Naptha products.

Fabsil data sheet http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1536436.pdf

Rubber resistance to chemicals http://mykin.com/rubber-chemical-resistance-chart-4

Previous post discussing these topics http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=81422&hilit

I stick to BMW cleaner and treatments, at about £12-£16 a time they have lasted for 1-2 uses a year for about 6 years and only just run out, but other members get good results with other brands (which are probably cheaper and made by the same people :D )
BMW stuff http://www.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/topics/discover-bmw/accessories/accessoryDetail.accessoryId=246.html#eyJhc19xIjoiaW5tZXRhOnByb2R1Y3RDYXRlZ29yeSUzRE1hbnVmYWN0dXJlckFjY2Vzc29yeUNhdGVnb3J5NyIsImFzX29xIjoiaW5tZXRhOnByb2R1Y3RHcm91cHMlM0RNYW51ZmFjdHVyZXJBY2Nlc3NvcnlQcm9kdWN0R3JvdXAxOTQifQ==

BTW I use Fabsil gold on outdoor kit and really works :thumbsup:
 
Ewazix said:
MACK said:
I use the autogylm cleaner and sponge but dont find their water proofer lasts too long. So I use Fabsil Gold to water proof it. It was originally recommended to me by a car detailer. It isn't a car product as such and it's available in places like Go Outdoors. Its designed to water proof hiking clothes/boots and tents etc but works well on car roofs and last ages if you dont use strong cleaners on the roof (which your not supposed to do anyway)

If you do use it make sure you get the gold stuff, its a bit pricey but is something like 5 times as strong as the regular stuff.
Click to expand...

You might want to check out the chemistry in Fabsil and make up of the BMW triple layer roof. The top layer is not supposed to be totally 'waterproof' so that the material can dry fully without being trapped, many people use other water-proofers and swear by them but that is not how the is designed to work (the company that make BMW roof materials also do Audi, Mercedes etc).

Fabsil is nearly 100% Heavy Petrolium Naptha. The actual waterproof layer underneath is made of Butyl. According to freely available technical data the resistance of Butyl to Naptha is the lowest rating at 'unsatisfactory' i.e. may be damaged by Naptha products.

Fabsil data sheet http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1536436.pdf

Rubber resistance to chemicals http://mykin.com/rubber-chemical-resistance-chart-4

Previous post discussing these topics http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=81422&hilit

I stick to BMW cleaner and treatments, at about £12-£16 a time they have lasted for 1-2 uses a year for about 6 years and only just run out, but other members get good results with other brands (which are probably cheaper and made by the same people :D )
BMW stuff http://www.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/topics/discover-bmw/accessories/accessoryDetail.accessoryId=246.html#eyJhc19xIjoiaW5tZXRhOnByb2R1Y3RDYXRlZ29yeSUzRE1hbnVmYWN0dXJlckFjY2Vzc29yeUNhdGVnb3J5NyIsImFzX29xIjoiaW5tZXRhOnByb2R1Y3RHcm91cHMlM0RNYW51ZmFjdHVyZXJBY2Nlc3NvcnlQcm9kdWN0R3JvdXAxOTQifQ==

BTW I use Fabsil gold on outdoor kit and really works :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

thanks I will look int it. Like I said a detailer recommended it so I just went with that
 
No prob's,

a lot of the loss of colour and crease marks are dirt stuck in the fibres, although my roof was washed regularly, someone on here mentioned using a wet vac' so I thought I'd give it a go after rinsing and was shocked by the brown mess that was lifted from my apparently 'clean' roof! two more wash 'n vacs later the water finally cleared, so a wet vac is worth a try :thumbsup:

8fe1e75d-743c-4162-825e-27056c056751_zps7u45el8n.jpg
 
Ewazix said:
MACK said:
I use the autogylm cleaner and sponge but dont find their water proofer lasts too long. So I use Fabsil Gold to water proof it. It was originally recommended to me by a car detailer. It isn't a car product as such and it's available in places like Go Outdoors. Its designed to water proof hiking clothes/boots and tents etc but works well on car roofs and last ages if you dont use strong cleaners on the roof (which your not supposed to do anyway)

If you do use it make sure you get the gold stuff, its a bit pricey but is something like 5 times as strong as the regular stuff.
Click to expand...

You might want to check out the chemistry in Fabsil and make up of the BMW triple layer roof. The top layer is not supposed to be totally 'waterproof' so that the material can dry fully without being trapped, many people use other water-proofers and swear by them but that is not how the is designed to work (the company that make BMW roof materials also do Audi, Mercedes etc).

Fabsil is nearly 100% Heavy Petrolium Naptha. The actual waterproof layer underneath is made of Butyl. According to freely available technical data the resistance of Butyl to Naptha is the lowest rating at 'unsatisfactory' i.e. may be damaged by Naptha products.

Fabsil data sheet http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1536436.pdf

Rubber resistance to chemicals http://mykin.com/rubber-chemical-resistance-chart-4

Previous post discussing these topics http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=81422&hilit

I stick to BMW cleaner and treatments, at about £12-£16 a time they have lasted for 1-2 uses a year for about 6 years and only just run out, but other members get good results with other brands (which are probably cheaper and made by the same people :D )
BMW stuff http://www.bmw.co.uk/en_GB/topics/discover-bmw/accessories/accessoryDetail.accessoryId=246.html#eyJhc19xIjoiaW5tZXRhOnByb2R1Y3RDYXRlZ29yeSUzRE1hbnVmYWN0dXJlckFjY2Vzc29yeUNhdGVnb3J5NyIsImFzX29xIjoiaW5tZXRhOnByb2R1Y3RHcm91cHMlM0RNYW51ZmFjdHVyZXJBY2Nlc3NvcnlQcm9kdWN0R3JvdXAxOTQifQ==

BTW I use Fabsil gold on outdoor kit and really works :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Spot on and to add one more technical point the outer layer is not supposed to be waterproof. It is designed to be porous with the second butyl layer taking care of that. The correct roof treatments protect the outer layers fibres keeping dirt out which itself damages the fabric.

Keep to the correct products and the roof will last. Mine is at the time of selling 13 years old and near as new with an annual ragtop cleaner and treatment..
 
Well having read the posted links and taking on board everyone's comments I guess I back to the drawing board on this!
Thanks for the steer folks, no more Fabsil then you learn something everyday!
I will definitely give the wet vacuuming ago. When doing it did you add any cleaner agent or just plain old water?

Like I said I've been happy with the results with Autogylm cleaner and sponge in the past, just not the protector as it doesn't seem to last too long. Other than the BMW stuff has anyone got any product recommendations for a roof protector. Think I may even have an unopened set of 303 cleaner and fabric guard, anyone used this?
 
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