Is it ok to leave the roof down for days at a time...

[topnotchrally]

So... is it ok to leave the roof down for days or indefinitely?

In the past I always put the roof up everytime I park the car but recently the weather has been fine and when I drive the car daily, I put the roof down and backup up at the end of the day... only to repeat the next day. There's really no need to put it up, I decided, other than if it's gets any kind of wear or damage when it'd down.
The car is parked in a garage always and I put the cover on it, with the roof up or down, whenever I park it there.

 

[Duncodin]

Many of us have hardtops that we fit during the winter. This means that the softtop is folded down for all the time that the hardtop is fitted.

So I don't see any problem leaving it down

But bear in mind that it bounces around a little when it's folded so it rubs where the folds are touching. There's a special cloth that can be layed between the folds to protect it. I don't bother but some people will lay a thin soft towel or something between the folds.

 

[Eddie-S]

I take it you aren't in the UK..
I used to ponder this, worried about the rear screen folded up for a length of time, tried it once for a week, towels in place to stop rubbing. The screen was okay, but was a bit stiff getting the roof engaged in the locks when putting back up, so didn't do it again

 

[topnotchrally]

I'm in NZ... plenty of top down weather here, all year 'round.

I like the towel idea, I will give it a try. Thanks.

 

[Eddie-S]

It also probably helped stop the bouncing with the tonneau cover being fitted as well.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I take it you aren't in the UK..
I used to ponder this, worried about the rear screen folded up for a length of time, tried it once for a week, towels in place to stop rubbing. The screen was okay, but was a bit stiff getting the roof engaged in the locks when putting back up, so didn't do it again

Mine lives in a garage and is only driven in nice weather, so, in theory, I could leave it down all the time. In fact, early on I would leave it down for several weeks at a time, but I noticed that getting it to latch again after that was a challenge. It was almost like the top shrank a bit over time without the stretching action of being up. That, combined with a dusty interior, put leaving the top down to an end.

 

[Duncodin]

Mine lives in a garage and is only driven in nice weather, so, in theory, I could leave it down all the time. In fact, early on I would leave it down for several weeks at a time, but I noticed that getting it to latch again after that was a challenge. It was almost like the top shrank a bit over time without the stretching action of being up. That, combined with a dusty interior, put leaving the top down to an end.

My 20+ year old roof felt nice and tight when up and it was no bother putting it away and putting it back up even after I left the hard top on for much longer than necessary - I do like the look of a zed 3 with hardtop. But the new softtop I fitted last year I musta put on too tight. It can be a real struggle to get it up and levers engaged. As I said, I'm sure that's my fault. Needs a nice warm day to put up easily which, kinda, defeats the object of having a roadster

 

[Sajk]

I have also found that leaving it down for extended periods makes it really difficult to put up and latch again.

 

[Pond]

My roof was stored down (tied closed with cable ties) in my spare room for nearly 18 months.
When I eventually put it back in the car and tried to close it I thought it was going to either rip in half, or pull the windscreen surround off. At one point I thought I had put it back incorrectly, as it was almost impossible to latch. Got there in the end but it was a struggle.
I will only drive my car with the roof down and in nice weather but put the roof up when not in use now. My car looks horrible with the roof up IMO but keeps it flexible and helps my indoor cover to fit well.

 

[shera25]

So... is it ok to leave the roof down for days or indefinitely?

In the past I always put the roof up everytime I park the car but recently the weather has been fine and when I drive the car daily, I put the roof down and backup up at the end of the day... only to repeat the next day. There's really no need to put it up, I decided, other than if it's gets any kind of wear or damage when it'd down.
The car is parked in a garage always and I put the cover on it, with the roof up or down, whenever I park it there.

If it’s garaged and covered, leaving the roof down for a few days is generally fine, especially in good weather. The main concern is long-term wear on the fabric, seals and creases if it stays folded for too long, so I’d still put it up now and then just to let everything sit naturally. Sounds like your setup is pretty safe though.

 

[elevensies]

mine is garaged, and for all the above reasons i keep my roof up, i do have a hard top, which imho is kinda rendered useless as the car isnt driven in winter, but i love the look of the hard top, but not enough to ruin a mohair soft top by keeping it down over winter. ..

 

[Delk]

Mine is down for months during the summer as the car is garaged at night. The other halfs is folded all winter while the hard top is installed. Both are daily driven in all weather and we have had no issues with the tops.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

My roof was stored down (tied closed with cable ties) in my spare room for nearly 18 months.
When I eventually put it back in the car and tried to close it I thought it was going to either rip in half, or pull the windscreen surround off. At one point I thought I had put it back incorrectly, as it was almost impossible to latch. Got there in the end but it was a struggle.
I will only drive my car with the roof down and in nice weather but put the roof up when not in use now. My car looks horrible with the roof up IMO but keeps it flexible and helps my indoor cover to fit well.

I also think the car is a shadow of itself with the top up. Down....holy crap it's gorgeous.

 

[ExMX5owner]

Never use it with top up, but every year or so I make sure it works, no problems...

 

[Pond]

but every year or so I make sure it works, no problems...

Now that is regular maintenance at it's finest.

 

[Stevo7682]

My silver zed i am second owner first owner was senior in years car has hardtop fitted which is probably very rarely been off.
( ive had it 2 and half year only had top off twice and roof up once .)

But roof has oe window cover fitted roof and window are in superb condition bar a couple of minor marks ( probably condensation) on material which would easy clean stitching and everything else is mint.
So i suppose what im saying is if stored right ( ie dry and clean) then yes roof can stay folded for extended periods without any major deterioration.

Stephen.

 

[Duncodin]

My silver zed i am second owner first owner was senior in years car has hardtop fitted which is probably very rarely been off.
...

I do like the look of a z3 with hard top. I used to leave mine on longer than necessary.

Mine's back on. Maybe the only 507-esq rebody with hardtop in the world.

Yes. I know. Marmite.

 

[Pond]

I do like the look of a z3 with hard top. I used to leave mine on longer than necessary.

Mine's back on. Maybe the only 507-esq rebody with hardtop in the world.

Yes. I know. Marmite.

View attachment 352815

That actually looks quite good IMO. Remind me how the car is painted, as it looks good in the picture.

 

[Pond]

My silver zed i am second owner first owner was senior in years car has hardtop fitted which is probably very rarely been off.
( ive had it 2 and half year only had top off twice and roof up once .)

But roof has oe window cover fitted roof and window are in superb condition bar a couple of minor marks ( probably condensation) on material which would easy clean stitching and everything else is mint.
So i suppose what im saying is if stored right ( ie dry and clean) then yes roof can stay folded for extended periods without any major deterioration.

Stephen.

I put my roof down in my garage yesterday. It is cold at present in the UK (as we all know) and I had to raise and lower the roof several times, with a bit of manual intervention, to get the rear plastic window to fold nicely without sharp creases. I put that down to the plastic getting stiff due to the temperature. I also had to manually push the roof down on both sides once the ram had had enough. In warm weather I don't have to do either of these things.

 

[Duncodin]

...
Remind me how the car is painted, as it looks good in the picture.

Currently not painted. Just RAL7015 gelcoat with some cheapo ProXL acrylic aerosol on bits I'm working on

Still not sure what colour to paint it. Eventually.