Anders Flodin

So I searched the forum for something on mould (fungus, white stuff) accumulating in the folded down softtop when driving with the hardtop under winter conditions (meaning the colder season, not necessarily snow and ice) as well as permanent creases in the top fabric from extended storage in the down position, but I did not find anything.

Reason I am asking is because my experience with the Saab 93 convertible and miata convertible is just this, mould and creases in the fabric. Since I am now the proud owner of a 996 (and 951 and 928) I was considering having a hardtop for the winter months in NC. So what is the experience of the forum, can you "safely" drive around with the top folded and hardtop on for 2 months or will there be issues? Car is garaged.

Thanks for reading,
Anders

Chris(MA)

Hey, good timing, I just put my hard top on for the winter.

I haven't heard of mold problems, however you should make sure all your drains work correctly and also only fold the soft top down (for the winter) when its clean and dry. Also check all the sealing on the hard top, my rear seal had shifted somehow and I had to pull it off and replace all the VHB holding it in place.

I did my hard top early (it hasn't really rained here yet) as I didn't want to risk the weather getting rainy and my soft top not being totally dry. My garage is open and a little leaky so not ideal.

wyovino

Agreed. I've never had a problem with mold or mildew in my detached, unheated garage. When I'm putting the top down for the winter, I stop it about two thirds of the way and make sure it folds nicely. I also put a clean towel between the folds to protect the plastic window.

michaelo

Love my hardtop. The previous owner of my 996 had the hardtop on for two years with no harmful repercussions.

dgjks6

The way the hard top sits, if the top is dry when you put it down then no water can get in.

Chris(MA)

I forgot to mention about the stop and fold part way down. I didn't add a towel to mine, I'll remember next year..

Anders Flodin

Thanks guys! Good input!

Mike Murphy

wyovino

It's hard to explain but it feels like a different car with the hardtop on. I look forward to the change back and forth. Something different.

searching4996

Anders Flodin

That was my experience too from the miata hardtop, now the miata softtop is the thinnest simplest and much more noisy than the saab softtop that is thicker and has an inner lining, so the difference soft-hard will be more noticeable in miata than in a 911.

And the look is different, I like the the hardtop version of the 911, looks really good just as the soft-top looks really good but a bit different.

Mike Murphy

wyovino

I was lucky. The previous owner bought the $600 Tequipment wall mount and included it in the deal. You could probably fabricate something simple. It just hangs upside down with the bayonet mounts resting in U-shaped holders. There are DIY plans around for building a hoist for it.

Dranon

Would you mind taking some close up pics of the hardtop holder and how it holds the hardtop? Would like to make one myself!