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I've tried to search on this, but have been coming up dry.
Cabriolet experts--are there any risks to longer-term storage (maybe 2-4 weeks of the car with the top down? I'm about to embark on some console/PCM accessory/etc upgrades, and it's infinitely easier to do interior work on a cab with the top down.
I thought I read somewhere that it's not good on the top, and/or the mechanism, to store the vehicle with the top down for an extended period of time, but now I can't find that info.
(The car's in a heated, dehumidified garage, so the environment around it isn't a concern)
Porsche would not sell a hard top accessory if the top experienced damage from a long-term top-down position. I'm sure it might increase creases a little but I believe as long as the top is dry, there is no big concern for that period of time.
Porsche would not sell a hard top accessory if the top experienced damage from a long-term top-down position. I'm sure it might increase creases a little but I believe as long as the top is dry, there is no big concern for that period of time.
Or just put the top up when you're not working on the car if you're worried about it. My top stays down most of the time when it's nice out anyway. No issues
Or just put the top up when you're not working on the car if you're worried about it. My top stays down most of the time when it's nice out anyway. No issues
My goal is to not have to put the top up and down, as my blocks of available time to work on the car aren't great, so those few minutes each time that I don't have to cycle the top are minutes I can be tearing apart the console. The whole hard top concept is the best point though--if storing the top down for weeks at a time resulted in damage or a shorter life, there'd be a lot of hard top owners screaming by now.
My goal is to not have to put the top up and down, as my blocks of available time to work on the car aren't great, so those few minutes each time that I don't have to cycle the top are minutes I can be tearing apart the console.
I get limited time but it takes 40 seconds round trip for the top my guy. Less than a minute total each time you work on it.
My goal is to not have to put the top up and down, as my blocks of available time to work on the car aren't great, so those few minutes each time that I don't have to cycle the top are minutes I can be tearing apart the console. The whole hard top concept is the best point though--if storing the top down for weeks at a time resulted in damage or a shorter life, there'd be a lot of hard top owners screaming by now.
I get it. As an aside, taking the console (assuming you mean the center console or the stereo stack console), isn't bad at all. It seems daunting but once you do it once, the next time takes maybe 15 minutes max. I replaced me entire center console and also installed the numeric short shifter, so I've done it twice. Just be sure to label the screws...I did and still put 2 of them in the wrong spot, but they still worked so...
I get limited time but it takes 40 seconds round trip for the top my guy. Less than a minute total each time you work on it.
My top's throwing 'not at limit' errors right now about every other cycle (which I also need to troubleshoot this winter), so it's a 5-10 minute thing right now for mine
Our local PCA club had a sponsor who refurbishes tops and interiors come on a Zoom and talk about maintenance. He said, in no uncertain terms, that you should put the top up every night as long as it's dry. He mentioned that the fabric tops stay more pliable and last longer when they are up and fully tensioned. Pliable tops also put less stress on the closing mechanism and will help the mechanism last longer. I'd imagine the Porsche closing mechanism is pretty darn robust to start with so top failures may not be a good metric to support keeping the top down and stowed.
My top's throwing 'not at limit' errors right now about every other cycle (which I also need to troubleshoot this winter), so it's a 5-10 minute thing right now for mine
oof fair enough. I’d just leave it down (it’s not THAT long).
I once left top down for little over week. It had noticeably more pronounced creases when put up, but over couple days returned to normal. Creases fact of life. Even in garage light dust gets on car over time and rather not have it get on interior. So I put it up when return home even if driving next day. Typically put it up when get where going if will be sitting in parking lot more than few minutes. Top is lowered/raised a lot, I lube once a year and by grace of god and scotch nothing has gone wrong with mechanism. Knock on wood.
I usually drive my cab with the top down but always put it back up afterwards. Pretty sure that keeps creases from forming. I also get it out of the garage and into the sun to let the fabric warm up before I lower it. That was old school advice from my dad.
I put my removable hardtop on from Dec to April and I don't have any problem with the top at all. It's down for months. a few slight creases on each side but nothing that really bothers me.
My 2009 4S cab also has a hard top on it 7 or 8 months of the year ( I live in Michigan)
and I haven't noticed any issues with the soft top other than normal wear.. BTW I do have a second hard top for sale in the classified for anyone who needs one.
Our local PCA club had a sponsor who refurbishes tops and interiors come on a Zoom and talk about maintenance. He said, in no uncertain terms, that you should put the top up every night as long as it's dry. He mentioned that the fabric tops stay more pliable and last longer when they are up and fully tensioned. Pliable tops also put less stress on the closing mechanism and will help the mechanism last longer. I'd imagine the Porsche closing mechanism is pretty darn robust to start with so top failures may not be a good metric to support keeping the top down and stowed.
Robust? Guess I've been unlucky. The previous owner replaced the locking mechanism and I had to replace the entire mechanical section that lifts it up. Previous owner put on 20K miles and I put on 10K.
12-03-2021, 12:14 PM
Cabriolet Top Down -- Extended Periods of Time
