DocTock993

I finally have my car back from my local dealer after the cab roof recall - and they (Plaza Motors, St. Louis, MO) DID come through with the necessary repairs with a new windshield seal and driver's side seal at cost to me on the windshield seal only. There is only a little wind noise behind the driver's side seat, but it does not leak any water.
Thanks to all the Rennlisters who helped with this issue, and for encouraging me to actually DRIVE my "garage queen".
Now that the weather is better, and I am driving about 60 highway only miles to and from work, I have a question about the necessity of using the boot over the down cab top. Routine speed in the 60+ mph range.
When I have the time, especially for the drive home, I put the boot on - a PITA 10 min procedure where one snap usually doesn't catch and one pull-button also never catches.
Am I damaging my roof by not using it all the time? Are there better, non OEM boots that are easier to use? Any suggestions?

amfp

The boot is needed for the padding under the top. It should be used when doing highway driving. Far as I know there are no alternatives.

cabrio993

10 min work? 2-3 minutes at the most. There are a total of 8 clips - snap on thingies. Your soft lining will get damaged very quick if you don't use it. If you are just going around town, no need to put it on, but if you go on the HWY...it's a most.

Chuck W.

Some weeks I will put mine on and off several times. 3-4 mins max. Practice will make it easier. Good luck.

DocTock993

Thanks for the input - I guess I better practice.
What badness will happen if I leave it overnight with the boot on and the top down? Will the rear window get all f'd up?

Simon Shearer

Depending on how the rear window folds when the top is down, you might get a permanent crease in the window if you leave it down overnight. My top is new, replaced after a very bad hail storm that completely destroyed the rear window. The window fold is different than before, and I have to be very careful not to leave the top down for any length of time. You can really see the difference in the clarity of the window - takes forever to smooth out.

I used to drive without the boot all the time with the old top. The window had lots of scratches on it and I think that was caused by debris getting in there from not having the boot on. Everytime I'd put the top down, something was scratching the window - the area at the rear tray and behind the rear seat is not very accessible and therefore difficult to clean.

cabrio993

I wouldn't recommend leaving any top down for too long. The canvas starts to develop creases the longer you keep it down. It just takes 30 seconds to put it up at the press of a button. Once you get the hang of attaching and detaching the boot, it won't be as painful.

Chuck W.

I leave mine down for a week or two at a time. Summer time it could be as long as a month. Yes, it causes creases in the canvas and some in the rear window. I consider it character lines....like the one on my face.

StatmanDesigns

The main reason for covering the folded top is due to the UV damage to the headliner material. When the top is folded the inside headliner is exposed and will become brittle and eventually tear and shread apart from exposure to the UV rays. I used to have a 1985 Carrera cabriolet, and because of this manual covering of the folded top, I will never own this type of convertible again. Too bad I hate the looks of the 996, because the convertible mechanism is much improved.

Because of the requirement to manually cover the folded top, it makes the electronic folding mechanism a bit useless, and just prone to expensive failures.

David in LA

Yes, you should use the boot cover whenever possible as the wind and sun will accelerate wear and UV damage to the headliner. That said, I admit that I don't always put the cover on if I am going for a short drive, or if I am staying below highway speeds. Installation should really only take 2-3 minutes which is only a little bit more than the time you need to warm the car up.

It has been suggested that it's not a good idea to keep the top down for extended periods (ie days or weeks) as the canvas will tend to shrink and when you put the top back up it will increase the strain on the motors and cable. This is also the reason why you should not put the top down when the canvas is wet.

To help prevent creases in the plastic window, you can throw a folded clean towel on the window when you put the top down. This will also minimize dirt scratches from plastic to plastic contact.

DocTock993

Thanks everyone. I times myself putting it on today - 7.43 min. I think the key problem is that the previous owner never put it on so I'm dealing with stiff canvas from 1997.
I cannot get 2 of the pull snaps to catch on the passenger side - is the possible flapping going to injure anything?
Any suggestions as to the order in which to attach?
Also, does everyone re-fold the boot after each use?
David - what size towel? and why folded? BTW - awesome car - what wheels are those? and how much is it lowered? and what nose? OEM HID's?

Sorry for all the dumb questions - I admit I'm a complete newbie at all this.

fbfisher

Flapping from the wind at freeway speed will also weaken the glue that keeps the head liner attached. Use the boot except for short or low speed trips. Plus it make the whole presentation of the car cleaner

David in LA

I usually start with the center tenex fastener in the back and then work my way around each side...last ones I attach are the snaps by the door openings and then the ones that are in the passenger compartment

Not too large of a towel...I usually just use a microfibre towel and just fold it once or twice over so you have a slight roll on one end. Folding the towel prevents the plastic window from sharply folding in half which will eventually lead to brittle creases.

Thanks. Wheels are Gemballa Competition (18x8.5/11). I have no idea how much it is lowered...never bothered to measure, just figured it looked and felt right. Front bumper is a Euro turbo bumper. Yes, OEM HIDs.

Dudley

David, Once again, gorgeous car. What size rubber with your wheels? thanks

David in LA

285/30 on 11" in the rear and 225/40 on 8.5" in the front...will probably go with 245/35 in the front next time although I wish I had gone w/ 9" wheels BTW, just saw the recent pics of your car in the other post...she's a great looker