Videos: #convertible-roof

A VW Beetle cabriolet in for roof clean, rubber conditioning and drain flush. The roof had some chemical staining from a car wash using strong alkaline products -- Gary explains why those marks can be permanent. All rubbers done, drains cleared, AutoGlym three-month wax on the outside.

A Mini Cooper S Sidewalk in for roof clean and reproof -- jet wash marks from a previous owner, chafed fold lines, mould inside from water ingress, blocked drains. The good news: the zigzag marks will be much less visible once the roof is clean and coated, and the fold lines have not yet gone through.

A BMW 3 Series 325 CI brought in for roof cleaning and ceramic coating. The owner's friend is seriously ill; once the car is done he plans to take him out in it -- it might be his last summer. The bonnet had a previous respray that had gone flat; wet-sanded back and polished. Matrix Blue ceramic coating and a two-year roof nano-coat.

A Mini Cooper S convertible brought out of lockdown storage -- dirty green roof, jet wash marks in the fabric, compressed rubbers letting water past the boot panel and potentially into the battery area. Two-part video: the assessment and the result. Cost: £332 for the roof clean and coat, £120 for rubbers and drain flush.

A Mini convertible with a hole in the roof fabric at the fold line -- caused by grit grinding through as the roof opens and closes. The car is older; the owner wants to manage it rather than replace. Gary shows the rubber conditioning, drain cleaning, and the honest assessment of what is salvageable.

Three reasons to keep your convertible roof cleaned and reproofed: resale value, appearance, and waterproofing. Gary covers the cost of a new roof vs a clean, why fold-line grit causes splits, and why pressure washers at hand car washes leave marks in the fabric -- not just the dirt.

Gary has been cleaning convertible roofs for 30+ years. His verdict on recolouring products: in almost every case, it is the wrong product for the job.

Porsche Boxster soft-top: machine clean, reproof and two-year nano-coating. Fold-line wear explained; why cleaning prevents premature hood replacement. Exterior valet carried out at the same time.

A BMW 3 Series convertible at 52,000 miles -- moss growing, lichen breaking down the fabric at the fold lines. Gary shows the chemical soak and power brush process, explains why the roof can still be saved, and what a new aftermarket roof would cost if it had been left any longer.

Mercedes CLK hood clean, reproof and two-year nano-coating. Heavy mould, car-wash brush staining and perishing stitch edges all treated. Gutter cleaning included; exterior detail carried out at the same time.