Why You Need to Get Your Cabriolet Roof Cleaned Properly

Three good reasons to keep your convertible roof cleaned and reproofed -- and one bonus tip on what to avoid.

1. Resale Value

Most people are not going to keep a convertible forever. Someone else will own it after you, and they are looking at the roof before they decide what it is worth. A new roof for a small two-seater runs from around £600-£800 fitted; a larger four-seater can reach £3,000. A buyer who sees a tired, green roof either walks away or factors the replacement cost straight off the price. A clean, reproofed roof costs £200-£400 and removes that conversation entirely.

2. Appearance

You wash the car, polish the paintwork, get it looking great -- and the roof lets the whole thing down. Convertible owners often end up with the roof up for practical reasons, and a green, mouldy roof on an otherwise clean car is noticeable every time. If you are going to own a car that makes you feel good, the roof has to be part of that.

3. Waterproofing

Convertible roofs are not solid rubber -- they are a neoprene membrane (like a wetsuit) with fabric on the outside so they look presentable. The fabric is what you clean; the neoprene underneath is what keeps the water out. What damages it is grit. Dirt and grit pack into the fold lines and act like sandpaper every time the roof opens and closes. Eventually you see a small split at a fold and think it needs a stitch. A trimmer will tell you that by the time they remove the roof, repair it and refit it, you might as well have a new one. Keeping the grit out of those fold lines from the start is far cheaper.

The rubbers around the edges and along the roofline where it meets the windscreen are also worth cleaning properly. Water that gets through perished or dirty rubbers ends up in the headlining, and that leads to the steaming-up and mould that a lot of convertible owners experience during winter.

Bonus Tip -- Avoid Pressure Washers

Hand car washes with a £20 "roof clean" option almost always use a pressure washer. You can spot the result: zigzag marks across the fabric. A pressure washer close to fabric will damage it -- the marks are not just in the dirt, they are in the material itself. If you are going to clean it yourself, buy the right kit and roll your sleeves up. Start when the roof is relatively new and keep on top of it -- waiting until it is green and full of grit makes the job significantly harder. Otherwise bring it to a professional who will clean it properly without a pressure washer.

See our convertible roof cleaning and restoration service.