Proper Convertible Top Care.
An interview with Rick Goldstein
President, Wolfsteins Pro-Series.
Q: How did you come to be in the
convertible top care business?
A: It started innocently enough when I
purchased a Porsche Cabriolet. The owner's manual told me to clean and protect
the fabric top but didn't tell me how. I went back to the dealer and they showed
me products that couldn't be used in direct sunlight and required the windows
and paintwork to be masked off prior to application. I thought this was absurd.
There had to be a better way. I contacted an acquaintance who worked for DuPont
and together we spent two years developing a cleaner and protectant for fabric
convertible tops.
When we thought we had
something, we sent samples to the Haartz Corporation for testing. Haartz and
their German subsidiary, Rode & Schwalenberg Gmbh. supply 99% of the world's
convertible topping material. They tested our protectant in their weather
chambers for 90 days, a test that represents 3 years of "real world"
exposure. They couldn't believe the results. Our product was the only protectant
ever evaluated that passed all of their tests. It exceeded the performance of
the top protectant they had been recommending by such a wide margin that they
agreed to endorse our product if we brought it to market.
Haartz was less than thrilled
with the cleaner we had developed but Eric Haartz said if we would put the
protectant into production he would give us a special, low pH cleaning formula
they had spent years developing but never got around to marketing. Most
convertible top cleaners are high-pH, alkaline cleaners which can leave residues
in seams that deteriorates stitching over time. The cleaner Haartz developed
(now our RAGGTOPP Convertible Top Cleaner) is a low-pH, low alkalinity formula
that had been tested and approved for years of repetitive cleaning. It was a
protein and enzyme combination that was safe for vinyl, fabric, rubber seals,
paintwork and clear vinyl windows.
I formed a new company,
Wolfsteins Pro-Series and in 1997 launched RAGGTOPP Convertible Top Cleaner and
RAGGTOPP Fabric Protectant.
Q: So you didn't just pay Haartz for their endorsement
and put it on your product?
A: No way! Haartz's endorsement can't
be bought. We got it the old fashioned way. We earned it by passing every one of
their tests better than any other product.
Q: Then Haartz tests other convertible top
care products?
A: Absolutely, not only domestic products
but European products. Because they warranty their material worldwide, they want
to know how various products will affect their tops over time. To do this, they
use two weather chambers. One is set for the dry heat of Arizona and the other
is set for the heat and humidity of Florida. One month in these chambers
represents one year of real world exposure. All products are tested in both
chambers for three months. Our RAGGTOPP products got the Haartz endorsement by
beating every other product tested, in both chambers.
Q: How does
RAGGTOPP Fabric Top Protectant
differ from competitive products?
A: In layman's terms, without divulging any
trade secrets, we're using a state-of-the-art, very heavy, very expensive, UV
stabilizer and we're putting more of it in our protectant than anyone else.
We're also doing a few other things that competitors aren't doing but I can't
really go into that.
Q:
I know it took you over a year to come
out with your protectant for vinyl convertible tops. Why couldn't you use the
same formula you developed for fabric tops?
A:
The properties of woven thread (fabric)
and solid sheet (vinyl) tops are so different that they require totally
different protective technologies. Protectants optimized for fabric tops simply
will not work on vinyl. Plus, almost all vinyl protectants contain either a
petroleum distillate or silicone oils. Our RAGGTOPP
Vinyl Protectant contains absolutely no petroleum solvents or
silicone oils.
Q:
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of
vinyl protectants in the marketplace. What's so special about RAGGTOPP Vinyl
Protectant that it took you over a year to bring it to market?
A: I'll tell you an industry secret. Most
vinyl protectant formulas were created in the 1950's. They contain silicone and
were developed for interior (dash) treatments. Most are cosmetic dressings. They
do not contain any modern UV stabilizers and were never intended for exterior
applications. As most enthusiasts discovered, these dressings washed off in the
first rainfall leaving white streaks running down the car's paintwork!
We created RAGGTOPP Vinyl
Protectant from a clean sheet of paper as an exterior protectant. It contains no
silicones, is designed to last through rainfalls and contains Ciba Tinuvin
#5151, the
strongest UV stabilizer in the industry. Our final formula contains 15% solids
by volume. Competitive vinyl dressings typically contain 1-1/2 to 3% solids by
volume!
This concentration of solids
gives RAGGTOP Vinyl Protectant exceptional durability. When we presented our
formula to Haartz for testing (which took another 3 months) they found it
outlasted every vinyl protectant they had ever tested!
Q:
Can RAGGTOPP Vinyl Protectant be used on
interior vinyl surfaces also?
A: Absolutely, it's an extremely durable
vinyl protectant without the gloss and greasy smear of silicone dressings. It
can be used on the dash, rubber door seals, car bras, tonneau covers and the
exterior vinyl cladding found on many SUV's.
Q: There appears to be a lot of misleading
information in the marketplace regarding proper convertible top care. How soon
should you apply a protectant to a new convertible top?
A: Immediately. Especially the stitched
seams. The thread in these seams is the first part of a top to fail.
Manufacturers use a poly-cotton thread and do not use any UV sealant or
protectant on their threads after the tops are stitched. It's the same with
vinyl seat cushions on boats. It's always the stitching that fails first. It
doesn't matter if you're protecting a convertible top, bimini top, RV awning or
marine seat cushion, always pay particular attention to treating the seams.
Q:
After the initial treatment, how often
should you reapply a protectant to your car's top?
A: A good regimen would be once every month
or two or whenever the top is cleaned.
Q:
Can you over clean or over protect a
convertible top?
A: Not with RAGGTOPP products. If you live
in an industrial area with heavy air pollution, bi-weekly or weekly washing and
protecting would not be out of line. Remember, always use a protectant after
cleaning or washing the top even if using a car wash shampoo and always pay
particular attention to treating the stitching.
Q:
What other tips do you have for proper
convertible top care?
A: First, you don't have to wash your car's
top every time you wash your car! I know it sounds funny but every time you wash
your convertible top, even with the gentlest car wash shampoo, you are stripping
off any previously applied protectant. A better regimen would be to vacuum the
top using a brush attachment to remove loose dirt and just rinse the top with
water when you wash the car.
If the top becomes noticeably
soiled, clean the top with RAGGTOPP Cleaner. Wet the top with water, spray on
RAGGTOPP Cleaner, gently scrub with a Natural
Horse Hair Brush, rinse and
park in the sun to dry.
After cleaning, when the top
is thoroughly dry, follow with a protectant. If the car has a fabric top, use
RAGGTOPP Fabric Protectant. Don't saturate the top. Apply two or three light
coats allowing 10 to 15 minutes between coats. Any overspray on glass, paintwork
or clear vinyl windows can be easily wiped off with a dry Microfiber cloth.
After treating the top, park the car in the sun to cure the UV stabilizers. If
you're so inclined, while the top is drying, remove any carpet mats, spray them
with Fabric Protectant and allow them to dry 10 to 15 minutes in the sun.
Treated mats will keep any spills (like your morning coffee) on top of the
fibers where it can be easily wiped off.
If your car's top is vinyl,
protect with RAGGTOPP Vinyl Protectant. I prefer to spray the protectant on a
Microfiber applicator pad and use the pad to wipe the car's top. When I'm done
with the top, I use the same applicator to wipe the dash, door seals and vinyl
door panels. You can also use RAGGTOPP Protectant to protect clear vinyl
windows. Lightly mist the window and buff with a dry Microfiber cloth. Again,
park the car in the sun after treatment to allow the stabilizers to cure.
