Proper Convertible Top Care

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 soft nylon bristle scrub 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.