[etaf]

i read in the manual not to close the hood when wet- a bit diificult in the UK - we have a great day today - but because the car has been out overnight and all frostie and then the road is in shade the hood stays wet.

how do other UK owners deal with this ?????
what sort of probelms result in having a wet hood down all day ??

 

[Andy C]

Personally I don't, a wet hood ends up leaving white marks all over the hood as it is folded up in the car, and I seem to remember it weakens the fabric.

 

[Warren Demontague]

I would think there would be mildew issues as well if a wet top is folded up in a confined space.

 

[etaf]

i was only planning to have it in the boot for a few hours maximum when driving around in these great autumn sunny days - typical UK weather, we have frost and then bright autumn days ...

 

[chickenbackside]

I don't open mine when it's completely wet like just after a heavy shower. However, if it's just damp, like after an hour of a heavy downpour, I do it. Of course it stays down for at most an hour.

Zero issues so far.

However, the weather conditions here are vastly different from the UK. It's a tropical country over here and when it's not raining, the sun is blazing and the hood dries up in no time when it's up.

 

[MichSaab]

If mine is slightly damp I don't have a problem opening it for a while. I do make sure I close it when I'm done so it does dry out.

Also if it is just a little damp, driving a mile or two with it up will dry it off and just lower it at the next light.

 

[Andy C]

what sort of probelms result in having a wet hood down all day ??

i was only planning to have it in the boot for a few hours maximum when driving around in these great autumn sunny days

Which one do you want answering, all day or a few hours?

 

[etaf]

both please clearly a difference then

 

[The Swedish Bullet]

Hard to follow this conversation!
I get the impression that "hood" = "roof" in the UK, and that "close" = "open".
Then it makes sense.

 

[SMHarman]

Hard to follow this conversation!
I get the impression that "hood" = "roof" in the UK, and that "close" = "open".
Then it makes sense.

Hood = roof (not hood = bonnet like trunk = boot)
Open = Down
Close as in 'I do make sure I close it when I'm done so it does dry out.' means close as in put the hood up to make the car watertight (not leave it damp in the compartment at the back)

 

[The Swedish Bullet]

Ummm... I think he used the wrong word - the original post says "i read in the manual not to close the hood when wet". It should say "...not to open the hood when wet". (It should in fact stay closed when wet!)

 

[SMHarman]

Ummm... I think he used the wrong word - the original post says "i read in the manual not to close the hood when wet". It should say "...not to open the hood when wet". (It should in fact stay closed when wet!)

But I think he was understandable, it is a matter of symantics and you are putting it into a closed space rather than a big open space.

 

[etaf]

sorry for the wording,

I wanted to know the impact of taking the wet cloth roof of a convertable and folding it up and storing in the rear of the car (using the car automatic process for doing this) for a period of a few hours or maybe a full day...

 

[thomjam]

why not take a towel and dry it before hand.

 

[bauklo]

i live in north germany, wet climate here, too.
i drive open at every (and i MEAN every!)opportunity, hence i very often fold it down, sometimes when wet.

i have white stains on my roof. whether or not opening wet is the reason i cannot say for sure, but i would assume the more often i fold it down, wet or not, the more the fabric gets worn.
i have not yet attempted to remove the stains.

however:
i bought my convertible because i hugely enjoy driving open.
for me this joy of driving open far outweighs any worries i have concerning my hood,
so whats the point even bothering

 

[etaf]

i bought my convertible because i hugely enjoy driving open.

Thats why i purchased too... thanks for the info.

 

[MudMover]

Frequently, I find that the roof is slightly damp in the morning (dew/melted frost etc.) - I have never had a problem with stowing the roof in this condition.


This is the second convertible Saab I've had (the other being a 900 SE Turbo) and no problems with either, as far as using slightly damp roofs.

Having said that - my cars live outside, and so the roofs naturally fade a little over time anyway, so maybe the 'white marks' if any, are less noticeable.

The black roof I had on my previous car, I re-proofed and coloured using Renovo from PFS. I have some blue Renovo for this roof, but have not yet used it (the car is just over 3 years old now)

Oh, just remembered that I did have a bit of 'mould'/mildew in the stowage compartment of my previous car. I found that half-opening the roof, so the 'lid' was up and the stowage area exposed on a hot summers day allowed both effective cleaning and drying of the area - resulting in no repetition of the mould issue.

If it's dry weather - the roof is down, unless I have my larger suitcase in the boot (trunk) when there isn't enough room.

ATB,

Phil