Is It Better To Leave The Top UP OR Down...

between drives on a spider? I own a 2008 F430, but this probably applies to all spiders. I presume up for over winter storage. However the spring weather only allows me to drive her once a week. Should I be putting the top up during these week long parks? I have been leaving it down and noticed some wrinckling upon raising. With all the talk about convertable top alignment troubles and the sensitive nature of adjustments, I'm begining to think it may be best to park it with the top up. Also, does anyone seal the fabric with a water repelant? On another note, me and my office staff thank FChat for info on the purchase of a OBD scan tool. I reset 6 employees cars with check engine lights and my own for a low price of $99. Actron 9575, just don't try to update it online, It'll render it useless. lol.

 

I always keep mine up between drives due to the fact that it creases the top when stored down. I haven't put any repellant on the top either, but I dontedrive it in the rain either.

 

I leave mine down during the driving season except for washes.

Yes, I use the 303 repellent for the rag top on my 355 spider. It works great.

 

I always have my spider top up when not in use. It is made out of water repellant material already but I do use 303 convertible top treament/cleaner once in a while to maintain.

 

I leave mine up as well. The creases get pretty pronounced when you leave it down for a long time like several days. I would think the top mechanism is better if you do use it some and get the mechanical and hydraulic stuff moving.

 

It depends:

Long Storage: > 1 week
-Top goes UP

Daily Use:
-Up only for washing or weather emergencies

*If its cold < 45deg F, the top stays in its current position UP or Down. The window will eventually crack if operated in cold conditions, its plastic. Now if you warm up the top, like after a drive the top will be quite warm from the engine, then you can actuate it.

**The top mechanism is a complex system with motor driven cables and hydraulics. It will eventually fail. It only has a finite number of operations before it fails, just like most machines. I treat the top like it came with 2453 uses. Each operation subtracts one from the total.

***The top should be actuated on a "regular" basis, like once per quarter or something to keep parts from seizing, etc. Its NOT the same as the reason for driving an internal combustion engine, this has to do with water and other impurities building up in the oil and thus attacking the metal in the engine as well as gas getting old, etc, etc. Think of the top as an umbrella.

****For the people worried that the top will crease if left down, this is possible, maybe likely over a long period of time. I would rather have creases in my top or even replace the cloth top than go through a mechanical failure that could potentially have a $60K price tag attached.

--All of this is opinion. The people most unhappy are the ones with catastrophic failure, not unsightly seams or creased windows.

 

60K! Where'd you get that number? The tops can be repaired. Even if not, a total new top would be 12K. At least that's what I was once told by my dealer.

 

I'm only the most recent owner, 2nd, of my '06 430. I leave my top down most of the time, not because I necessarily want to, but I have a bad hip and it makes a huge difference getting in and out. I'm assuming the last owner left it down most of the time, too, as one of the plastic tensioners, passenger side, is warped. I thought I had an upholstry issue, seam or something. Dealer had a look at it and said it was cosmetic and could be repaced easily at the annual. Wonder what a foot long plastic stick costs...Anyway, according to my dealer, you're supposed to leave that top up as often as is practical. F that. I'll try to do it more after my surgery when I'm better.

 

The advice Ive been given and go by is ALWAYS put it up when you park. Its designed to be kept under tension. If its down for too long it will literally shrink. That happened to me with my BMW Z8 top. I agree that if its over night then maybe I let it slide but most of the time I try to put it up. I was lucky and BMW replaced my top gratis. It tore as it closed....

 

Underzageration: This post is titled Help - $65k 430 top repair!
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=316551&highlight=top

The point is tops can be CrAzY expensive, so dont aggravate them.

 

Wow, I was going to ask this exact question when I logged on tonight.

I usually leave it up but want to keep it down if it won't have any bad effects.

 

Down only during the day. Even the manual warns against leaving it down. It creases and stresses the system, making a failure more likely than if stored raised.

Just treated the top with RaggTopp protectant in spray. It should be treated at least once a year. Not only for water repellency, but UV protection as well. Ordered a kit on eBay for $30 or so shipped. Make sure to order the one for cloth top, not vinyl.

 

I always left the top down for a good 9 months or more when I had my 355 spider, we get some pretty good weather around here. Never had a problem with my 355 top!

 

I rarely if ever leave mine down. Interior stays much cleaner that way, plus I have read here that it causes creases in the top. It's no big deal to hold the button for 20-30 seconds or so.

 

Definitely keep the top up if you can!!! Leaving it down for a few days can damage the rear plastic window and you can get troubles getting your top fully unfolded again.

 

I leave mine up between drives as they tend to be at least one week apart. If I park the car and the top is down, I mostly raise the top to keep from finding a stranger sitting in the seat having his picture taken, as well as keep UV off the rubber and leather interior bits and bird droppings and other debris off. If the top is already down and the car is parked with nothing overhead (e.g. no tree cover) and/or I can see it from where I am (like dining in a restaurant), I leave the top down. I have treated my top with RaggTopp protectant, despite normally not driving the car in the rain. It protects against UV degradation as well as helps with water repellancy. I am aware that as a mechanical system, there are finite actuations before failure, so I know I am wearing this out this way but the tradeoff seems worth it to me.

 

Hmm. I put 32,000 on my 360 Spider, mostly top down and now have 28,000 on my 430 spider and ditto and the top isn't really wrinkled or anything bad happened.

I think too many Ferrari owners worry far too much about everything and anytrhing.

 

I won't argue your point. I leave mine down when parking for short periods of time in a safe spot, day or night.