Do you leave your Spider top down?

I put mine on immediately after a drive, it helps the car cover stay smoothly distributed across the body.
I only drive about once a week , so no big deal.

 

I lowered my top down on May 12th, and I didn't put it back up again until July 29th (for a wash, then back down it went).

No wrinkles. No creases. No damage...and that's a pretty normal cycle for me.

Right now my top has been up since about August 12th or so. The canvas seems pretty robust to me; it can take it.

 

I put it down the day I purchased the car 3 years ago and I was going to say it has not been up since but my wife reminded me that I put it one really wet night at a Monterey hotel, it has not been up while driving since my test drive the day I purchased the car. The only time I was caught in the rain I was about 15 miles from home and just "rushed" home rather than put the top up.

Good timing on the question though, I was actually thinking I should put the top up in the sun for a day or 2 to "refit" it to the car, they do shrink after all.

Mike

 

I put it up once a week when I wash the car. Let it dry and put it back down for the next week of driving. No issues and looks great.

 

That's a great question; I've wondered this myself. I've seen other convertibles with problems in the window area as a result of sitting in the folded postion for extended periods of time. I haven't seen that problem yet in an Fcar. Does anyone know first hand?

It would seem to me that the car would be better left in the "up" position since it would keep the top and the window in the "stretched" position. However, if you continuously open and close the top, the convertible motor might get excessive wear. Anybody have a great solution?

 

I keep mine down most of the time. I put it up for washing every month or so, and I have not had any issues in the 3 years I have been doing that.

 

I learned my lesson this weekend....thought I was all cool driving with the top down in a "light drizzle"....and caught a nice cold. Top's down almost all of the time though, unless it's inclement weather.

 

I have a 2005 Ferreri 360 spider and I love the way it looks/drives with the top down. I am unsure if leaving the top down can lead to creases in the soft top or if by not using it regularly the mechanism can become faulty?

I hardly ever bring the top up what with all the great So-Cal weather! Any thoughts will be appreciated.

I have had any problem leaving the top down on convertibles of other makes and was unsure if Ferrari was any different?

 

I remeber hearing once that if you're going to the top down for a while, to place a thick towel over the plastic window as you close it to prevent creases, but not sure of the effects on the rest of the top w/ glass window. This towel trick also works on shirts when you travel to prevent creases.

 

Heres a picture with the top up
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Good idea about the towel. I will have to check out how much space there is and where to put it when I am with the car.

Have you used this technique on your car and which model was it in case that matters?

 

I have an Aston Martin DB9 Volante. The owners manual specifically says to put the top up when you are not actually driving it open to avoid creases - and this car has a glass rear window so that is not an issue which it would be on plastic window cars.

 

When I purchased my 2003 360 spider 3 years ago the top was very reluctant to operate and had slight creasing on each side. Several times it stuck half open and was difficult to either open all the way or close properly. I later found that it had rarely ever been lowered by the previous owner.
Alan Woodard, SM at Ferrari Orange County had it checked out but found no mechanical or hydraulic problem. He advised me to put the top up and down once a week which I have done religiously. Now it operates flawlessly, it still has the slight creasing on the sides but the plastic rear window is OK. So I guess the old maxim holds good...."Use it or lose it"

 

I omitted to say in the above that I always lower the top to drive but put the top up when parked in hot sun [to avoid the "stickies"] and when parked in my garage.

 

This is what I do - although I don't think the A M suffers from sticky dash.

 

Thanks for the quick feedback. I think I will start putting the top back up as concours suggested.

 

I leave mine down also, think I had it up 2 times since my ownership

The towel is a good idea, I would use a microfibre towel. I know if you use a dry cleaner bag you prevent wrinkles in clothes when traveling. That may work also

 

I put the top up when the car is parked in the garage.
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The only time my top was up was when the car was getting washed

 

My Alfa Spider had a similar top and the advice I got (backed up with warnings in the owners manual) was to ALWAYS keep it up unless you were actually driving around with the top down.

 

I never left my top down in the F430. It wrinkles the fabric if you leave it that way too long.

 

I have to agree, top up when not in use. The fabric is stretched and taughtened to make its shape, and like any fabric, if not used, the fabric will 'unlearn' the stretch. Causes wrinkles and mis-shapes. I'm in the uk, my question was always, can I ever put the roof down? Haha

 

I always keep the top up and windows closed while it's garaged. It keeps the interior cleaner this way also.

 

Always kept the top up on my 360 Spider when it was garaged. If you keep the top down the plastic rear window will crease and eventually have to be replaced.

458 with a hard top putting and keeping it down is no problem. Even if the top is up I keep the windows open (all 3) to keep the gases from fogging the windshield.