Is it bad to keep top always open on 360 Spider?

It is best to keep the top closed when not in use.
The top becomes wrinkled if left open for extended periods.

 

When I leave the top down for extended periods of time on my Lambo G-Spider, it gets "flat" or "Shiny" spots where the roof material seems matted down.

These go away when I raise the roof and wash the car.

Frank

 

My experience with cloth tops is limited to older 911 cabs. But every one of them started having issues when the top was left off for months at a time. Actual shrinkage of the material became a problem when not being stretched and actually damaged the lift and lock mechanism. While being exposed to direct sunlight for prolonged periods in its folded state just made it worse. For the extra 20 sec. it takes to raise or lower the top i just don't see the point of taking a chance.

 

I agree on the material shrinking.... put it up at night, if not she may one day no longer close due to shrinkage..

 

also lowering and raising the top keeps the seals from drying out

 

I would think you want to put it up and down to keep the hydraulics working and avoid any issues. In general it seems to me that seals end up drying out if they are not used.

I try and use mine at least 2X per month.

 

General consensus and my experience with cabs is to raise the top when in the garage. It will also keep out most of the dust.

 

2x is probably the amount of times I use the top on my 1993 911 convertible...in the spring/summer/fall I put the top down and leave it down for 2-3 weeks...typically I'll put it up and if there are any wrinkles they work themselves out in a coupe of days, or in about 20 minutes parked in the sun. If I had a convertible ferrari I'd probably do the same as while it's good to work the motors and keep the top up, putting it up and down every day just seems too much. I have a feeling the ferrari convertible tops are similar to the 911, which is to say you just don't get the warm and fuzzy feeling that putting it up and down daily is a good thing to do.

I've had some minor repairs needed over 9 years of ownership (new motors where the top pulls itself to the windshield top post, a new cable on one side), but never a really bad incident (some people have had a support break mid-operation and rip the top!!!) I would prefer fully manual convertible top, but the new price point of the ferrari (and my 911 which was $78,000 in 1993) dictates power tops. As the cars age, it becomes just another thing to worry or think about.

Anyway, in summay of my long winded reply, if I had a convertible ferrari instead of the coupe I have, I would operate the top about 1-2x/month, perhaps putting it up at the end of a weekend if I knew I wouldn't be using the car for the next couple of days just to let the top keep it's shape. I know a guy that keeps the top down on his 355 Fiorano for the whole summer!!! That's a little extreme...

-Andrew

 

UV rays love Ferrari interiors.

 

I would keep the top up if. I've seen some cars w/ the rubber seals actually melt and they couldn't get the top up. Also keeps the top nice and tight instead of all those creases. I only leave my top down for a week at the most.

 

I always put the top up when garaged. Not good for the rear plastic window to be bent for long periods when the top is down.

My Porsche owners manual says not to put the top down when the temperature is 30F or colder and not to put the top down when the top is wet. I follow this for the Fcar as well.

Never has happened but if the top got "stuck" I would want it in the up position in case of rain or very cold weather.