Vert Owners - Step inside for a quick ???
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,386
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From: Just a little outside San Antonio, Texas
Vert Owners - Step inside for a quick ???
My vert's a weekend car which means I drive it to work very seldom. When it's not on the road, it stays in the garage without a car cover.
Here's the question: Do you keep your top up and the latches secured when your car isn't being used??
Keeping the top up when the car isn't being used would, of course, keeps the top stretched tight. I'm wondering if, over time, the material stretches out and becomes loose on the frame. I'm thinking of leaving the latches un-latched and covering the car with a car cover.
Opinions?
Here's the question: Do you keep your top up and the latches secured when your car isn't being used??
Keeping the top up when the car isn't being used would, of course, keeps the top stretched tight. I'm wondering if, over time, the material stretches out and becomes loose on the frame. I'm thinking of leaving the latches un-latched and covering the car with a car cover.
Opinions?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,209
Likes: 12
From: Montgomery Alabama
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06
Good question. I would like to know the answer.
I have had my 2000 C5 for 6 months, and drive it about as much as you do. I usually keep it covered, with the top up.
I have had my 2000 C5 for 6 months, and drive it about as much as you do. I usually keep it covered, with the top up.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
Yes, I keep my top up and the latches secured. I 've never heard or read of any problems in doing this. If so, one would like to think it would be covered in the owner's manual. A friend has a '99 vert that's 7+ years old and he keeps his top up and latched too. He keeps his car garaged and his top looks just as nice as the day it came from the factory.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 391
Likes: 1
From: Orange County California
It doesn't really "stretch" that bad. It is not going to get loose. Just put the top up at least to keep dust out when its just hanging out in the garage forever. Even if you cover it, just put the top up, takes 6 seconds.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,887
Likes: 2
From: Macomb MI
St. Jude Contributor
I will soon be putting my Vert away for the winter, I do leave the latch open an the windows slightly down. Nothing to do with the top stretching more for keeping the weather strip from being compressed all winter long in the cold winter months. Of course the cover is on. 
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 284
Likes: 0
From: Austin, Texas 2005 National Champs in Football and Baseball.
Top up, in the garage, no car cover. I believe that interior car covers have the potential to scratch the finish as you take them on and off unless the car was just washed.
If I was not going to drive it for months, I'd probably wash it and then put a cover on. However, in Texas the weather doesn't stay bad enought long enough to do that.
If I was not going to drive it for months, I'd probably wash it and then put a cover on. However, in Texas the weather doesn't stay bad enought long enough to do that.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,339
Likes: 1
From: Tottenham Ontario
Top up, latches locked. Been doing it for three years with no signs of stretching. Use a cover even in the garage, its unbelievable what dust, combined with humidity, over a long period of time can be like on your paint.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 34
From: St. Louis Missouri
Top up and Latched with the cover on. First it keeps the dirt, dust and most of the creatures out of the interior. Secondly it keeps from marking the material of the top from where it is compressed together when down.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 589
Likes: 1
From: Tucker GA
Down in Atlanta here we don't have to put them away for the winter thank goodness but..
When in the garage I keep my top on my new C5 up but not firmly latched and windows down (to prevent seal and weatherstripping squishing as mentioned above). It is also covered.
I did this for many years on my C4 and never got any scratches on the paint from taking the cover on and off AND the weatherstripping on the windows and across the front and the back of the top where it hits the deck (on a C4 it is a rubber strip) stayed nice and pliable and retaining the ability to seal out moisture and noise.
MTCW. Bob
When in the garage I keep my top on my new C5 up but not firmly latched and windows down (to prevent seal and weatherstripping squishing as mentioned above). It is also covered.
I did this for many years on my C4 and never got any scratches on the paint from taking the cover on and off AND the weatherstripping on the windows and across the front and the back of the top where it hits the deck (on a C4 it is a rubber strip) stayed nice and pliable and retaining the ability to seal out moisture and noise.
MTCW. Bob
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 919
Likes: 1
From: Portland area OR
[QUOTE=Sponge Vette]I will soon be putting my Vert away for the winter, I do leave the latch open an the windows slightly down. Nothing to do with the top stretching more for keeping the weather strip from being compressed all winter long in the cold winter months. Of course the cover is on.
windows partly down to avoid weather strip compression 
windows partly down to avoid weather strip compression
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Greensboro, NC "REALITY IS MERELY AN ILLUSION, ALBEIT A VERY PERSISTENT ONE"...ALBERT EINSTEIN"
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by Sponge Vette
I will soon be putting my Vert away for the winter, I do leave the latch open an the windows slightly down. Nothing to do with the top stretching more for keeping the weather strip from being compressed all winter long in the cold winter months. Of course the cover is on.
Cover mine if it is going to sit for more than a week or so. Usually able to drive every couple of weeks even in the winter.
.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 13,760
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From: Haymarket VA
I only drive my car on dry days but when it's warm I'll leave the top down at night. I usually only latch the drivers side when it's in the garage fro a couple of days. That way I can get the top down quickly. Now that the cold is coming the top stays up most of the time although this past week we've had some great vert weather.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2004
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I leave the top down in the garage..... the only time the top goes up is if it's parked somewhere outside for an extended period. Of course I'm not the usual C5 owner in that I drive the car really hard, don't wash it much and have a few bumper stickers 
Race Director
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From: Out Where the Buses Don't Run, Eglin AFB/ Niceville FL
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I have left mine in the garage uncovered with the top down for a week before. No problems. I generally keep it in the garage with the top up and windows up during the winter (if you can call it that) month(s). My top still looks new. The only issue I've had is the rear window came unglued.
I was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1997 to 2000 and kept my 89 vert in a heated garage with the top latched, windows up, and the car covered for 7 months at a time. No top stretching at all.
I was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1997 to 2000 and kept my 89 vert in a heated garage with the top latched, windows up, and the car covered for 7 months at a time. No top stretching at all.