Convertible top plus dust
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 400
Likes: 28
From: St. Paul (smokey!) MN
Convertible top plus dust
I have underground parking for my Vert. The problem is it is incredibly dirty/dusty. After storing it all winter my car cover was filthy. I vacuumed it before removing, which helped.
Now that I have it out and driving it, the car gets covered in dust after just a few days. The top really holds onto the dirt. When it gets warm enough to put the top down, will the dirt accelerate wear if the top? All that dirt will also transfer to the inside.
I'm thinking of getting a little hand held vacuum to clean the top.
I'm wondering which is worse - leave it outside or let it get covered in dirt inside.
Now that I have it out and driving it, the car gets covered in dust after just a few days. The top really holds onto the dirt. When it gets warm enough to put the top down, will the dirt accelerate wear if the top? All that dirt will also transfer to the inside.
I'm thinking of getting a little hand held vacuum to clean the top.
I'm wondering which is worse - leave it outside or let it get covered in dirt inside.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
I would think that putting the top down, still covered with dust, would at minimum, grind the dust into the fabric of the top, creating unsightly "stains", and in worst case, be abrasive to the top, and accelerate wear. Any chance you could get some sort of small blower, and at least blow the dust off the car, before you drive it?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 400
Likes: 28
From: St. Paul (smokey!) MN
I would think that putting the top down, still covered with dust, would at minimum, grind the dust into the fabric of the top, creating unsightly "stains", and in worst case, be abrasive to the top, and accelerate wear. Any chance you could get some sort of small blower, and at least blow the dust off the car, before you drive it?
It would be bad to put a car cover on a dirty car, but I'm also thinking about using a small sheet with weights in the corners, just big enough to cover the top but not the rest of the car. put it back on when I am done for the day, take it off when out for a drive.
I don't want to put the top down while dirty, I suspect that, like you say, the dust will act as an abrasive, work its way deep into the fabric and accelerate wear.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,375
Likes: 1,593
From: Western NY
That's because as you drive the car, it develops what is known as a "boundary layer" of air, which does indeed do what you say. However, as an example, when I wash my car, I use a leaf blower to get the bulk of the water off of it, and out of the crevices, so I can more efficiently dry it. The blower efficiently blows the water off the car....
