Anybody regularly use their convertible top cover?

[TJ Hopland]

If we are doing a survey:

I tried the cover a few times and it just seemed like a hassle to try and install.  It was original and getting old then, that was 20 some years ago.  I know I still have it but not quite sure where.   Thought about a hard cover but that is one more thing that has to be cared for and stored somewhere in or outside of the car.

Top guys I have dealt with have all said put it up every night.   When I first got the car I left it down for a week and it took several hours sitting in the sun partially up to let it stretch enough to latch again.  Also took a while to get the wrinkles out.    Every once in a while I will leave it down overnight and even then I usually wish I had not because its hard to latch again.   I have a co worker that leaves hers down most of the time and it is got some age on it now but to me it looks like the cracks are in fold areas. 

I would also think there is some merit to the thought of the hydraulic systems doing better if they get regular exercise. 

[Scot Minesinger]

I always close my top after every use unless it will be used again that same day, but it is never down overnight.  This is because it is better to leave it up for longevity and cosmetics, but primarily because the interior will get dusty over time.  The top up storage keeps interior real nice. 

The top cover is just another thing to deal with and care for.  In a Cadillac you should not have to leave the driver seat to enjoy a nice top down experience.  Most of my drives are 20 miles round trip or so, and last an hour at the most.  The top down or up is about 15 to 18 seconds.  There is no way I'm adding another 10 minutes to that process.

The only time anyone ever cares is at shows or on this forum.  The contributors of this forum likely have never seen my car cruising the streets with top down - so no offense there.  Maybe I attend three to four shows a year and they all want the top up, so.....

[James Landi]

http://www.nytimes.com/news/the-lives-they-lived/2013/12/21/james-gandolfini/   

   NYTimes did a piece a year ago about "Their Prized Possession,"  and the feature was James Gandolfini's 68 Cadillac Convertible.  I piece is well written, and Gandolfini never put the top up.     

[Bobby B]

http://www.nytimes.com/news/the-lives-they-lived/2013/12/21/james-gandolfini/   

   NYTimes did a piece a year ago about "Their Prized Possession,"  and the feature was James Gandolfini's 68 Cadillac Convertible.  I piece is well written, and Gandolfini never put the top up.     

I guess that's 1 person who shared in my Wicked Die-Hard Convertible Train of Thought  ........
                                                                                                                          Bobby

[dochawk]

There are some convertibles with tops that can go up if you need them (Eldorado, Miata), and others with tops that can go down (Lincoln, XLR).  I prefer the former.

Once it's replaced, my top will stay up in my garage.  This is Las Vegas; there will be dust in the garage.  Even if you manage to seal it . . .

Unfortunately, the panels that hold the boot laches disintegrated on me.  My hope at the moment is either a 3d printer or maybe to build wooden ones myself.   Long term, I expect this car to take a lot of woodworking . . .

As for my late miata, the damage to the top from living down is visible.  Of it's 70k miles, there's well under 500 with the top up.  When it lived in the driveway (broken garage door), the top went up, but aside from that, it only went up in heavy wind or in-town driving during rain (on the freeway, it plowed out a path that left me nice and dry, even in a downpour).  I think it's heater and AC put out as much as my '97 Eldorado, so it never got too hot or cold in Las Vegas to drive with the top down (and my mother knit an extra-long alpaca muffler for me on one of her knitting binges . . .).  Now it sits outside with the top up, hoping I find a replacement engine

hawk

[Scot Minesinger]

The Sapranos was one of my favorite shows.  James was a great actor.  However his method of enjoying his cars is no more important than anyone else.  Anyone who wants to can never put down their convertible top, leave it up all the time, never install boot when top is down and etc. - the club has room for everyone on how they enjoy their Cadillac. 

[55 cadi]

I wish I had a convertible Cadillac.

When I had my '66 mustang convertible the top was Never up and boot always on in the 16 years i had it, it was my daily driver to and from work, only the rare day of rain did the top go up, and on those days I took the boot off before I left the house, so if it started to rain i hit the switch and top went up.

Of course this was back when I lived in Southern California.

On the mustang it did look better with boot on.

Jason