Convertible Questions

[Z GT]

I am wanting a GT Vert and this will be my first convertible of any type. I was concerned about how the soft top will look several years down the road. I've seen lots of older verts whose tops look really bad, especially on Jeeps, but also on other vehicles.

QUESTION:
How much clearance is needed to put the top up or down? I'm curious, in a typical home garage, is there enough clearance to raise/lower the top. I'd like to keep mine in the garage with the top down, but only if there's enough room that I can put it up - say if it's raining when leaving the next morning. Sure don't wanna have to back out into the rain to put the top up.

ALSO, is there any harm in leaving the top down for extended periods, like overnight? Will that make it more wrinkled, or will the wrinkles stretch out ok when it is raised?
Mine will be a daily driver. Garaged at night, but out in the sun during the day. Wish I had a parking garage at work.

Thanks for any help from current or previous convertible owners.

 

[TripleCrown555]

here is one question you have to think about. I had a 5.0 vert, I loved it, it was my first Mustang and my first Convertable, My License tag was Getopless, anyway I had used it so much during the summer I ran down the motor that put up the top and had to have it replaced, as far as the condition of your top, I kept it really clean and used cleaner for it and it lasted a long time, the only problem i had was in the bottom left hand corner it started to come un glued from the back glass window, I have an 05 GT Vert on order which should be here in two weeks, but from the new sectional top and the boot cover should keep it cleaner lasting longer, my 5.0 vert had a pain in the butt snapp cover to put over when you had it down and i never took the time to put it on. As far as leaving it down for an extended period of time I had no problems, it stretched out enough when I had it up. Depending on the garage mine I will have no problems, but keeping it clean and not putting it up and down, up and down, and up and down every minute like I did should save your motor, but overall there is nothing like driving a Mustang Vert with the top down on a backroad at night. The moon shining down and glowing off your waxed paintjob listening to the radio cranked up listening to "Freebird" with the cool night air blowing in through the car, nothing compares.

 

[TWGJR1]

No problem

I would like at the situation differently. I leave my '05 GT vert in the garage with the top up and front end oriented to the door. That way I am always ready to launch straight out of the garage no matter what the circumstance.
Fire it up and bust out, regradless of the weather. The top goes fairly vertical in retracting or deploying. I think many garage ceilings will be an interference to lifting the top. I hope like hell that I use my top so much that it wears out and looks like crap and then I will buy another one! If this possibility bothers you then just do a hardtop. I am sure the materials and design are the latest and generally better than earlier generation soft tops. the fabric and mechanicals look and operate very nicely. My top is black and I expect it to weather without the stains one sees on the tan tops. I am sure it will age and weather, but I am OK with that, its the deal you get with a vert.

I am wanting a GT Vert and this will be my first convertible of any type. I was concerned about how the soft top will look several years down the road. I've seen lots of older verts whose tops look really bad, especially on Jeeps, but also on other vehicles.

QUESTION:
How much clearance is needed to put the top up or down? I'm curious, in a typical home garage, is there enough clearance to raise/lower the top. I'd like to keep mine in the garage with the top down, but only if there's enough room that I can put it up - say if it's raining when leaving the next morning. Sure don't wanna have to back out into the rain to put the top up.

ALSO, is there any harm in leaving the top down for extended periods, like overnight? Will that make it more wrinkled, or will the wrinkles stretch out ok when it is raised?
Mine will be a daily driver. Garaged at night, but out in the sun during the day. Wish I had a parking garage at work.

Thanks for any help from current or previous convertible owners.

 

[SpazHairlip]

I’ve owned GT Verts since forever. All of them have been white to date except the 05, which is black. Depending on where you live, you may or may not have issues. On my 90 GT Vert, I brought that up from Texas to Massachusetts, and in the first winter a little water got into a small tear by the rear window, then froze. After this happening all winter, when I looked at the car in the spring, it was all over. So just so you know, as soon as you get any little holes, water, tears, etc, your top is done. It may take a year, but your top will be done.

Now the new tops I’m not as sure about, they seem a bit steadier, and have some kind of anti-water-bead up-spray on them. But we’ll see, cause any hole in the fabric that gets water inside it will expand.

As far as the color goes, there should be some fabric protector spray on the market. Use it like you use wax or your black top will be grey in a few years, unless you live in the north. Don’t ever scrub the top with any hard objects either, I usually just soak the top and use liberal amounts of soap to saturate the dirt off instead of scrubbing and risk rips.

And never, put the top down while moving. I have seen people at red lights try and get the tops down real quick, they start to drive off and KAPLOW!! The framing snaps like a chicken bone in a pit bulls mouth. The manual says never drop you top over 3.1 MPH, and there is a reason for it. You may also choose to invest in a good waterproof car cover and a California dust rag.

Other then that, enjoy the sky bubba, it’s the only way to drive.

 

[beary58]

My 2000 is a daily driver with about 100000 miles now. If the temperature is over 55 degrees and not raining, my top is down. I usually put the top up at work because I’m in an area where I can’t see the Oklahoma thunderstorms pop up. Otherwise it is usually down even at night in my garage. While I can’t say my top looks brand new, it still looks good.

Most of the wear to convertible tops comes from dirt while driving with the tops down. When the tops are down, the fabric is folded so that the fabric is laying against other folds of fabric. While driving, the top shifts and moves around enough that the dirt acts like sandpaper and creates shades of worn spots. I found that you just need to keep the top clean and it will last and look good for a long time. If your car is a daily driver and you wash it regularly, you will find the normal stone chips on the front of the car more of a problem than the wear on your top.

I have an average garage with the typical roll up door. While I agree it looks like the top will hit the door or ceiling putting it up or down, it doesn’t even get close, at least a foot clearance. I imagine the 05 tops are the same.

2000 White Vert