I was told that best practice is to use a brush with bristles soft enough that they will not scratch the back of your hand. The places that accumulate the most sand and dirt are not the places that wear out (at least on my tops). The places that wear out do so because of the underlying mechanical parts of the top putting strains on the fabric.

 

6000 miles on a July04 build! Wow... what a garage queen.

I have 31,000 miles on my September06 build...

 

Please step away from the keyboard, stop farting around on NAM, grab your car keys, put the top down AND START DRIVING that car!!

 

Got to stay on NAM, trying to cram! Lots to learn so little time, Just like college. OK, maybe not.
Bought 2/08 4k, added 1k first couple of weeks, added another over the next month. Trying to do my part and push her out of warranty because of mileage.

First owner, doctor's wife, didn't like her 'cause, "it mussed my hair!"

Excuse Me! It's a Rag Top! and I've got so little hair to muss!

 

Blonde?

Nuff said.

Thanks for doing your part to drive your fine cabrio.

 

My top is showing some signs of wear - two places look like elongated holes very low, flanking the rear window, and multiple wear spots along the elbows along the top edge. The silent recall/adjustment work was done some time ago, but doesn't seem to have helped. This is a Sept '04 build with just 15K miles. Guess I'll make the trip to the dealer and see if it qualifies for replacement. If so, I'll get pics before doing the work.

 

Still no signs of wear. | or | 7/04 build with 8.2k on her. No Service for another 4k so I don't plan on going in since the closest dealer is 200 miles away. Warranty expires on 9/17/2008.
We do plan on driving up to MTTS in Chicago (Elklake, WI - another 3.5 hours North of Chicago) so I plan on getting some advice there from MINI USA.
896 mi / 35mpg x $4.75/gal x 2 ways = $243 + driving around = $300 prem.
Might just have to go to The Abbey in Fontana on Lake Geneva, WI for another honeymoon again. More nice back roads but not like the Dragon, and not as crowded.

 

Ahh, sorry for not seeing this one before. Here's my story:

Bought my 05 back in february this year and noticed those shiny spots around the elbows. I had read in the paperwork for the car that they did the silent recall back in fall 06.

Showed the wear spots to the MINI service lady just to make sure they check the top alignment, and she immediately ordered a new top. Got the car back (took 3 days to put a new top on btw, according to the technician) and drove it for a couple of days, putting the top down and up a few times. Noticed right away a whitish scuffing of the new fabric right where the old spots were.

Took it back, and the tech guy spent another 2 days adjusting it (the service lady said they had three guys working on it at one time). Got it back last week, and now it's perfect, no scuffing whatsoever. I've had the top up and down at least a dozen times since.

Those of you that have scuffing problems, try this. Put the top down, and then insert a finger between the folds, at the edges where those elbows are. In a properly folded top, those folds should never touch. The elbows protrude sometimes just enough to make the folds touch, causing the rubbing. So, when you take the top back, talk to the service rep or tech and show them where the top is rubbing, and check the same way when you get the top back. Just my opinion, based on my case.

Hope this helps you all some.

 

Oh rats, forgot to answer the original question!

I've owned several vertibles in my time, both cloth and vinyl. At the worst end of the spectrum, I bought a second hand mustang vertible which imo had never been washed, except maybe by the rain. The paint was peeling and the top had a couple of wear spots... the car was 7 years old. On the other side of the spectrum, I bought a well maintained corvette with cloth top, which still looked brand new when I sold it... the car was 11 years old at that time. I believe that with basic care, a modern cloth top like on the MINI should last 15 years or more without any issues. That is of course, if the wear spots are addressed.

 

thxs for the tips..i iwll watch out

 

Glad I found this thread. My '05 MCc has a couple of small wear spots, and when I showed them to Flow Mini they said no problem, scheduled me a loaner car and will be replacing it next week.

 

NC Mini - was that at Hendrick?

 

Actually Flow Mini in Winston-Salem.

I most likely got lucky as I am the second owner, I'm only getting this level of service because it was bought and serviced at Flow by the original owner.

 

Read the sticker on the plastic cover over the roof button: Is it really necessary to put the top up! (something like that)

 

Are you talking about this one?

 

^^^ Yup! I love that MINI does that kind of thing. Mine is peeling off. :(