by Car Hood Admin | 27, Oct 2016 | Blog, Car Hood Advice, Car Hood Care, Convertible Care
There’s nothing like driving along with the top down in the beautiful sunshine on a warm summer’s day. After all, that’s what convertibles were made for!
But what about when the sun goes away, the temperature drops and the rain, wind and even snow hit? Not only do we all feel the effects of Winter but so does your soft top! And that’s why it’s important to keep a check on your car hood regularly to prevent any long-term damage.
Our top tips are:
- If you are fitting a hard top make sure the soft top is completely dry before folding it away.
- Avoid long periods of inactivity of the mechanism as this can cause the frame to seize. So just get your top down as often as you can. 🙂
- Keep vinyl soft tops clean with a soft damp cloth and diluted mild detergent, such as washing up liquid.
- If you have a mohair soft top then use a soft clothes brush to remove the dust and a damp (lint-free) cloth diluted mild detergent, such as washing up liquid to remove any stains.
- Condensation inside the car at this time of year is very common with convertibles. We recommend you remove any water with a dry cloth and put the heater on regularly. In the warmer months get your car dry as much as possible by opening the soft top and enjoy!
If your soft top needs a bit of TLC this Winter or you think it’s time for a new one please get in touch and we will be happy to give you any advice. You can see the makes of car that we supply car hoods for here.
by Car Hood Admin | 1, Mar 2016 | Blog, Car Hood Care, Car Hood Replacements
We love the classics and the Mercedes E-Class is no exception.
Check out these before and after pictures of a blue mohair hood we supplied and fitted recently including a brand new headliner for just £1200. We hope you’ll agree it looks as good as new!
If you have a classic Mercedes Benz you want to get out into the fast-approaching sun – take a look at our prices for replacing a range of Merc hoods.
For information about the other makes and models we manufacture, supply and fit car hoods for, click here.
If you would like to know more about our car hoods then please get in touch on 0208 391 5324 or email us on info@carhood.com.
by Car Hood Admin | 23, Feb 2016 | Blog, Car Hood Advice, Car Hood Care, Convertible Care
We take great pride in what we do and the hoods we produce and fit for our customers.
So much so, that we want you to be able to enjoy your new convertible roof for as long as possible. Here are our top tips for taking good care of your new hood:
- NEVER leave your soft top down when wet – your hood will get mouldy and shrinkage could occur. Always store you car with the hood up.
- Keep your new soft top in the CLOSED/UP position for a minimum of two days in the warmer months and five days in the colder months to allow the material to stretch to the correct tension.
- NEVER use a jet wash/car wash to clean the soft top – it could damage the fabric.
- Make sure you activate your car hood mechanism regularly so that the frame doesn’t seize.
- Clean vinyl tops with a soft damp cloth using diluted mild detergent such as washing up liquid.
- Clean mohair tops with a soft clothes brush to remove the dust and use a damp cloth diluted mild detergent such as washing up liquid to remove stains.
If you would like to know more about our car hoods or how to take care of yours then please get in touch on 0208 391 5324 or email us on info@carhood.com.
by Car Hood Admin | 2, Feb 2016 | Blog, Car Hood Care
Unless you’re a real die-hard convertible maniac, your hood won’t have been down much these last few weeks. But you can still love your convertible car even if it’s too cold to really enjoy it.
During the colder months most convertibles will experience condensation whereby there will be water droplets on the underside of the hood fabric. Because of this we see a lot of car hoods come in for replacement because they have just gotten too mouldy to clean properly or effectively.
So here are some simple (yet often neglected) tips for you to keep your car hood looking like new.
- If you can keep your car inside then do. But if you have a garage that’s not full of stuff we’d be most impressed.
- If you can’t keep your soft top inside, then an insulating cover might be an idea, especially if you’re not using your convertible every day. but make sure it’s breathable or it’ll make the mould problem worse.
- Take advantage of any warmer weather before winter really hits and dry your car as thoroughly as you can.
- During winter take a super-absorbent cloth and wipe down the inside or your hood once a week or as often as you can.
- If you are giving your car clean and valet, then once you have hovered, get a hairdryer and give the inside of the hood the once over. DON’T put the heat too close to the fabric or you could damage it.
- Use your heater as much as you can when driving in the winter – this is easiest (and nicest) tip we think…
It sounds like a lot of palaver (we know) but if you want to keep your car hood in tip top condition then this kind of convertible love and care is really important.
On the flip side if you like to pop a new roof on every couple of years or so (and we won’t complain if you do) – then go ahead and just leave it be. ☺
Finally, if your car hood is looking a little worse for wear then get in touch and see how much it would cost to replace it. It might not be as much as you think and, according to our customers, the results are outstanding.
Call today on 0208 391 5324 or email us on info@carhood.com.
