1 series convertible care / maintenance

[My73bimmer]

Hello everyone, 1st time posting on this forum. I just purchased a 2011 white 135i convertible and I was wondering if somebody could provide me with some information about the care and maintenance of these convertible tops ? I was planning to buy a Mini cooper convertible since currently own a Cooper coupe but convinced my wife to go for the 135i convertible instead. When I went to see some of the mini's, I noticed the top was unthreading causing a big leak on the trunk. I want to avoid this type of situation on this car.

What product do you use to wash the top ?
What type of preventive maintenance do you do inside the vehicle for the gears do not break too easily ? Is there any problems with the convertible motor to expand the top ? Used to have an 93 325i convertible and they had a weak point that easily broke on those models converting them right away to a Manual top.

Other than that, I can't wait to get the car moved from CT to Fl. I am still waiting on a good price for a truck to deliver this car.
thanks !

2011 135i white / black interior M package / Navi system - auto

[Esteban]

Congrats on your convertible 135i. Hopefully some vert owners will shed some light on what they use to clean the top and their experiences with owning a 1 series vert regarding maintenance and care of the top.

Welcome to our forum and you should post up some pics when you take possession of your 1er.

[Tenspeed]

I use products from RagTopp to clean and treat my top and they have worked well the two years I have owned it.

Enjoy your new convertible!

[NVHoo]

I've owned convertibles for decades. You can spend $$$ for "special" convertible top care stuff but it's not necessary. First, only wash it yourself. You should rarely wash the top with soap. Spraying it with the hose usually removes most surface dirt. Don't wipe the top dry, let it air dry. Wiping removes water protectant (as does washing with soap). Remember, soap works by binding itself with dirt, so any soap residue on your top will attract dirt so when you do wash with soap, make sure you rinse well. I wash my top with soap 1-2 times a year. When I do, I make sure I have clean water, a name brand car wash soap (not "special" top soap), and a new clean wash rag. The 1-2 times a year that I wash with soap, I wait until the top is dry and then apply generic scotchguard for water repellant. The "special" top repellent you buy is just a variant of scotchguard. I've never had a problem with window delamination, wear, or thread separation and I put the top down several times a week year round since I live in Vegas.

[My73bimmer]

Thanks for the reply ! Very good information. I can't wait for this car to be here already. For the internal mechanism, what could I use ? Thanks in advance.
These are some pics of the car

[NVHoo]

The problem with lubricating top parts is the risk that the lubricant will leach to the cloth top. Also, lubricant attracts dirt that you don't want in top mechanisms. Honestly, I've not bothered to read if BMW even recommends any lubrication for the mechanism.

[olds350]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

The problem with lubricating top parts is the risk that the lubricant will leach to the cloth top. Also, lubricant attracts dirt that you don't want in top mechanisms. Honestly, I've not bothered to read if BMW even recommends any lubrication for the mechanism.

I've thought about that myself. Any oil based product I could see leaching into the fabric. That said, I wonder if some simple graphite powder would help the pivot points long term.

To the original topic on fabric protectors, I just purchased some Griots products, 10855; Convertible Top Cleaner and 10960; Fabric Protectant. I used a horse hair brush for the top and the cleaner. From there I let the top dry completely and then added the protectant. So far I like the results...

[ejm3]

I have owned my 135 convertible since new and never did anything to it.
I don't even really wash it except to hose it down when I wash the car in the winter.

I bought Ragg Top a couple years ago but my top is still perfect to I haven't felt compelled to use it yet.

Basically since its not my primary car the top rarely goes up and down.
In May the top goes down where it stays pretty much until October, with a few exceptions here and there. If there's any chance of rain I just don't take it. It is garaged 100% of the time when home.

It keeps the top nice and I just keep thinking if I raise and lower the top three times a day the mechanicals will eventually break and result in an expensive repair.

[My73bimmer]

I'm planning to get the scotchguard for extra protection. I live in Florida and we get a lot of usage of the convertible. This used to be my previous convertible. A '92 325iconv

[angler]

I have had convertibles for decades as well. Agree with most of the info given above. What I can add to the party is not to run the car through a car wash unless absolutely needed, (like needing to clean the under carriage). The soaps the car wash use are very strong and can cause damage to the top over time. I only wash the top twice a year, spring and fall using Ragtop cleaner and protectant. I wash top throughly lightly using a horse hayride brush, rinse it well. Wait 24 hours for the top to dry give it a light vacuum with a soft brush attachment. Then I protect the top with the Ragtop protectant. I use a paint brush to put the proctectant on. Pay special attention to the sections of the top that has stitching. By doing this I have kept my tops in tip top health. After all it’s a minuim of 3 to 4 grand to replace... hope this adds value.

[1N4ttro]

I used 303 convertible top care kit. It is a little more aggressive than other products but I am very happy with the protection so far.

[NVHoo]

Originally Posted by angler

I have had convertibles for decades as well. Agree with most of the info given above. What I can add to the party is not to run the car through a car wash unless absolutely needed, (like needing to clean the under carriage). The soaps the car wash use are very strong and can cause damage to the top over time. I only wash the top twice a year, spring and fall using Ragtop cleaner and protectant. I wash top throughly lightly using a horse hayride brush, rinse it well. Wait 24 hours for the top to dry give it a light vacuum with a soft brush attachment. Then I protect the top with the Ragtop protectant. I use a paint brush to put the proctectant on. Pay special attention to the sections of the top that has stitching. By doing this I have kept my tops in tip top health. After all it’s a minuim of 3 to 4 grand to replace... hope this adds value.

Commercial car wash blowers put tremendous downforce on the rear window with severe vibration, even with brushless washes. A major contributor to eventual rear window separation.

[bazil769]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

Commercial car wash blowers put tremendous downforce on the rear window with severe vibration, even with brushless washes. A major contributor to eventual rear window separation.

unfortunately this was my fate. I haven't fixed yet and i was told water can get into an expensive computer beneath the top.

[1N4ttro]

Originally Posted by bazil769

unfortunately this was my fate.

+1

I got mine fixed by a local upholstery shop that did an excellent job. I think they used an urethane based adhesive. No more rattle or keeping my car in when it rains and definitely no more Automatic Car Washes for me. The drying blowers are the killers and even if your window is nice and tight like mine was it will eventually get damage with time. Mine took only about trips once a week and then my rear window slowly got detached from the bottom. Here is a pic of when the glass got detached.

[My73bimmer]

Originally Posted by 1N4ttro

+1

I got mine fixed by a local upholstery shop that did an excellent job. I think they used an urethane based adhesive. No more rattle or keeping my car in when it rains and definitely no more Automatic Car Washes for me. The drying blowers are the killers and even if your window is nice and tight like mine was it will eventually get damage with time. Mine took only about trips once a week and then my rear window slowly got detached from the bottom. Here is a pic of when the glass got detached.

Wow ! it is just a small gap but definitively will make some damage if you would not have taken care of it. For sure, something to pay attention when I get the car.

[1N4ttro]

Originally Posted by My73bimmer

Wow ! it is just a small gap but definitively will make some damage if you would not have taken care of it. For sure, something to pay attention when I get the car.

The picture angle did not show all of the damage but the glass separated from corner to corner. Yea, stay away from automatic car washes.

[Esteban]

1ers don't like automatic car washes. It makes them sad.

[angler]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

Commercial car wash blowers put tremendous downforce on the rear window with severe vibration, even with brushless washes. A major contributor to eventual rear window separation.

agreed,

[champignon]

Originally Posted by NVHoo

Commercial car wash blowers put tremendous downforce on the rear window with severe vibration, even with brushless washes. A major contributor to eventual rear window separation.

I can't comment on the conclusion you draw about the effect of commercial car washes on the glass window in a 1-Series Convertible, never having taken my 135is Convertible through a car wash.

The impression your post gives is that this problem with these convertible tops is related to commercial car wash use, and I couldn't disagree more. Do you honestly think that very many BMW convertible car owners take their cars through "commercial car washes?"

Everybody, and I mean everybody, counsels that you should not take a convertible through a car wash. I took another car a couple of years ago through a Costco car wash and I asked the attendant about bringing a convertible through it, and he told me that that advise against it, and if the customer insists, then they adjust everything so that only the car body has any contact with the brushes, etc. But, they try to talk you out of it before you even come in.

My point is that I think there is a flaw in the way that these convertible tops were designed and manufactured, especially the earlier model years, and that this flaw resulted in separation of the glass rear window from the fabric top. Maybe, possibly, there are a few people whose cars were negatively impacted by their having gone through a car wash, but I would bet that the vast majority of owners whose glass tops have separated were not regularly or ever taken through these car washes, at all.