hood maintenance

nicolawright · Post by **nicolawright** » Tue 11 Apr, 2006 14:55

hey all,

i think i have to make a group apology. I took my hardtop off last week and have noticed that each day since has produced some miserable weather!!

i wanted your views on which products to go for to protect my hood.. it's currently in real good condition (unmarked, very rich black) and i want to keep it that way..

having done some searches on this forum there appears to be 3 suitable products..

renovo ultra proofer
autoglym kit
bmw hood impregnator

which one should i go for? on the recommendations on here, i bought some rear screen polish from renovo which worked well. but at £20 the autoglym seems like good value as it is both a cleaner and protector.

i also read the renovo product is easier to apply.

anyway, would be keen to hear your views (especially those who have a softtop all year round)...

thanks,

nicky xx

BimBeema · Post by **BimBeema** » Tue 11 Apr, 2006 15:00

I used Autoglym's and it worked really well, very well cleaned with the shampoo and then use the waterproofing agent. cost about £20 from Halford's.

muppet · Post by **muppet** » Tue 11 Apr, 2006 15:22

I used the BMW cleaner and impregnator at the week end and they seem to have done a good job but the dealer only sold it in a care kit which cost £45 including some shampoo'n'wax a plastic cleaner and something to take of resin off

Paul.Stuhlfelder · Post by **Paul.Stuhlfelder** » Tue 11 Apr, 2006 15:27

I used the Autoglym when I had my Alfa Spider that had a Tan roof...

Mein Gott.. never have I seen so much crap come out of a roof!!

It was stunning afterwards!

estocks · Post by **estocks** » Tue 11 Apr, 2006 16:11

I use the cheap Turtle Wax one at halfrauds, because it said it waterproofed and resisted green mould, which the Autoglym one did not. I should have bought some blackening dye stuff to make it look new, but that will wait until the TW waterproofer wears off.

Terrible weather, are you willing to take the blame for the Zed's MOT being due too?

nicolawright · Post by **nicolawright** » Wed 12 Apr, 2006 18:05

bought the autoglym pack from halfords for £20..

applied the stuff earlier. the cleaning product had a lovely scent.. wasnt too difficult to apply.

hopefully, i will report back with good results..

nicky xx

p.s estocks, just claiming the bad weather for now!

djrobbier · Post by **djrobbier** » Thu 13 Apr, 2006 08:17

nicolawright wrote:bought the autoglym pack from halfords for £20..

applied the stuff earlier. the cleaning product had a lovely scent.. wasnt too difficult to apply.

hopefully, i will report back with good results..

nicky xx

p.s estocks, just claiming the bad weather for now!

I think I'll give that a go too, my hood's looking a bit grubby. You can apportion some of the bad weather blame to me, I bought the Z two weeks ago and it HASN'T stopped raining. never mind...

ukbambammatt · Post by **ukbambammatt** » Fri 07 Sep, 2007 09:17

My hood has a a light green mould appearing due to all the rain we've had....what would be the best stuff to use to remove this and wash the hood with?

Ian_C · Post by **Ian_C** » Sat 08 Sep, 2007 13:08

ukbambammatt wrote:My hood has a a light green mould appearing due to all the rain we've had....what would be the best stuff to use to remove this and wash the hood with?

Give the Autoglym a try - it comes with a sponge type thingy which is good for shifting any mould.

badboyblue · Post by **badboyblue** » Sat 08 Sep, 2007 14:02

ukbambammatt wrote:My hood has a a light green mould appearing due to all the rain we've had....what would be the best stuff to use to remove this and wash the hood with?

Mine was like this, tried scrubbing etc but could never get it all out. Last week I took the power washer to it - absolutely fantastic results - comparitively it is now like new.

Ignore anyone who advises against it, it really is the easiest and most effective method and having had soft tops for the lasts 4 or 5 years and always listening to the advice to steer clear of the power wash - I wish I'd tried it sooner.

I got a slight dribble in in the middle of the drop glass on both sides but as I was directing the spray at the very edge of the roof that isn't too surprising.

Just reproofed it this morning with the Renovo Ultra Proofer - never done this before - I'll keep you posted on the results.

ukbambammatt · Post by **ukbambammatt** » Sat 08 Sep, 2007 16:49

Cheers guys going up the old man's tomorrow so may borrow his pressure washer....cheers.

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Sat 08 Sep, 2007 21:14

I'd steer clear of the pressure washer if I were you. Use Autoglym cleaner and then renovo treatment to rewaterproof.

Post by **Robert T** » Sat 08 Sep, 2007 21:17

I regularly rinse my roof at the local jetwash. Only ever use cold clean water unless I am going to re-proof it. You do need to be careful though, as some of these machines can be quite powerful. Don't point the lance straight at the roof, use it at an angle so that the water rinses the dirt out of the canvas and off the car. Don't use it on one place for too long. Don't point it directly at the window seals - they *will* leak.

I used the BMW hood cleaner stuff to give it a really deep clean, and it works very well, but you must re-proof it after using it.

Apart from a few small wear marks, you'd never guess that the hood on my car is over 8 years old!

Cheers R.

badboyblue · Post by **badboyblue** » Sat 08 Sep, 2007 22:25

Alex L wrote:I'd steer clear of the pressure washer if I were you. Use Autoglym cleaner and then renovo treatment to rewaterproof.

Have you ever tried to shift deep rooted "green stuff" from a much neglected hood?? The AG stuff and sponge simply doesn't work - I even took a nail brush to mine and though it clears the stuff on the top weave it doesn't get the deep stuff.
The power wash on the otherhand left it like new - have you tried a power wash on yours? I'm not advocating you you use it on a weekly basis but to shift crap it quite simply rules!!!! and don't knock it till you've tried it.

mich · Post by **mich** » Sun 09 Sep, 2007 03:27

muppet wrote:I used the BMW cleaner and impregnator at the week end and they seem to have done a good job but the dealer only sold it in a care kit which cost £45 including some shampoo'n'wax a plastic cleaner and something to take of resin off

I too use the BMW product and have used it for over 2 yrs it is very good you do need to wash the hood first and then apply the proofing agent, when it rains the water just beads and runs off, as muppet says it cost a bit but so what, don't try doing it on the cheap, and the kit will last for at least 7-8 applications

badboyblue · Post by **badboyblue** » Mon 10 Sep, 2007 21:09

I said I'd keep you posted on the performance of the Renovo Ultra Proofer, Well last night it rained - so I got some pic's this morning. Of course it's still fresh but I've never had beading on my roof before!!!

Richi · Post by **Richi** » Tue 13 Nov, 2007 21:36

....... so we have solved the problem of getting the hood clean......... what is available for returning the fabric "Back to black" ? Mine is 10 years old and the hood is still sound, but slightly silvery on some edges. Does the Renovo stuff which badboyblue has used bring the colour back as well as proofing the hood?

Richard.

Straight_Six · Post by **Straight_Six** » Tue 13 Nov, 2007 23:36

badboyblue and his pressure washer again! lol

i told you the Renovo stuff was good m8y, ive still yet to get round to doing mine yet

and no i wont be using the pressure washer! hahaha

Leigh

mich · Post by **mich** » Wed 14 Nov, 2007 04:27

The beading should be better than that, either a weak mixture or not enough on. or perhaps the BMW stuff is a lot better

zroadster.net

hood maintenance

hood maintenance

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