Hey All,
Is there something I should be doing to preserve my soft top? I never thought about it before.

 

Hey fellow MA resident,
What I've read is, clean it once a year (more if not garaged) using a brush to brush off large things then a neutral soap to thoroughly clean the fabric. Don't forget the little bit that gets covered by the boot! Then after it dries, apply a waterproofing spray (RaggTopp, the outdoor furniture stuff (303), chemical guys, are just some of the things people have recommended) to waterproof the fabric - the water should bead and run right off. Also I noticed mine gets pretty wrinkled on the C pillar area if I've left the top down for an extended period, like overnight or all weekend. I wonder if I can use a steamer to knock out those wrinkles, but they typically work their way out over a few days of the top being up. I only drive my XK8 on weekends and never have in the rain, but when I bought it, it was obvious that the top hadn't been waterproofed in quite some time.

This is a good YouTube vid on cleaning and protecting the top:
Cheers,
Norm

 

I carefully brush it clean whenever I wash the car using just soap and water. Once per year (usually right about now) I spray on a full 16 ounces of 303 and let it cure in the sun. Been doing it this way since we purchased the vehicle in early February 2012. Works for me....

 

What everyone else said... And

Renovo is an great product.
Made by a European company I believe.

 

It looks like the top on my car was dyed by the previous owner(s). The condition of the material seems sound overall but the color saturation isn't consistent. There are no rub marks, stretch marks, no separation at the rear glass. All good things. But you can see streaks in the color in spots and the fabric below the trunk line is VERY faded compared with the overall saturation above the trunk line. I actually think I'd prefer the faded color over the dyed result. I'm not worried about the fabric holding up but I will have to condition the top periodically. I may even have to dye the top again to correct the streaks. So if you're concerned about the appearance of the top a dye job may not be the worst solution.

 

I always use the complete range of Renovo. Cleaner, color and water protection. every 2 years is enough.

 

When I got my discarded and abused XJS it had a BLUE top. Blue top, signal red car,,, ummm nahhh... I got the renovo black, which literally dyed the top and it's been black ever since with no hints of blue poking thru. I swear by the stuff. It's a good product. Like, ol school good. So much of the stuff for sale today, many products across the board, just lack that ol school quality... It's sad.

 

Clean it with a soft brush using mild soap and rinse well. After it has air dried fully apply a healthy coat of 303 Fabric guard. You don't want it getting on your paint because it can be a pain to take off. I use a small paint roller and brush which not only keeps it off your paint but, allows for a even heavy application. That's it and you're done for a year or so. When water stops beading off the top it's time to reapply.