Convertible top question

So last summer, I bought a replacement top for my miata. Robbins panorama top actually. It arrived in September, but knowing I'd want my current broken top on for winter driving, I never installed it. It's been sitting in its box, on a barely insulated porch since September last year. Once the paint is done, I'm thinking I may actually get it installed.

Was it a bad move leaving the top in the box through the season changes? Still haven't opened the box to check it out, I'm just concerned I may have hurt it leaving it folded up through winter.

While I can't imagine it being damaged through nonuse, I'm just concerned it could have stuck to itself or become brittle.

Maybe I'm just worrying about nothing, but a second opinion never hurts.

If it did get damaged sitting inside in a dry box, it has no place acting as a convertible top.

I recall mine was packaged as though it could sit on a shelf a long time without damage. Robbins has been in the top biz a long time. One would think they have this sorted.

I cannot recommend highly enough doing the installation on a warm, sunny day, preferably with some shade to work in but the ability to bring it to full sun to soften and loosen the vinyl. It's not a terribly difficult installation, but it's time consuming to do a really careful, good job.

Centering the vinyl side to side on the header rail is important, as is correctly routing and orienting the cables above the windows and their end brackets.

My stock top stays in the down position all winter because I use a hardtop. In the spring it goes back up without cracking. I sometimes have to let it sit in the sun so it will stretch enough to get the latches to engage the windshield header, but that's not a big deal. You should be fine.

I'm not even going to attempt the install myself. I decided it is worth paying more for installation than I paid for the top, by looking at mishaps and my clumsiness. I could, and probably would, break something, then be out the cost of another. And this whole painting fiasco has me given me a new respect for professionals in fields. I'm just an idiot that can replace broken parts, I guess I'm just starting to accept that.

Thanks for the quick replies though, I thought it would be fine sitting in storage, but knowing it wasn't exactly protected from the cold and heat, I was just afraid of warping or the window sticking to itself.

I'm still trying to get used to a convertible in PA. I think the 2 years I had one in CA, the top was up twice. Once in the middle of the night driving to Vegas, and once in a rain storm. The back window destroyed itself the first time I put it up, so I'm being extra cautious here where there is weather and stuff that falls from the sky.

I live in MD and have a Miata as a DD.

I dont trust leaving my top down in parking lots (near DC). I have a robbins top with a zip down glass rear window and havent had a problem in the almost 6 years I have owned it.

I did get a hardtop for winters, but if you are careful you should be fine without.

Dont put the top up or down in less than 60ish degrees. If you do a winter hardtop like me, wait for a warm day where you can leave the car parked in the sun for a bit to put the top up for the first time in the season, otherwise putting the top up for the first time is a pain.

Basically, I wouldnt worry too much.

Apexcarver wrote: Dont put the top up or down in less than 60ish degrees. Basically, I wouldnt worry too much.

I've lived in PA all my life until moving to CT 4 years or so ago.. The number I've always lived by was freezing: I don't put the top up or down below 34°. My old miata top lived at least 10 years, and my current cheap one is just starting to fail after ~8 years (stitching holes are starting to stretch out, still water tight!).

I wholly agree with the second part of that, stop worrying so much :)

When you do go to install it, use a piece of chalk to mark center and edge of roof along header panel, etc. Use really strong glue. If you have to drill out any rivets or such, make sure you don't drill thru the back side of whatever the rivet is going thru. Can't tell you how many times I've done a roof and the previous install was done by some idiot with an overzealous drill bit. Don't trim any material away until you absolutely have to. Common to trim and then realize the material was suppose to continue on and run under something else. While your in there, take the time to clean and repaint the frame, and replace any felt or padding that is worn.

I agree completely about being careful with top in freezing temperatures. Opening and closing, brushing off snow. But... Top down in a miata, with snow falling.... It's kind of a miata ownership requirement IMHO.

Zip out window helps immensely. You can ease the top down at any temperature above freezing with a little patience. Heck, I have gotten the top up from 16degrees with sun to assist. But the non-zip windows that have to fold? I destroyed one of those at 45degrees this spring :(

Don't understand people who only put the top down when it's in the eighties or above out. There are forty perfectly good degrees they're missing out on.

In reply to Mitchell:

I never really got it either. Unless there is stuff falling from the sky, mine is down when I'm out driving around. Even then, a little rain or snow never hurt anyone.

I'm just afraid of ruining a new top the first year it's on. Between purchase and install price, I could probably buy another beater car, don't want it to be wasted.