Cleaning a fabric convertible roof
Discussion
Good evening gents,
Recently bought myself an e36 323 cabrio with a blue fabric roof. It doesn't leak and looks quite tidy for 15 years old, but it's slightly faded and with some slightly green bits on it that even a good scrub and some BMW spray on stuff can't get rid of.
When I had my MX-5 with the vinyl roof I used some Renovo stuff, one that helped recolour it & condition it, and the other that waterproofed it and made it bead.
Think I still have the bottles in the garage from the MX-5 but I am assuming I need something different for the fabric. Presumably some sort of cleaner to get the green tinge off, or some sort of dye, and some waterproofer...
Anybody got any recommendations?
Also, the plastic window has got a crease/distortion in it but I am assuming there is nothing I can do about it. I was hoping the warm weather might help it settle but it hasn't...
Recently bought myself an e36 323 cabrio with a blue fabric roof. It doesn't leak and looks quite tidy for 15 years old, but it's slightly faded and with some slightly green bits on it that even a good scrub and some BMW spray on stuff can't get rid of.
When I had my MX-5 with the vinyl roof I used some Renovo stuff, one that helped recolour it & condition it, and the other that waterproofed it and made it bead.
Think I still have the bottles in the garage from the MX-5 but I am assuming I need something different for the fabric. Presumably some sort of cleaner to get the green tinge off, or some sort of dye, and some waterproofer...
Anybody got any recommendations?
Also, the plastic window has got a crease/distortion in it but I am assuming there is nothing I can do about it. I was hoping the warm weather might help it settle but it hasn't...
Thought I would report back.
Decided to do the works - 3 stage Renovo, Milton solution, and finish with Fabsil.
It took me 3 days on and off.
Renovo cleaner is very good, used a stiff bristle brush to lather and the first go came off with browny green water. Had to scrub quite vigorously to remove the green - and this is where I made my big mistake - scrubbing above the rear window the stitching gave way and I now have a gaping hole above the window
Also, on drying, I could see that the pile of the hood had been raised in places - I guess brushing the fabric had damaged the fibres.
Anyway, used a milton solution which seemed to do nothing other than make it stink, and another go with the Renovo Cleaner.
First coat of Renovo restorer (coloured stuff). Didn't let it dry and tried to wipe it off all surfaces, but I guess a fingernail or claybar should deal with the bits I missed. Keen to get it finished, I put the second coat on at dusk. Big mistake
Using a site lamp out on the front drive at 9pm was a terrible idea due to shadows, and it was sheer fluke and being methodical that meant it wasn't too patch the following morning.
2 coats of Milton Proofer over the day went on quite easily, and the following day I did 2 coats of Fabsil. This says 6 hours in between coats. Went on quite easily, but I should have read the tin as it's nasty stuff to get on your hands and my skin is now painfully dry and cracked.
Bottom line is that it now looks pretty good and presumably will bead nicely when it rains. However, I have damaged the hood fibres in places where I have brushed hard, and I have just been to a trimmers who have informed me that the window cannot be restitched without the hood coming off the car and the frame which will cost £400 or so, whereupon I might as well spend £650 on a new hood, relegating 3 days of work and £50+ of "products" to the bin.
So all in all I wish I hadn't bothered
PS - the amounts I bought (500ml Renovo Cleaner & Restorer, 1L Renovo Proofer, 1L Fabsil Gold) were enough to do 2 coats each of an e36 cab, but couldn't have got another coat out of any bottle.
Decided to do the works - 3 stage Renovo, Milton solution, and finish with Fabsil.
It took me 3 days on and off.
Renovo cleaner is very good, used a stiff bristle brush to lather and the first go came off with browny green water. Had to scrub quite vigorously to remove the green - and this is where I made my big mistake - scrubbing above the rear window the stitching gave way and I now have a gaping hole above the window
Also, on drying, I could see that the pile of the hood had been raised in places - I guess brushing the fabric had damaged the fibres.Anyway, used a milton solution which seemed to do nothing other than make it stink, and another go with the Renovo Cleaner.
First coat of Renovo restorer (coloured stuff). Didn't let it dry and tried to wipe it off all surfaces, but I guess a fingernail or claybar should deal with the bits I missed. Keen to get it finished, I put the second coat on at dusk. Big mistake
Using a site lamp out on the front drive at 9pm was a terrible idea due to shadows, and it was sheer fluke and being methodical that meant it wasn't too patch the following morning.2 coats of Milton Proofer over the day went on quite easily, and the following day I did 2 coats of Fabsil. This says 6 hours in between coats. Went on quite easily, but I should have read the tin as it's nasty stuff to get on your hands and my skin is now painfully dry and cracked.
Bottom line is that it now looks pretty good and presumably will bead nicely when it rains. However, I have damaged the hood fibres in places where I have brushed hard, and I have just been to a trimmers who have informed me that the window cannot be restitched without the hood coming off the car and the frame which will cost £400 or so, whereupon I might as well spend £650 on a new hood, relegating 3 days of work and £50+ of "products" to the bin.
So all in all I wish I hadn't bothered
PS - the amounts I bought (500ml Renovo Cleaner & Restorer, 1L Renovo Proofer, 1L Fabsil Gold) were enough to do 2 coats each of an e36 cab, but couldn't have got another coat out of any bottle.
Well my hood was in pretty good shape. I used a fairly stiff brush and damaged the fabric and tore through some stitching - and I did notice that there were still some slight shadows from grime on the roof after I had finished. So I'm not sure what the answer is.
BTW, the guy who fitted my new roof last week told me never to use a pressure washed on it.
BTW, the guy who fitted my new roof last week told me never to use a pressure washed on it.
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