Rag top car Q | GTAMotorcycle.com

Rag top car Q

J

jc100

Well-known member
Our second car (SUV) has rusted to a point where it's nearly done. Needs a replacement so we have a chance to get something different since we already have a CRV. Was browsing used cars and saw a used 2019 Beetle Wolfsburg convertible for a reasonable price. Question...how do rag tops fare in Canadian winters? We don't have a garage so I'm worried about weight of snow or ice making the roof sag or freezing the material and rendering it easier to rip etc. Or is this not an issue?

It's also not AWD obviously and may have thinner wheels so I'm not sure about winter driving. Any comments?
 
A beetle ragtop is not a car that I would love to own. Normally terrible depreciation (although being the last year, who knows how that will be affected). No rear seat head room, crap rear visibility. I would rather have a golf for less money and more space (although obviously no ragtop and the pano roof leaks happen very often).

As far as snow load, ask VW if that would be a warranty issue. I haven't heard of any collapsing, but that doesn't mean they don't. If warranty covers it (as it seems reasonable that a car sold in canada could remain parked outside without quickly destroying itself), then don't worry, you have a few years before any issues are your problem.

VW's are pretty competent in the snow. I would add some snow tires in a smaller wheel size (not sure if the brakes on the bug allow 195/65R15 or if you need the 16's to clear the brakes).
 
Crank-it's stored outside all year? Did you treat it?

Buddy has an Audi and wife a Mustang. Both of their tops look like **** as they are outside and not even 4 years old.
 
@GreyGhost
I really don't think that the warranty on the rag top should be the deciding factor in this case.
Hearing some of the nightmares stories about people having to process a warranty claim with VW or others, I feel like this would really be one of those things that would fall "out of the normal" use.

Other than that, I don't have any experience with rag top cars but had always wondering how durable they are over time.
You often see cars with rag tops that look like crap.

Also,
It's to bad that this is the last run of the Beetle, I liked the look of it, especially the latest model.
 
My buddy bought one of the first production Boxsters new, so 1998 or something. He is fastidious about the care and maintenance on that rag top, he uses a whole bin-ful of protection and cleaner products every month.

Over 20 years later, the entire car still looks show-room ready, but the number 1 thing he says he does to keep the rag-top pristine is to keep it out of the sun. Garages it when it's not in use. Top down when the sun is out.
 
oioioi said:
@GreyGhost
I really don't think that the warranty on the rag top should be the deciding factor in this case.
Hearing some of the nightmares stories about people having to process a warranty claim with VW or others, I feel like this would really be one of those things that would fall "out of the normal" use.

Other than that, I don't have any experience with rag top cars but had always wondering how durable they are over time.
You often see cars with rag tops that look like crap.

Also,
It's to bad that this is the last run of the Beetle, I liked the look of it, especially the latest model.
Click to expand...
I'm in one of those situations now. My student daughter has a rusted out subframe -- about 8" is totally gone. After calling or visiting every dealership withing 100KM AND calling VW Canada we finally got one to start the claim. Most dealer schedule for an inspection 4-6 months out, then if the claim is approved it can take up to a year for repairs. 2 dealers and an approved VW body shop have all looked at the car and confirmed it was a defect in undercoating (the inside frame rail was not coated in the factory) yet they still will not file a claim unless I get in line and wait till June.
 
jc100 said:
visibility out the rear might make the wife say no.
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This is indeed a thing. The rear window on the cabrio is much smaller than that in the standard car, and if the top is down, the top of it is well above where the bottom of the window normally is. In Fiat's case, the cabrio came standard with the back-up sensors that beep at you if you approach something too closely while backing up. Mine was the last year before mandated back-up cameras - anything new will have a back-up camera as well.

I've gotten used to driving vehicles with bad rear visibility but with modern tech in place (back-up sensors and/or back-up camera). It's not even worth looking backwards out of the rear window ... I use the mirrors and the sensors/camera.
 
Mad Mike said:
I'm in one of those situations now. My student daughter has a rusted out subframe -- about 8" is totally gone. After calling or visiting every dealership withing 100KM AND calling VW Canada we finally got one to start the claim. Most dealer schedule for an inspection 4-6 months out, then if the claim is approved it can take up to a year for repairs. 2 dealers and an approved VW body shop have all looked at the car and confirmed it was a defect in undercoating (the inside frame rail was not coated in the factory) yet they still will not file a claim unless I get in line and wait till June.
Click to expand...
To be clear, I'm not saying VW warranty is great, just to ask whether top damage is considered normal wear and tear or a warranty item. I would hope a collapsed top would be a warranty item (as that shouldn't happen if designed and assembled properly), but wouldn't be surprised if the warranty excluded anything to do with the top. No warranty would just hasten my walk to the door.
 
Brian P said:
This is indeed a thing. The rear window on the cabrio is much smaller than that in the standard car, and if the top is down, the top of it is well above where the bottom of the window normally is. In Fiat's case, the cabrio came standard with the back-up sensors that beep at you if you approach something too closely while backing up. Mine was the last year before mandated back-up cameras - anything new will have a back-up camera as well.

I've gotten used to driving vehicles with bad rear visibility but with modern tech in place (back-up sensors and/or back-up camera). It's not even worth looking backwards out of the rear window ... I use the mirrors and the sensors/camera.
Click to expand...
VW rear-view camera is probably the best in the business. Others may have it beat on resolution or screen size, but keeping it covered when it's not in use means that you can actually see something other than fog without cleaning the camera before you back up.
 
Lightcycle said:
My buddy bought one of the first production Boxsters new, so 1998 or something. He is fastidious about the care and maintenance on that rag top, he uses a whole bin-ful of protection and cleaner products every month.

Over 20 years later, the entire car still looks show-room ready, but the number 1 thing he says he does to keep the rag-top pristine is to keep it out of the sun. Garages it when it's not in use. Top down when the sun is out.
Click to expand...

my garage is an extension of my shelving units in my house, no room for cars.

Just drove my heap of rust Ford back home and the rear window dropped off one of the hinges as a screw sheared off. Lovely.
 
jc100 said:
my garage is an extension of my shelving units in my house, no room for cars.
Click to expand...

Do like they do in Quebec:

Harbor-Freight-Portable-Garage-Instructions.jpg
 
meme said:
Crank-it's stored outside all year? Did you treat it?

Buddy has an Audi and wife a Mustang. Both of their tops look like **** as they are outside and not even 4 years old.
Click to expand...

new one (last spring) is never outside, but the previuos one, 6yrs old when we dumped it looked new, yes we sprayed it regularly with a UV fabric treatment. Buddies MB converitble lives outside, 3 yrs old and looks new , MB treats the roof when it gets serviced.
 
GreyGhost said:
VW rear-view camera is probably the best in the business. Others may have it beat on resolution or screen size, but keeping it covered when it's not in use means that you can actually see something other than fog without cleaning the camera before you back up.
Click to expand...

(y)
It **** annoying when you are trying to back up and all you see is road salt or the monitor.

I try to give it a swipe with my thumb each time I walk by the rear of the vehicle.
 
jc100 said:
Those require a bylaw exemption in my area I believe. I’ve looked at them in the past.
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I think in Quebec there's a by-law that states you *MUST* have one in your driveway.

I swear everytime I drive through the burbs in Quebec, it feels like I'm driving through a circus.

And not just because of all the driveway tents...
 
Lightcycle said:
I think in Quebec there's a by-law that states you *MUST* have one in your driveway.

I swear everytime I drive through the burbs in Quebec, it feels like I'm driving through a circus.

And not just because of all the driveway tents...
Click to expand...

They make perfect sense. I’d get one in a heartbeat if I didn’t have an ******* neighbour.
 
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