Caring for a Jeep Convertible in Winter

If you love your Jeep convertible, winter is the time to prove it. While your Jeep gives and gives all summer long, once the weather changes, it’s your job to return the favor. Jeeps are extremely durable, but just as susceptible to deterioration due to temperature changes, as well as snow and falling debris. With the proper care, preventing premature cracking and tears in your convertible top can keep your Jeep looking great and healthy for years to come. We suggest taking a few seasonal steps to ensure your Jeep convertible lasts well beyond the winter months.

Cover It Up

This may be a tip that we harp on from time to time, but it can be the most beneficial and is the one most people don’t bother doing. Direct sunlight, even in the winter months, can cause a drying out of your convertible top’s material and drain it of its color. Leaves and branches, snowfall, bird droppings, and other debris eat away at your Jeep’s convertible top compromising the fabric and stitching over time. A carport, garage or any covered area will provide the simple relief from the elements your Jeep needs to make it through hibernation and wake up ready for spring.

Keep It Clean

The other best way to keep your Jeep’s convertible top looking its best is to keep it clean. But, clean doesn’t just mean washed. Your convertible top’s material will have specially formulated conditioners to replenish the protective chemicals that prevent drying and cracking. Whether you’re working with vinyl or other fabrics, you’ll need to treat your Jeep’s convertible top regularly with the proper cleaners. Remember, regular carwash soap may have properties that are perfect for painted metal but not for vinyl and other fabrics. Only use an approved convertible top cleaner on your Jeep’s soft top.

Regular Check-Ups

Just like you, your Jeep needs regular checkups, too. If your Jeep convertible is properly stored and washed, you’re still going to need to stop by, crank it up, and take it for a drive. This will ensure that your battery doesn’t die, the fluids move around the engine and other systems, and gives you the chance to take inventory of how your Jeep is holding up. Listen closely to identify any unusual sounds including wind penetration and check the soft top with a flashlight to find any loose stitching, cracks or tears. Gently and slowly, go over the entire convertible top with a soft bristle brush while visually checking every inch. Make sure to address any issues immediately to prevent further damage to your Jeep’s convertible top.

Fix It Now

If there’s a problem, solve it! If you know your convertible top is torn, cracking or has been through too much over the years, replace it. Those tears and cracks will end up causing more trouble than they’re worth if they are not addressed immediately. Moisture is the enemy of your Jeep’s seats and electrical system, and will eventually cause mold and mildew to grow, destroying the interior. In this case, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. Replacing your convertible top is much more affordable when you don’t also have to replace the car seats and other parts of the interior.

Take these steps to keep your Jeep convertible protected during winter and ready for action when spring rolls around. What are your favorite tips and products for keeping your Jeep’s convertible top looking its best? Share your tips and stories in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you!

Tips for Upgrading & Maintaining a Soft Top Convertible

If you’re like us, your soft-top convertible is much more than a machine for going from point A to point B. It’s your friend, your confidant, your escape from the realities of daily life. As much love as your convertible provides, the relationship must be reciprocal in order to be lasting. Convertible soft tops are vulnerable to exposure and temperature changes, and require more attention than the average car. However, properly caring for a convertible provides plenty of enjoyment and satisfaction outside of the obvious benefits of beauty and preservation. So, we’ve put together a few tips for upgrading and maintaining your soft top convertible for any time of year.

Clean & Covered

Keeping your convertible top clean will prevent sap, bird droppings, pollen, and other debris from eating away at the fabric over time. Bird droppings, in particular, are extremely corrosive and can permanently damage every part of your convertible if left unattended. An approved carwash liquid soup should be used to gently remove any debris, as well as a conditioner to infuse a weather resistant barrier into the fabric to preserve its luster. Always keep your convertible inside a garage or covered under a carport or car cover to ensure that no direct sunlight (or bird droppings) damage the material.

Do it Right

If you must upgrade to a new convertible soft top, make sure you do it right! Use only the proper tools and work carefully to avoid damaging the material and the vehicle. With the convertible top off, now’s a perfect time to do a deep cleaning of the seams and normally hard to reach crevices on the car. Cleaning the seams will ensure that your new soft top adheres securely to the frame for a long-lasting bond. We have had plenty of customers successfully install their own replacement convertible soft tops, but we recommend using a professional to do the work. They have the experience necessary to do the job faster and their work is likely warrantied against defects.

Upgrades

Your convertible soft top has the awesome ability to incorporate plenty of upgrades. Whether you’re looking for a wind diffuser to reduce noise and airflow or a new and improved stereo system, upgrading your convertible is fast, easy, and more affordable than ever before. It’s important to provide the exact same caution and attention when installing upgrades and new parts as you would to installing a new convertible top. This will ensure that all upgrades perform as they are intended, look great, and in no way hinder performance.

What are your favorite tips for ensuring your convertible top stays fresh and clean? Share your thoughts in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear your tips and stories!

A Brief History of the Ford Mustang

From humble beginnings in the 1960s to being one of the most coveted vehicles on the market, the Ford Mustang has remained an iconic piece of American popular culture. Wherever you come from, when you see a Mustang, there’s a certain unexplainable cultural capital the car carries that everyone inherently understands and can identify with. Where did this beautiful vehicle come from and how did it rise to prominence? Below, we’ll take you through a brief history of the Ford Mustang.

Originally conceived as the sports car for the workingman, the Ford Mustang was unveiled by Henry Ford II himself at the World’s Fair in New York on April 17, 1964. The design and name of the vehicle was actually inspired by the World War II fighter jet of the same name. This naming scheme was definitely intentional, as many of the people who fought in the war or grew up around the time of the war, heavily identified with the name and felt a sense of security and nostalgia with the design.

Almost immediately after the car was introduced, it rocketed to popularity around the country, with consumers buying up tens of thousands of vehicles within the first few days that the car was on the market. Not too long after that, the Mustang became an undeniable icon and symbol of American youth, resilience, and innovation. The Mustang is still a prominent fixture in American pop culture today, often featured in films, television shows, and other public outlets. In fact, the Mustang reached such iconic heights as to be immortalized on a stamp made by the US Postal Service in 1999 to commemorate and celebrate the 35^th anniversary of the vehicle’s unveiling.

The Ford Mustang is without a doubt an iconic vehicle. Part of the reason for this icon status has to do with the aesthetic of the car, both regular and convertible. The Mustang convertible model takes the vehicle’s spirit of exploration and innovation to entirely new heights, and being able to maintain that quality of the vehicle will lead to many years of driving enjoyment.

One easy and simple way to maintain the integrity of your Mustang convertible would be to install a replacement soft top, like the ones made with our patented technology. Not only do we fit most models of Mustang on the road today, our convertible tops are precision cut to provide a perfect fit and deliver the durability and integrity you won’t find elsewhere. With their triple-ply construction, premium materials, and reinforced bonding, our soft tops will keep your Mustang looking fierce and fresh for years to come, because icons never rest!