[tlionhart]

I've noticed with most Saabs they don't have the crease marks. Mostly shine or mould were the owner hasn't looked after it. Are they made from the same material?

I noticed on a lambo, Ferrari, R8, mini and some BMW and new Mercs have it, so it would seem normal?

 

[Smee]

so my question here is does any one carry a brush around with them to clean the roof from debris?

just came out of work about to put the roof down and from the storms last night can see that the roof is a little covered with twig and stone debris which made me think twice about putting the roof down.

was thinking of having a brush (dust pan and brush style) to wipe over and get most of the debris away. any one else do this??

also when you guys hoover your roof what attachment you using the nozzle or the brush?

lee

 

[S5mafia]

Never hoovered the roof but I do have a lint roller in the boot that works a treat.

 

[Smee]

popped to 99p store today to get s few things and saw they had a soft bristle emulsion paint brush. about 5 inch wide. couldnt believe how soft it was so bought it and lives in the boot just incase of debris on roof that i can then clear off.

would like to know which tool you guys use on the hoover though i used the one on the right

 

[Erisu]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of getting a 2009 A5 cabriolet. I'm 50/50 about purchasing one now so need you guys to talk me into or out of purchasing one

Reading the posts here and it seems like the roof is just an utter pain to deal with if something goes wrong! And if nothing goes wrong, some form of maintenance still needs to be done ie: spraying cleaning chemicals onto the roof like water repellent, vacuum the roof every now and then, checking the seals are still in good condition before they start leaking etc...

In your experiences, has owning a cabriolet (especially in UK!) been more of a pain for you owners than compared to owning a non-cabriolet? And would you guys consider owning another cabriolet in future?

Thanks!

 

[rackingman]

hello again.

second cab, had cabs for 9 years. the next car will be a cab.

if you derestrict an rs cab it will do about 180mph. the roof is subjected to;
rain, sleet, snow, ice, road grime, birdmuck, diesel particulates and all the rest of the general detritus which affects the rest of your car.

so our care and attention is minimal. it gets shampoo'd and jetwashed (not at full wack) along with the rest of the car. I vacuum the roof when I vacuum the carpets but dont know why i bother as I dont get anything out of it. I do re-treat with water repellant. thats a 30 minute job if that.

I dont see the maintenance of a cab roof as more onerous than dealing with swirl marks on a tin roof. probably less, but then thats because i am a short-arse and have to use steps to reach with my daspro.

 

[s5 tony]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking of getting a 2009 A5 cabriolet. I'm 50/50 about purchasing one now so need you guys to talk me into or out of purchasing one

Reading the posts here and it seems like the roof is just an utter pain to deal with if something goes wrong! And if nothing goes wrong, some form of maintenance still needs to be done ie: spraying cleaning chemicals onto the roof like water repellent, vacuum the roof every now and then, checking the seals are still in good condition before they start leaking etc...

In your experiences, has owning a cabriolet (especially in UK!) been more of a pain for you owners than compared to owning a non-cabriolet? And would you guys consider owning another cabriolet in future?

Thanks!

Hi I have a 2010 cab I also live in the UK mine has never leaked in I have done mods to my car so the roof has been taken off a couple off times and put back on and still no leaks and no real wear marks either. I just wash the roof like you would do with any car I think this is my 7th convertible car just don't put the roof down when still wet

 

[Erisu]

hello again.

second cab, had cabs for 9 years. the next car will be a cab.

if you derestrict an rs cab it will do about 180mph. the roof is subjected to;
rain, sleet, snow, ice, road grime, birdmuck, diesel particulates and all the rest of the general detritus which affects the rest of your car.

so our care and attention is minimal. it gets shampoo'd and jetwashed (not at full wack) along with the rest of the car. I vacuum the roof when I vacuum the carpets but dont know why i bother as I dont get anything out of it. I do re-treat with water repellant. thats a 30 minute job if that.

I dont see the maintenance of a cab roof as more onerous than dealing with swirl marks on a tin roof. probably less, but then thats because i am a short-arse and have to use steps to reach with my daspro.

Cool, thanks again It seems like alot of people are getting a mixture of leaky roofs from worn seals to extreme damages like cracked back window from the roof folding onto the glasses and scratching it

Any anyone know of any extra warranty that you can take out just on the roof if anything happens to it? Reading here (and other forums) it could take as much as up to £6k to replace/fix a roof!

 

[Erisu]

Hi I have a 2010 cab I also live in the UK mine has never leaked in I have done mods to my car so the roof has been taken off a couple off times and put back on and still no leaks and no real wear marks either. I just wash the roof like you would do with any car I think this is my 7th convertible car just don't put the roof down when still wet

Thanks s5 tony, this brings me some hope of putting my foot through the door to an A5 cabriolet

 

[magi]

Hi Erisu

Despite the problems with the roof, I would still have another cab. :thumbsup:
Also regarding the warranty, some policies will cover for one year after the 3 year standard manufacturers, but many won't cover a convertable roof at all !.

 

[s5 tony]

Cool, thanks again It seems like alot of people are getting a mixture of leaky roofs from worn seals to extreme damages like cracked back window from the roof folding onto the glasses and scratching it

Any anyone know of any extra warranty that you can take out just on the roof if anything happens to it? Reading here (and other forums) it could take as much as up to £6k to replace/fix a roof!

Regarding the roof if it does pack up don't take it to Audi a friend off mine has a A4 cab bought it pre owned so no warranty the roof packed up wouldn't go up or down just dead took it to Audi they wanted over 4k to fix it after I googled the problem it was a known problem that the bushes burn out in the motor there was a guy on ebay that replaced them and took the motor out and refitted it £159 all in working perfect now

 

[S5mafia]

Easy choice for me. I'm waiting until the new cab comes out and buying another. I don't pay particular attention to the roof, use a sponge on the roof whilst washing the rest of the car. Lightly jet wash it. Lint roller at the times of the year when the trees drop leaves or sap and that's it.

In reference to your question about the £6,000 to replace, I believe it's actually a lot more from Audi.. However. I have only heard of one person smashing the back screen. Just be careful to choose an insure that covers it if your concerned.

 

[Erisu]

Thanks magi, s5 tony and S5mafia! With all the information I've taken in from this forum I think I'll stay clear of the cabriolet, just incase I do get a lemon and can't end up fixing it without having a costly investment. Looking into an A5 coupe now

 

[rackingman]

if you buy from audi you will have 12 months peace of mind on a car which is already 5 years old. fixing the 2.0t oil burning is about the same cost and a much more prevalent problem.

you are just using excuses so you dont get called a hairdresser by your mondeo mates..

 

[feeny]

Cab roof

Hello everyone. My first post here, lots to read and very informative.

I am seriously considered buying a 2010 s5 cab, low miles (25,000 odd) seems to be in fairly good condition.

The roof has a few 'crease marks' and the wear and tear spots that are described in this thread.

I probably would never have noticed them had I not read this thread, but they are quite obvious once I knew they were there!

Anyway, my question is, as a first time soft-top buyer, reading a thread like this has made me a little concerned at buying this amazing looking machine. It's easy to get alarmed!

I wanted to get some feedback as to how long a cab roof lasts under 'normal' conditions (i'm in Australia) - this one is coming up to 5 years already, will I be looking to replace the hood in the next 3-4 years and should I price this sort of thing in now?

Also, any suggestions / tips of what to check, specifically around the soft-top before buying would be greatly appreciated too.

Thanks,
Feens

 

[Smee]

Although this is a great thread that highlights the issue it's also a bad thread for the reason you have mentioned above. The fear it installs is beyond comprehension.

Mine is a 2011 and is just as bad as those here. It's a fabric roof it doesn't leak it is what it is. All manufactures do it was looking at a porsche the other day that had it also. I really wouldn't worry about the wear what I would look at is the stitching if that looks right your safe.

Hope that helps

 

[rackingman]

don't let it put you off. the saab roof wears better because it doesn't have foam behind it or gets squashed in such a small space. all our wear took place in the first 9 months (first summer) and with some care and treatment hasn't deteriorated any further.

it is what it is...theres nothing better for the money.

 

[tonye60]

Just seen a a3 on the road for the first time, roof creased to hell

 

[Erisu]

Hi all,

Bringing this topic back to life... I've literally just sold my car today and looking to buy an A5 cab ASAP... one question first, is it safe to run an A5 cab through a car wash? Would this damage the soft cloth roof in any way? I mean I can give the roof a wipe and some TLC outside my flat but it'll be very difficult to wash the rest of the car where it'll be parked so I'll have to take it to a car wash unfortunately.

Thanks

 

[Smee]

When you say car wash you mean the type at a garage with the spinney brushes? If so I personally wouldn't the thought of that pressure on the roof makes me think it would stretch and sag etc.

If you that worried take it to local hand cleaners but tell them not to pressure wash the roof.