Trouble Free Tops??
 

Hey guys,

I have a 2012 370Z Roadster (sport/tech package if relevant) with 28K miles.

Does anyone have some experiences where their top has lasted a long time without issues or are we all just doomed? My top is working just fine however its a 2nd car so its mostly down and only gets up up in case of emergencies.

Hopefully there is a silent majority of 370Z roadster owners out there that don't have problems.

Let me know!

Hello,

I have a 2010 roadster.

My top has worked just fine as far as up & down.

The cover hits the back of the top when opening it.

I had to glue the plastic back on the protects the frame from rubbing a hole in the top. I'm pretty sure this was a quick fix by Nissan.

The fabric likes to come out of the frame under the window.
I opened the top half way & reinserted the top in the frame, then used shim stock to hold it in place. Never had a problem after that!

Every convertible I have owned has had some type of problem.

Thanks!

Top Woes
 

My 2014 Roadster has just developed a problem which Nissan warranty people are looking at now.

The problem is that a small sharp edged piece of metal has rubbed through the rubber right behind the drivers side head area. This small piece of metal had scratched my new window tint film and threatens to rub on, and possibly crack, the window.

I took it into Nissan and asked them to repair it. At first they were going to replace the whole top which I think is a bit excessive but now they have told me that they have found a Nissan approved reliable local business that will repair it under warranty. This has yet to happen.

I will keep you posted as to what happens but I am pretty sure it is minor and a quick fix.

Other than that, I have had no issues with the top rubbing or going up and down. I love my Roadster!

As a long time convertible 240SX owner, you should ALWAYS store the top in the up position for longevity of the canvas. Also, use Raggtop products to protect it from dry rot, helps keep the stitching from fraying, sun damage, etc. I replaced the 240's top 8 years ago and it still looks perfect, no fold lines, no sun damage. And I put it down all the time and lived in San Diego up until last year.

No issues so far. However, our 2010 ZR is a weekend car with only about 12k miles.

Thank you guys for the feedback so far!

Thank you for the insight. This is my first convertible and it is also a 2nd car. primarily for the weekends, track days and rallies. I always though it might be best to limit the amount of movement of the hydraulic system. Since I ALWAYS put the top down when i drive it, I though that it might be best if i just keep it down that way i extend the life of the system. Usually I will put it up if I need to park and there is no shade or it starts raining mid-drive.

This is all a self proclaimed theory though.

With that said, let me know what you think. Or anybody else too!


Thanks guys.

I am OK with a SMALL tear or tattered edge since i only put the top up for short period of time that is mandatory (no shade when parked, rain or sketchy area). Like every Roadster owner I am just nervous about that $15K system replacement of $7K fabric replacement.

See that also makes me nervous too. You practically have a brand new roadster and are already looking to fix the top. My warranty is over in Dec since its a second car i don't think an extended warranty is worth it. The car is maintained better than a professional racing team lol.

My 2010 roadster has been ok so far. It hits the cover panel on opening but only in colder weather (which is often in the UK). My last Mercedes rag top blow a hydraulic pipe and bumped oil all over the trim. They all have their faults

I put about 60,000 mi on a 2010 Roadster as a daily driver before I traded for the 2013 Roadster I have now. Never had any issues on the top or operation on it, other than the occasional times it would hit the cover panel, as others have mentioned.

Good to know there are some roadsters out there that are not doomed!

I have mine since 2011, just hit 4 years and I have 100k-km on it, never driven in Winter, my daily commute is at least 70km thus the huge number on mileage.

over the 4 years, couple problems

1) the frame poke a hole on the canvas, it happened when it's under 60k-km thus they replace the whole top under warranty

2) (1) happened again this year, they refuse to replace it under warranty because the bumper-to-bumper comprehensive has expired, nor the extended-warranty cover it.

I sew the hole and put a patch underneath the canvas, both sides, it's good now. Of cos, you can also bring it to a top-repair shop to get it fixed.

3) just got the rear-latch assembly replaced couple weeks ago, the sensor(s) failed thus has to replace the assembly.


This is my 3rd convertible, the 1st one is a bimmer, 2nd was a 350ZR then this one.


when you deal with a fully automatic top, like the 370z's or other brands, it has so many sensors and hydraulic pumps and lines, expect it will cause some trouble over the time.

depends on how long are you keeping the car and how often do you drive it too.

good luck :)

Good information! Thanks Man. Since my warranty is up in Dec of this year i am going to be SOL in 2016 and on. Since this is also a 2nd car i can be very selective when to take it out.

(open to anyone) but what are your thoughts about this: Say the top breaks...and Nissan says the dreaded words "it will be $14K to replace". Is there a way you can lock it in the "open" position and essentially throw away the key? In other words. Say the top is closed and wont open or it jams half way through open/close cycle. could you manually shut it or do something to permanently store it in its compartment?

if the top got stuck half way, i bet you should be able to (not manually) reverse it back to its originally position, but if you cannot do that, you really stuck, i pretty sure you can "press" the top back into the compartment.

otherwise, you can manually open and close it, but it's a 2 person procedure.

Oh good to know! Thank you!

I bought a 2010 roadster in February this year, and so far no major issues with the top. I have a few squeaks and rattles, but nothing major. I was also very concerned about convertible top issues when I first got the car because the system is so complex. I figure it would be very expensive to fix any issues. Well I've enjoyed the car all summer, putting the top down probably 5-10 times per week, and everything is working fine. I always store the top up whether it is in the garage and a parking lot. I do this to keep the dust down on the interior, prevent the interior trim parts from fading in the sun over time, and also prevent creasing and wear on the canvas top from being folded.

The car now has 15,000 miles on it (11,500 when I bought it), and the top is working fine. So there are good ones out there, don't worry!

I few maintenance items I've come across to help extend the life... I used 303 Fabric Guard back in July and it does a great job of waterproofing the top and acts as a UV protectant as well. This will help with the life of the canvas material and the seams/stitching. I also lubricated all moving hinge points in the mechanism with lithium grease, and put silicon spray on all rubber seals. This will keep the mechanism moving smoothly and should reduce stress on the hydraulic system. You'll need some patience for this as there are probably 50 hinge points and you want to prevent the lithium grease from getting on any fabric, rubber, or paint surface. It wipes up pretty easy though.

Hopefully with some routine maintenance every year, I can prolong the life of the top and enjoy it for years to come! I only have another month before I'll store it for winter. :mad:

Enjoy your roadster!

Never thought of maintaining the hinges and seals myself. Can you get the lithium Grease (never heard of that) and the silicon spray at autozone? How do you work on the hinges? Is there a way to stop the top mid-cycle to get all the points lubricated?

Yes, both white lithium grease and silicon spray can be bought at Autozone. You might even find it at Walmart, it's pretty common.

To work on the hinges, you'll need to open the top halfway. Just hold the switch down until halfway, then you'll have access to most hinge points. The hydraulic pressure will hold for a few minutes, then release. After it releases, the top will slowly let down. You'll just need to hold the switch to fully open the top, the close it halfway and continue. You may need to do this a few times to get to all the hinges. Also pop the trunk and you'll see some hinges for the tonneau cover there with about 5 hinge points (separate pins) per side.

This video is pretty helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEkqSLLNLRk

Hope that helps and good luck! This will keep your top running smooth.

great advice!!! :tup:

You da man!

Just some minor issues with my top!
 

I have a 2010 of which I use as a daily driver. I have never had a problem with the top opening and closing but I do have the following issues:

- Sometimes the cover hits the back of the top when opening.
- I have small holes on the canvas top on both the right and left hand side creases, nothing major. The canvas, especially where it creases will wear out over time.

Overall I'm happy with the top, I typically put the top down daily. Also, I have been out of warranty for almost 2 years. I have had 0 problems so far with my roadster.

Great to know! Thank you. I wonder if the majority of top issues are coming from the 2010 and 2011 models. Since the 370Z had a few changes made for the 2012 model, I wonder if they made any top improvements?

First 5 years were good, now with less than 30k on it nothing but trouble, electrical and now hydraulics. Nissan is saying 6k to repair, it'll be my last Nissan, guess I kept it a year too long.

If the top cost this much or perhaps even more to repair, why not keep the top down and drive like that?

Obviously driving in the rain would be out of the question and carwashes and the like, but at least its better than paying so much to get it fixed.

Now, has anyone ever kept the top down due to it not working properly?