Hello All,
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Still new to this site and MK5âs, I am looking for some good advice about how to clean up my top and would also like to get it looking a bit more black.
Any one got any usefull tips on how and what I should use.
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Many thanks.
 Some useful tips in the âgarageâ section in this forum under âcleaning and detailingâ, you have to assertain if itâs vinyl or mohair first, vinyl looks like a fexible plastic and mohair looks like a woven material. Youâll find when reading through there are a lot of products available to keep them looking top notch, but which ever type of hood you have donât forget the back where the hood meets the body work as you have to let the roof off itâs catches and pull it back a little to get right into this section, then re-do the catches for the rest of the hood. If you forget to do this area it build up with filth and eventually mould and could shorten the life of you hood.
 If it is a vinyl roof I can recomend Autoglym Vinyl & Rubber care. Just spray/wipe on and off. I use it on mine on all sorts of stuff and find it very good. Which reminds me I need a new bottle.
I used Vanish carpet cleaner on a Vinyl hood that was almost beyond redemption.
Came up great, but if you donât get it thoroughly rinsed out youâll look like Mr Matey the next time it rainsÂ
 Have used a ââTurtle Wax Soft Top Systemââ product sold by Halfords on my mohair top. This package includes a roof cleaner and a conditionerâŚgiven me no problems during the last 4 years, and any âlooseâ spray, I remove easily with a damp rag. I use a toothe brush for getting into the difficult areas with the roof down, then brush and vacuum clean the whole hood before applying the roof cleaner, followed by the conditioner, as per the product instructions. I am assuming this product is still available since I bought a few ââyears worthââ a few years ago!!!Â
 Additional info. following my reply a few minutes agoâŚI typed into my search engine ââTurtle wax soft top cleanerâââŚthen clicked onto www.autoexpress.co.uk to get information on this product. Hope this helps!!!.
Hi, yes Iâve heard some good stuff about Autoglym, but I am abig believer in that if something is worth doing properly it takes some ammount of exertion, wiping on and off seems effortless!!! However I will give these guys a try first and see how I get on.
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Many thanks
1 Like
 I have had my car 6 years now and the hood was replaced 4 years previous to that in 2002, making it 10 years old now. I have only ever used autoglym vinyl/rubber care on it and it seems to be doing fine (touch wood).
Iâve always used Renovo products on my mohair top, a lot cheaper that autoglym.
I was going to use the black reviver this time but the roof cleaned up nicely and didnât need the reviver. Cleaning and waterproofing did the trick.
http://www.renovointernational.com/products/dryclean.php
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Phil
 Hi and welcome to the forum 
 I use Autogylm as well. I used it on the hood on my boats when I had them. Lot bigger than the 5 hood. Brings my hood up like new. Takes about 10 minutes to do.
Iâve got a vinyl hood and after washing and drying use Armorall protectant spray - comes up a treat.
 Autoglym rubber & vinyl is great stuff, as the others have said it makes it return to looking new, I have rubbed it into the creases as well as âbuffingâ it up afterwardsâŚfirst time I did it in the sun and found it easier the second time in the shade. Water now âbubblesâ up like a well polished car
 Iâm a bit undecided on this one, there are a lot of people saying use the Autoglym but Dr Eunos has said use shoe polish. How long does the Autoglym last? Do you have re-apply? Sorry for all questions but want to do it once and get it done and enjoy driving it!!!
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Thanks
Have you told us if its vinyl or cloth yet ? Â What ever you use then you will need to reapply from time to time. Â I use the Autoglym on my vinyl hood a few times a year but then my hood is each protected in the garage or folded down, so doesnât see much sun or rain, but it cleans it up and protects it.
 Sorry its vinyl.
 You donât use washing up liquid in your windscreen washâŚlike you wouldnât use screen wash to wash your platesâŚ
If you use shoe polish on your roof you would have to âbuffâ it up every morning !!
I use the auto glym stuff on making the black bits shine all the time, as far as the roof goes Iâve only had the car 6 weeks and done it twice alreadyâŚbut iâm âsadâ or so the kids think !
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each to their ownâŚdo a survey one half Kiwi polishâŚthe other half auto glym care and see what you like best and report backâŚsimples
Please do not mis-quote me, Dr. Eunos told you to use shoe scuff restorer and not shoe polish when he took the time to reply to your PM, no it does not need buffing-up every morning and I will happily put it up against any more expensive proprietry product for performance and looks on a black vinyl roof, think about it, what environment do shoes have to put up with? What colour are black shoes? We have several teenage boys, if it can keep shoes looking tidy then an MX5 vinyl roof is certainly not a problem, derr! 
Dr. Eunos
 The Autoglym is very resonable at about £6.00 a bottle. You dont need to use too much ,if you do the worst that happens is you may get a few streak runs down the side windows when it rains the first time after applying. I usually re-apply every couple of months I would say (although it probably does not need it), so a bottle lasts for quite a while. All I do is wipe it on/in and this leaves a nice shine that beads water. I use it on all the interior plastics, door and roof seals, all the rubber and plastic under the bonnet and even the ytre walls. Does what it says on the bottle, Rubber & Vinyl. As I previously said my hood is now 10 years old and doing fine.
My god! Itâs a choice between a ÂŁ6 cleaner or whatever youâve got in the cupboard under the sink.
Get on with it man or summer will be over!
Whats your next post - pink or yellow marigolds? Or which air freshener should I buy?!
(yellow and Forest Pine would be my choice btw)
