animeS2K

Just wondering if anyone had thoughts on applying the 303 Protectant to the top after a good cleaning. I was able to get the top cleaned up (not noticably different) with the convertible top cleaner and sprayed it down after it dried with a good coating of the Protectant.

All I can say is WOW. After nearly 5 years of sort of neglecting the top, the Protectant really brought it back.

BUT... regardless of the setting on the nozzle, it was messy going down and overspray was everywhere, requiring a substantial cleanup with quick detailing spray and glass cleaner. I was wondering if anyone had any techniques for putting it down...
- Soak a rag and wipe it on, perhaps?
- "Mask" off the car with newspaper and spray like mad?
- Don't worry about it and clean up afterwards, it's good for your seals and stuff anyway!

On a related note, I used damp rags to wipe the heck out of the inside of the top and MAN was it ever dirty. After my rags were reasonably clean (after about 3 rinsings, 2 rags) I sprayed some Convertible Top Cleaner on them and went at it again, then wiped it down with water-dampened rags again. A huge improvement. I think I'll hit the inside with Protectant-dampened rags if I'm feeling ambitious.

Thanks,
- Chris

DosEquis Driver

I have a 16 x 16 towel that has been soaked with 303 protectant that I roll-up and seal in a 1 gal Ziplock freezer baggie for subsequent applications. I just clean the top, pull out my 303 towel, spray a little 303 into the pre-soaked towel (away from the car), and wipe it on. It precludes wasting additional 303 just to saturate a new towel before treating the top.

FWIW: The 303 product is new to me as is the S2000; but I've been doing the Ziplock with towels used for other liquid products, e.g., Lexol leather, vinyl, 303 cleaner, etc. for quite some time.

The key to keeping the towel from drying outseems to be putting the towel in folded to an 8" x 8" square so that it will lay flat in the baggie, then rolling from the bottom to the top to remove most of the air before sealing the bag. It also helps with storage since you can stuff about 5 rolled towels into a single 1 gal freezer bag. I just write what each towel is used for on the baggie and put a code on each towel (LL = Lexol Leather, 3P = 303 Protectant) with a permanent marker to keep it all straight in the event I have more than one towel out of the bags at a time.

wanabe

doequis driver has the solution... never spray onto car parts-
this includes interior too!
i dont use a dedicated towel, and i use a lot more product than he does- i use a clean towel each time... and soak it really well. the idea of a dedictated towel is a good idea as long as you replace it when it starts to fall apart (it will last a while). and this works if you only use the towel on freshly cleaned surfaces.
btw, be sure to buff out the top really well to prevent your product from being washed onto the car in the next rain.

thetz99

Oakfloor used a paintbrush to apply to his top and it really got a good coating on while limiting the overspray.

animeS2K

thanks for the replies. I think from here on out I can work with a soaked rag, but that first application probably benefitted from being put on like it was (considering the condition of the top).

I like the idea of keeping the rag in a ziplock. And I was certain to buff the top very well. After about a week of "curing" I think it's likely not to drip off in the rain now. (can't even feel it on the top/doesn't rub off on fingers)

thx again.