How will the top hold up? I'm curious because unfortunately the car will be parked outside everyday, and I do live in Florida which means that we get some pretty serious sun all year round.

Give me your honest opinions. I would consider getting the magnetic black too, but I don't want to get black if the top is going to fade like crazy.

Let me know guys. I don't want to get a roadster and have the top fading like crazy and tearing due to the sun.

Thanks,
Kyle

 

The Florida sun will completely bake it. Get an OEM car cover and be consistant with using it and you should be fine. I'd do that even with a coupe.

-David (lived in Florida for 10 years)

 

daily driver and park outside at nite too. CA weather. 17 months already. No problem so far.

 

Yeah, I've lived here for like 15 years. I've had a black car here and it wasn't a big deal, but to have a convertible is another thing. I just don't want the top to get all messed up. I guess a cover is the best thing I could do. Thanks for you response.

If anyone else has any comments I would love to hear them.

Thanks,
Kyle

 

Your top is holding up perfectly? No fading or loss of integrity whatsoever? That's reassuring.

What do you use to maintain your top. Raggtop or one of those protectants?

Kyle

 

Use 303 protectant at least once a month and you should be fine.

 

I've heard that Raggtop is better than 303. Have you used both?

Kyle

 

The Florida heat/sun is much worse than California, especially Northern California. But if I were you I'd still keep it covered as much as possible. It'll take longer but the damage will come.

 

I'm down around Miami and have a blue top that has been outside during the day (garaged at night) for 18mos and I see no bleaching on my top.

 

Hmmm although I live in Palm Springs, Cali where it gets like 115, i pretty much keep my roadster garaged during the hot summer months, but I do drive it a lot durning the spring, winter and fall and no fading from what I can tell... But I do park it in the garage at night.

 

As suggested, if you use a protectant with UV shield such as Raggtop you should be fine but it depends how long you intend to own the car. After 10-12 years I would expect some fading, but over the next 5 years I think you would be fine.

 

Alright, thanks guys. I don't plan on owning the car for more than ~3 years. I've never had a car for more than 2 years, so hopefully I like the Z.

Kyle

 

I would be more interested to see what owners from the hotter and more humid areas say the top holds up. CA is not the place to really be getting good ideas of how our tops would hold up, simply due to the lack of humidity. The combination of high temps and high humidity are really hard on tops, but I can't speak for our tops, as I have only had it in CA.

 

^Good point. We definitely have a hot and humid climate here. I'll for sure do the protectant stuff every month, but I'm thinking that a cover would be beneficial for the summer months. Thanks for all of the info guys.

Kyle

 

Just don't open the top in cold weather. You might get chapped lips.

 

I have a Brand New OEM Nissan ZR cover that I bought when I first got the car. I moved to a new location where there was garaged parking, so I never used it.

Sells for $185.95+tax at the Performance Nissan site. I am selling for $150 shipped. Please PM me if interested.