Convertible Owners How Many Of You Put The Tonneau Cover On While Riding Topless ?
#81
06-22-2010, 06:58 PM
Veteran Member
Sam
Your cover should be tucked behind the back seat. I've had my XKR up to 120 and never had the cover lift. I use no Velcro or snaps. I've driven 100's of miles with out the cover every coming out. I also tuck the corners around the plastic corner on the back seat and tuck it in under the body on the sides. If its lifting at highway speeds it may take a little forming, the sides where the snaps are have a solid backing stitched in and a wire on the edge that may have to be bent.
Doug
Your cover should be tucked behind the back seat. I've had my XKR up to 120 and never had the cover lift. I use no Velcro or snaps. I've driven 100's of miles with out the cover every coming out. I also tuck the corners around the plastic corner on the back seat and tuck it in under the body on the sides. If its lifting at highway speeds it may take a little forming, the sides where the snaps are have a solid backing stitched in and a wire on the edge that may have to be bent.
Doug
#82
06-25-2010, 08:53 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Seymour, CT, USA
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Need to more proactive
After reading some of the responses here I need to use the tonneau more. My problem is that my damn short term memory gets in the way...I take it out of the trunk...shut the trunk...open the trunk sewt the pegs. Uggh! People think it's easy being me!! Ha. Oh... and afterwards ya have to take it back off to close the top up as well!! It's like using a "Smart Phone" sometimes it makes me feel stupid!!! LOL
#83
06-25-2010, 09:00 PM
Cover on always.
Also, if you're going to do highway speeds, the cover has a tendancy to lift with the draft. The two snaps are weak points and if they let go at 70 mph, the cover is going to beat the dickens out of the trunk lid before you can stop. I've modified mine by attaching two velcro strips to the flap that tucks in behind the rear seat. You need to use the right half of the velcro pieces so they attach themselves to the carpeting on the seatback. This provides two additional forward attachments so the cover sits still on the highway.
Also, if you're going to do highway speeds, the cover has a tendancy to lift with the draft. The two snaps are weak points and if they let go at 70 mph, the cover is going to beat the dickens out of the trunk lid before you can stop. I've modified mine by attaching two velcro strips to the flap that tucks in behind the rear seat. You need to use the right half of the velcro pieces so they attach themselves to the carpeting on the seatback. This provides two additional forward attachments so the cover sits still on the highway.
#84
06-25-2010, 09:05 PM
#85
06-25-2010, 09:09 PM
Thanks, Bob!
Congrats on the new car
I've used Ragg Topp cleaner preservative and it seems to keep the top nice although I really don't have anything to compare it to (untreated top)
It seems to be well rated among owners of high end convertibles and is relatively cheap maintenance in my opinion
I've used Ragg Topp cleaner preservative and it seems to keep the top nice although I really don't have anything to compare it to (untreated top)
It seems to be well rated among owners of high end convertibles and is relatively cheap maintenance in my opinion
#86
06-27-2010, 11:25 PM
Member
#88
06-28-2010, 10:01 AM
Veteran Member
He's talking about the three little pegs that go in the loops on the back of the tonneau. The ones that get closed in the trunk. Specifically, I think he's talking about the little caps that go on either end of the little pegs. I'm missing two of the caps and I'd like to buy some replacements. Of course, Jag is probably going to charge $18 a piece for them.
#89
06-28-2010, 12:59 PM
I put the cover on while driving top down. I also did the velcro thing - not sure if that would help or not - I drove it abt 90mph and the cover stayed in place.
Is there any aftermarket mod to remedy this? It's kinda quirky that Jag built and sold a $90K cabrio but the top cover has to be put in place manually ..... I guess that's a British quirk .... ?
Is there any aftermarket mod to remedy this? It's kinda quirky that Jag built and sold a $90K cabrio but the top cover has to be put in place manually ..... I guess that's a British quirk .... ?
#90
06-28-2010, 02:17 PM
Veteran member
I presume they just stretched the whole 'manual' top cover redesign since it was status-quo, latest technology in '97 when it was introduced. I think they didn't want to change the whole top system until the company could afford to do a major model upgrade...viola...2007! Probably 3-4 years overdue.
#91
06-28-2010, 03:08 PM
Veteran Member
I believe the whole concept of having the manual tonneau was for a few reasons. The marketing guys and purists claimed it gave the car an "authentic" British sports car feel and that it results in better trunk space than an automated system (the more recent XK series do suffer from less trunk space). The reality is probably that it would have been too complex and expensive to try and integrate an automated tonneau into the existing design so they opted to wait for the new model.
Doug
Doug
#93
06-28-2010, 07:39 PM
Always wear the cover
My top is usually down for 9 months at a time. I always keep the cover on to keep the headliner clean; the previous owner didn't and it took a lot to get it clean. I definitely notice the road grime that accumulates on the cover when I clean the car -- with the top down.
-Mike.
-Mike.
#94
06-28-2010, 08:16 PM
I keep hearing about people having problems with the cover lifting and flapping. I am having no such problems. I always put my windows up when at highway speeds, and thought that that might be the difference, that some of you are riding with your windows down, and that is why you are having these issues. Does this happen to those of you who drive with your windows up as well? I am glad that I am not having those issues. The one time that I went to 110 was with the top down, and still no problems.
#96
06-28-2010, 09:50 PM
I believe the whole concept of having the manual tonneau was for a few reasons. The marketing guys and purists claimed it gave the car an "authentic" British sports car feel and that it results in better trunk space than an automated system (the more recent XK series do suffer from less trunk space). The reality is probably that it would have been too complex and expensive to try and integrate an automated tonneau into the existing design so they opted to wait for the new model.
Doug
Doug
I hear you - but to me - the manual cover is the #1 gripe. I mean Mustang and Eclipse can integrate top cover just fine - and Jag designers can't ... but I digress.
The car does have a decent trunk space but it's a non-factor to me. I traveled to Asia once for 3 weeks with a single backpack - result of too much backpacking I guess ....
BTW - Matt (H2O) - do you tone-mapped your XK8 picture or is it a normal non-HDR shot? It looks really good ....
