Convertible upholstery: what sun and rain ask of it
In a car with a roof, the interior spends much of its life in shade. In a convertible, the leather takes the sun full on and, when the weather turns, it gets wet as well. What the makers’ handbooks say about sun and water, which material held up best in a study of interiors, and what to ask for before retrimming.
By Royal Stitch · Published
Illustrative imageIn full sun
Mazda warns about it in the handbook for the MX-5, its convertible: long exposure to direct sunlight can degrade leather and shrink it, and when parking in the sun it asks you to shade the interior. In a convertible parked with the hood down, only the hood can provide that shade.
The same handbook adds a detail people forget: don’t leave vinyl items on the leather for long, because in a hot cabin the vinyl can break down and stick to it.
Sun
With the hood down, it falls straight on the leather.
Water
If the leather gets wet, dry it straight away with a cloth.
The hood
It gives shade when parked; never fold it wet.
When it gets wet
If the leather gets wet, Mazda says to remove the moisture promptly with a dry cloth: what stays on the surface can harden and shrink it. Then let it finish drying in the shade, somewhere well ventilated.
With a fabric hood, the rule is not to fold it wet: if it dries folded, it deteriorates and can grow mould, and water can drip inside. The handbook also asks you to check the hood’s drain filters, because if leaves block them, water gets into the car.
Which material lasts
A study published by SAE, the international society of automotive engineers, compared how interior materials age in the sun, with natural and artificial weathering and in light and dark colours. Synthetic leather resisted ultraviolet radiation better than leather and textiles.
It is a study, not a rule: every hide and every cloth has its own finish. It is worth asking for the data on the particular material before choosing it for a car that will live in the sun.
Cleaning
Mazda advises against cleaning leather with alcohol, bleach or solvents such as thinner, benzine or petrol, which discolour or stain it. It asks for sand, oil and alcohol-based products to be wiped off promptly, and for regular care, about twice a year.
What to ask before it’s retrimmed
With these answered, the interior is chosen for the life it will lead:
- Material
- Leather, synthetic leather or cloth? What does its sheet say about sunlight?
- Colour
- Light or dark? Will it be parked in the sun?
- Water
- How does it cope with the odd soaking?
- The hood
- Does it seal well and drain?
- Care
- What does the material’s maker advise, and which products does it rule out?
The service
Retrimming your convertible?
Complete interiors in leather and Alcantara for sports and classic cars, with material, colour and stitching agreed on a sample before anything is cut. The service page explains how the work is done.
Sources
Sun, water and cleaning come from Mazda’s owner’s handbooks; which material lasts, from a study published by SAE. Each source was found by searching the publisher’s own site.