SL ROOF MECHANISM PROBLEMS ??

What has been everyone's experience with roof mechanisms over time. Are they problematic and expensive ?? Have a new 500 SL, tonneau cover when lifting will stick occasionally when putting roof down. Hope it is a simple adjustment and not a sign of trouble. What's your experiences ????

[DALE DORIA]

As to date I have had no problems with my '97 soft top mechanism. HOWEVER, I have read on this forum various difficulties.You may want to search the forum under this to read previous posts. Perhaps it is an adjustment, your car is certainly under mfg. warranty for the repair. Sorry, not much help........Keep us posted as to the difficulty.....

[AJG382]

Last year I had a problem where the top failed to close a couple of times. The last time this happened I drove it to the dealer with the top down. They replaced the OVP relay and it has not failed to work since.

The 2nd thing that happens every so often, is the top does not always want to close on the windshield header. I then grab hold of the front of the top and guide it into place.

Tony

93' 300SL

[Gilly]

Try leaving the soft top "up" and latched overnight, this can help get air out of the hydraulic system. This may be causing the tonneau lid problem.
Gilly

[MBenzNL]

Originally posted by AJG382
The 2nd thing that happens every so often, is the top does not always want to close on the windshield header. I then grab hold of the front of the top and guide it into place.

This is a normal procedure that is described in the manual...nothing to worry about.

I had a lifting problem with my (soft)top last year, which was solved after a hydraulic pod was renewed. The renewed part was rather cheap; the labor was expensive...
At this moment I have a new rear half for the softtop to exchange the original one because of blind rear "windows". My 300SL is a 1990 one and I think that one of the previous owners drove the car with hardtop during the biggest part of the year which caused the "windows" to become blind.

greetingz,

[DALE DORIA]

I would think that the soft top windows would become discolored from sun exposure..not storage due to the hardtop being in place? No? Yes?

[MBenzNL]

The softtop windows became blind (scratched/dark) because they have been folded in the storage compartment too long. The window itself is folded when the softtop is down, which led to partly hardened windows (the middle of the window where it folds became very hard and even cracked at one point).

greetingz,

[AJG382]

The owner of a shop that does convertable top replacements showed me how to store the top.

I bought a new white cotton towel(make sure that is 100%cotton and not a blend), and washed it numerous times in plain water.

Then when I am putting the top down for a long period of time (when using the hardtop) I place the towel within the fold of the plastic window. This reduces the clouding and scratches that want to form in the center of the window.

For the clouding and scratches that I do get I use a liquid that body shops use to rub out paint and fiberglass on boats
It takes some rubbing but it does work.

Tony

[G-Benz]

Thanks for the tip. I try to remember to put the top up when the car is parked in the garage, but my wife leaves it down most of the time. I'll get her to quit doing this.

The previous owner must have done the same, since we ended up having to replace the rear window when it cracked across the middle.

The previous owner of a Jag convertible I used to own did the same thing...but the rear window is glass. However, the top material deteriorated along the hinge points...a classic example of leaving the top down for extended periods.

Haven't seen the same kind of wear on the MB tops...superior German quality, I guess, since VW convertible tops are nearly as durable.