What Material is the California Top...

[SoCalpinoy86]

Hey guys, I was wondering what material is the California top made of. I'm looking for some kind of protectant so that the sun doesn't wear it down so fast.

Thanks,
-Jeff

[1996 328ti]

Treat it as a convertible.
BMW makes this cool stuff. I don't recall what it was.
I wrecked my California before I got a chance to use it.

[larryn]

Definitely follow Steven's advice, and treat it as a convertible. Make sure it doesn't get soapy either, or you'll foam away, driving down the road in a rain storm.

Haartz Sonnendeck was most Cali Roof's OEM material. BMW had stretching problems in latter half of the 1990's and switched to Haartz Stafast.

There's a few places that sell that material in the form of replacement tops for cabrios. I have not seen anybody except BMW sell replacement fabric for the California top though.

[roadrash]

I thought that the Cali top was fabricated from the hides of the finest Bavarian Nauga ?

[elfhearse]

Haartz recommends a Fabric cleaner and protectant kit called RAGG-TOP. (wolfstein company in Atlanta...or something close to that...er not Wolfenstein though)
I've used it before on my M Roadster, excellent water repellant treatment.
-google-for online vendors like AutoGeek.