Should you store a convertible with the roof up or down?

Store a convertible with the roof up, closed and latched, and make sure the roof is completely dry before you do. A fabric roof folded into its compartment for months sits in the same creases the whole time, and any damp in the folds has nowhere to go. Mazda's owner's handbook for the MX-5 warns that a roof which dries while folded will deteriorate and go mouldy. Hagerty UK's winter storage advice also says not to fold a soft top away for the winter, because the folds make an ideal place for mould to grow.

Two other things matter almost as much as the roof position. Close the roof on a mild day, because the same Mazda handbook says a soft top shouldn't be raised or lowered below 5°C, as the cold can damage the material. And keep the battery healthy, because an electric roof and the windows that move with it depend on it.

Why the roof should stay up

Folded, the fabric and the rear window are pressed along the same lines for as long as the roof stays down, and months in that position can leave creases that don't pull out. Mazda's handbook also notes that a top left retracted for a long period can tighten up, which makes it harder to latch when you do want to close it.

Damp makes it worse. A roof put away with even a little moisture in it stays damp in the dark of its compartment, which is how mould starts on fabric and headlining. With the roof up and latched, the fabric keeps its shape, any moisture can dry out, and the cabin stays sealed against dust.

Folding metal roofs work differently, and the mechanisms vary between makes, so check your handbook for the manufacturer's advice on storing a car with a folding hard top.

Dry it properly before you close it

Wash the car, then give the roof time to dry completely before it's closed for the winter. The Mazda handbook is specific that a soft top shouldn't be lowered while it's wet, and the same logic applies to a roof that's about to be covered and left for months. Open the doors to let the door seals and the edges of the roof dry, and wipe any water from the seals where the roof meets the windscreen and the windows.

Autumn adds a job that's particular to convertibles. Leaves collect around the roof and in its drain channels, and Mazda's handbook says to remove leaves from around the roof and to clean its drain filter at least once a year. A drain blocked by October's leaves can let water into the cabin, so clear it before the car is laid up.

Close it on a mild day

The 5°C limit in Mazda's handbook is a reason to close the roof for the winter while the weather is still mild, rather than on the first frosty morning. Early October usually gives you the chance. The same limit applies when the car comes out. If you take it out on a bright but cold day in February, leave the roof where it is until the temperature is back above 5°C.

Keep the battery healthy

An electric roof needs a battery in good health to open and close properly, and so do the windows that drop and rise with it. Disconnecting the battery can also affect how they behave. Mazda's handbook for the MX-5 says that if the battery has been disconnected, the windows won't lower automatically when the roof operates until their automatic function has been reset.

That is one reason a battery conditioner suits most convertibles better than disconnecting, and whether to disconnect your car battery for storage depends a good deal on how much the car relies on its electrics. On our Storage Type B, at £35 a week, the car stays connected to the owner's own conditioner throughout. Type C, at £40 a week, adds a monthly engine run to temperature, and our private road means engines can be run without a car going onto a public road. Type A, at £30 a week, is for owners who prefer to disconnect or remove the battery themselves.

Cover it with something that breathes

A breathable cover over a closed, dry roof is a better choice than a plastic sheet or a waterproof outdoor cover, because a cover that can't breathe holds moisture against the fabric and the paint instead of letting it escape. Every car we store goes under a luxury cotton cover, which we supply, and you're welcome to use your own fitted cover if you'd prefer. Indoors, a cover is there to keep the dust off while letting the car breathe.

Laying up a convertible with us

Close and latch the roof before you bring the car to us, on a dry day if you can, so it is stored in the right position from the start. From then on it stays indoors in the dry, with the alarm set around the clock, and its tyres are rolled regularly while it's with us. Every package has a minimum term of three months, so a lay-up from late October to the end of January is long enough.

The rest of the preparation is the same as for any other car, from the paperwork to the tyre pressures, and it's all part of preparing a car for winter storage. When the first warm day of spring arrives, give us 24 hours' notice through the check-out form, by phone or on WhatsApp. One of our check-out options is a drive out and back the same day, which suits a convertible's first roof-down run of the year, provided the car is taxed and insured.

When it comes out in spring

A few checks are worth making before that first roof-down drive. Open the roof for the first time on a mild, dry day, with the rear window demister switched off, because Mazda's handbook warns that the demister's heat can damage the roof as it opens. Make sure nothing is resting on the roof or near the rear window while it moves. Once it's closed again, push up on it to check it has latched securely, and if it still rattles, have it looked at. For the first clean of the year, the same handbook advises against automatic car washes, which can damage a soft top, so wash it by hand or book a professional valet ahead of collection.

Book a space for your convertible

If you're laying up a soft top this winter, get in touch to book a space and tell us about the car. We look after convertibles, coupés and classics of every kind, and the full details of each package are on our pricing page. We're just off the A21, 10 miles from Tunbridge Wells.