Does putting the top up and down a lot hurt it?

[2011mom]

I am a proud new owner of a gorgeous 2008 NBC. I love driving with the top down, but I don't like to leave it parked that way. If I could, I'd love to put the top down pretty much every time I get in the car, and put it back up again every time I get out. Would this damage the putting-the-top-up-and-down mechanism? How about, putting it up and down twice a day? Once a day? Any ideas? How sturdy is it?

Thanks in advance for any answers!

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

As with anything mechanical, things do ultimately wear out. However, when the car was new, the top was warranted along with the rest of the car, and warranted with no limit on how many times the top was put up and down.
If your top is down a lot, and your have leather seats (not leatherette), your going to want to keep the leather clean and well conditioned. Even if you have leather seats, your door panels are not.

I wouldn't want to leave mine parked with the top down for any length of time (talking days not hours), and I'm cautious about parking under trees and the potential for rain. I also don't like to leave it parked in the direct sunlight during the heat of the day. Ultraviolet light does more damage to an interior than anything else, well, except water (lol).

My take, you bought a convertible, use it!

M.

[2011mom]

Thanks for your answer! You're right, I worry about rain, bird poop, UV light, etc (I think I have leatherETTE seats - is that more impervious to UV than real leather?). But I do a lot of errands and putting it up and down more than 2 or 3 times a day seems excessive. Also, my warranty runs out in December (though there is an extended warranty that I'm getting transferred), so I don't want to wear anything out too fast!