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Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:53 pm

what is the vert top boot for? can it be driven without one or will the top get damaged?

Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:04 pm

i would think with the amount of wind at speed, it could tear your top off without the boot.

Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:13 pm

I've had two verts and although I never drove with the top down without the boot on, I really don't think you would damage the top without it. The top is very heavy when it is folded and the wind doesn't get into the folds so much that it would tear it, not unless you had a rocket engine strapped to the bug so you could go 200 mph. I have driven with the top up and all the windows down, and if that doesn't tear the top off, nothing will.

I always liked the look of the boot on the car. It makes it look much neater.

Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:19 pm

yeah it looks neater with a boot but my wallet won't look to neat after spending $400 on a boot. i only drive 65mph tops.

Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:22 pm

You could get a vinyl one for around $165:

http://www.chucksconvertibleparts.com/toprestore.php#boots

Both my verts had vinyl boots as I couldn't see spending a ton for anything fancier. When I wasn't driving the vert the top was up anyway, since it's not good to keep the top folded for a long time.

Wed Nov 12, 2008 6:44 am

I think the owners manual says something about keeping dust out of the top and headliner, it always says to beat the dust off of the top before folding it up to keep it from getting wear marks from rubbing, the boot holds the top cover down and keeps it from flapping in the wind somewhat, also a lot of the headliner is exposed to sunlight when the top is down and over time the headliner would probably fade, $400 for a boot seems a bit stiff, speaking of boots I have an original one that is made of that thin canvas stuff and it is very hard and brittle, I'm affraid some day it is going to crack putting it on, is there anything I can put on it that would soften it up and preserve it? when I first got it it was bunched up in a ball and I had to soak it down with water to flatten it out

Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:11 am

I bought a boot from WW a few years ago.....it wasn't very much $ and is canvas, very nice.