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At this time, we have a total of seven convertibles, three Lincolns, three Fords and one Jaguar. My dad had a 1980 Mercedes 350 SL. The Mercedes had a hard top that stayed on the car all winter long for many years. The original canvas soft top is still on the car and still serviceable, 34 years later.
If you are building a "show car", and never plan on cruising topless, you'll have no problems but, if you want to use your convertible the way it was intended, over time the top will need to be replaced, just like brake shoes, etc. Like I said, I leave the tops down for extended time frames, depending on the weather. I also keep the convertibles in a garage, when not in use. The less you use your top (putting it up and down) the more likely you are to have problems like dry rot and shrinkage. Also, you should always put the boot on when the top is down. I've been driving and caring for convertibles for almost 49 years, so I have a bit of experience with them. Bottom line, don't be hesitant about leaving the top down, drive the car and enjoy it.
