I FOUND My Problem! And Am I Embarrassed!

[Guest]

Last night I removed both seats and then the carpeting and insulation from my Reatta, and will also remove the rear platform and carpeting soon as well. HOWEVER.....after sucking out much water earlier this work...I did a quick check to see where it might be entering my vehicle. WELL....I ran a hose around the car as it got dark, thinking the water was coming in from the front along the windshield or firewall. NOPE! I had removed the sunroof (factory) and then sealed the top with plexiglass and tape weeks ago so I could refinish and repaint the sunroof and clean the perimeter and lube all the moving parts. But as it has been so hot down here and just recently we have been getting rain (last several weeks) the water was coming from a small opening about the center of the plexiglass where the tape had dried out and cracked a tiny bit! The funny thing is that I had checked the car a number of times right after a hard rain, and seen no moisture or water at that time! It seems this tiny hole in the tape allowed a thin stream (like cracking on the faucet a smidge) to get into the car and go DIRECTLY into the rear of the console and into the carpet, soaking into the rear and then traveling into the front on both sides as well! <P>I sealed the top again (well this time!) and a heavy rain tonight proved the car is now watertight. I am still drying insulation and carpet, and will also tint the carpet as it has faded drastically over the years. I hadn't planned this much work, but my own stupidity or procrastination in taking so long to finish painting the sunroof (actually repaint as the first effort I tried to improve on) created the problem. Had I replaced it weeks ago, this never would have happened! But now I can do a great job on the carpet recolor and also thoroughly clean the seats while they are out. <P>Sometimes things aren't what they seem! Funny, as I looked for traces of water or droplets on the seats or along the console, never thinking a stream could get in and go directly into the console and under the carpet! <P>One problem solved I think...but I will recheck again a couple of times before replacing the carpet. <P>No secret or stealthy repair here to offer any of you! Sorry....just learned from my own stupidity and taking too long to finish a job I started!