As I’m sure you’re aware, we here at the Autopian have a company car: our ridiculous Nissan Murano CrossCab, which we’ve half-wrapped in Xpel protective film and then done all sorts of dumb stuff with. It’s been a hell of a lot of fun, perversely, and people seem to really enjoy seeing this strangely improbable product of a Nissan fever dream out in the world. There is one colossal Achilles’ heel on this car, though: the roof. And today I happened to see a picture of a fellow CrossCab with a genuinely hilariously bad but perhaps understandable fix.
Right now, the CrossCab is in the hands of our own Mercedes Streeter, who lives in a bitterly cold place, and has been mentioning how the top seems to be “shrinking.” That’s alarming.
We’ve known that the top’s lifespan is limited, as the power tops on these have pretty much a 100% failure rate, and now that it’s winter the consequences of this happening feel even more dire.
Happily, Merc has assured us that the top is in the up position, nice and secure. But she’s also mentioned that the fabric seems to be shrinking, and it’s pulling tighter over the ribs than usual, and that feels like a harbinger of doom.
I think that’s why seeing this tweet from my friend (and man who now owns my old Scimitar) Myron Vernis alarmed me so profoundly:
It’s important to use the right product for the job. pic.twitter.com/dEYCtOc2wI
— Myron Vernis (@MyronVernis) January 25, 2026
Now, I don’t know if Myron took this picture himself or found it, but it hardly matters because what its showing is so alarming to the CrossCab ownership community. It seems like whomever owns this CrossCab has solved the problem of the top no longer sealing to the body with some pretty liberal application of spray foam insulation, which has cured and hardened into a sort of goop that looks like a layer of pimento cheese gooped into that gap.
Now, I don’t blame whomever did this; this was clearly the result of desperation, and, even more importantly, I suspect this solution actually works, aesthetics be damned. Remember fixing this top can cost anywhere from about $2,000 to $19,000, likely far more than the value of the car, which may run just fine other than the fact that it has a huge hole in between the roof and body.
Also, I bet they could use adhesives and some flexible black plastic strips to cover that goopy cheddar-looking belt of insulation reasonably well. This is a solvable problem.
Yes, it’s terrifying to witness. But I think we all need to see this. It’s a visual reminder of engineering failures, resourcefulness, desperation, and the freedom that comes with just simply being out of fucks to donate.
This picture speaks more about the human condition than countless books on the subject, and I suggest we all take a moment to contemplate it.
Photo: X/Twitter
Well, it’s certainly a practical solution, but may I suggest The Handyman’s Secret Weapon: Duct Tape if such a gap appears in yours? It’s strong, flexible, fabric-like, and even comes in top-matching black.
I used some black Gorilla duct tape on a roof bag years ago and it held up incredibly well (the first application was good for 2-3 trips over as many years) even in harsh sun, horizontal rain, and 80mph speeds on the leading edge.
It would almost go unnoticed here if they did that. But the elephant in the room is that when I see a car in disrepair in a handicap spot, my mind always goes straight to a difficult economic situation or someone with limited help to fix stuff. I try not to overstep people’s personal space, but I’ve helped random people with dead batteries and low tires several times, they’re generally more grateful than skeptical.
Counterpoint: the kind of person that fixes their car with spray foam is the kind of person that parks in handicapped spots despite not being handicapped.
Intellectually handicapped counts.
There’s still the need for insulation to fill the hole, but rather than spray foam I’d be inclined to cut a pool noodle to fit then duct tape it in place.
This really is a great website when you have both people like me roasting the janky repair and people like you pointing out that there are better janky repairs that the owner should have tried.
Looks like an improvement!
Guy at work had a beater Neon that basically had no rocker panels and it wouldn’t pass inspection.He screwed some old aluminum rain gutters on it and filled them up with great stuff to fill the gaps.It passed inspection and he drove it for 2 more years.
For further context, I actually use our CrossCab’s roof every single time I drive it, so long as the outside temperature is at least 30 degrees. I have found that, at least with our CrossCab, the more you use the top, the better it works!
But yeah, the top fabric either needs to be adjusted (can that even be done?) or replaced because it’s barely covering the edges of the convertible top frame’s edges.
It’s shrinkage!
It happens to everyone when they get cold!
“I was in the pool!”
My wife about pissed her pants the first time she saw that episode.
They shrink?
I have absolutely used Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealant™ to fill 5 3-inch or so holes in the rear wheelwells and quarters of a ’97 Impreza wagon that were allowing snow to get into the hatch area.
Stuff worked Great.
So, it’s bitterly cold, and the Nissan has shrinkage. Proof that the CrossCab is male.
It’s the frightened turtle of the American highway
Take the roof off and give the car to DT in sunny Cali. Problem solved.
The last several times I’ve been to the mall there has been a Corolla with the drivers side rear passenger door sealed closed with expanding foam.
I can’t help but think that this is a driver that gets as annoyed at rattles and drafts in their car as I do. It’s just they have a 20 year old Corolla and *everything* on that car is going to rattle and be drafty. And now they have a car with a rear passenger door being pushed away from the car by expanding foam. I wonder if it still rattles.
Rattle me this Bateman
I see MacGyver lives in Texas now.
More like MacGruber
Add a layer of duct tape and Bob’s your uncle.
Convertible tops do shrink in the cold. You need to make sure they are on and sealed before cold weather sinks in. A blow dryer works to stretch it a bit if it isn’t too cold
Think of that as a good base coat, apply more beyond the desired finish surface and then trim with an electric carving knife and paint with a foam brush and “one coat” exterior house paint. Carve a spoiler! (-;
I see you are a card carrying member of the rust belt rocker and dog leg repair crew.
I think you can apply a layer of gel coat right to the foam and then wet sand for a nice finish before applying a thick layer of house paint with a brush. Make sure the paint overlaps onto the adjacent surfaces for a good seal.
That is some weapons grade IDGAF right there. Nissan is clearly the new Pontiac.
They’ve got you licked in the cheap bastard dept!
Here, hold my beer…
I haven’t run the calculus on that, but someone is definitely Deriving Excitement here.
When filling insulation gaps, Wider Isn’t Always Better.
OK, I’ll stop now. Happy cold Monday to everyone!
You know, I’m kinda convinced these will sell for crazy money in the future for the 3 that will survive mostly intact. They were limited to begin with, distinctive, and disposable. Just like the American Tabacco company baseball cards that plenty of people had… but almost no one bothered to keep.
How long will that take? Aye, there’s the rub.
That’s the kind of picture that gets you banned from MSN
Is owning a CrossCab the driver’s disability?
Roll contact cement over the existing roof, and stretch a layer of EPDM over it. Pop rivets and flat black painted aluminum strip to lock it down. Perfect job. It would be at home at any BAE event.
Speaks more to Nissan’s repairablity than it does to the owner.
This looks like a job for FLEX-SEAL!
“HI BILLY MAYS HERE no sorry I can’t do it. I’m out.”
That’s a terrible repair!!! He should have used the green foam that is rodent-resistant!!!
Rodent damage can only add to the aesthetic.
That fluff gunk probably needs to be covered with something, not just for aesthetics, but to prevent breakdown from sunlight and weathering. I doubt it is meant to be exposed to the elements.
In 2 years after it breaks down the car would either be gone or they can just do it again. The car is obvious not a keeper at this point.
It’s already a hideous vehicle, so spraying a bunch of expando foam certainly won’t hurt its looks.
Kill that thing with fire already. I can’t fucking look at it any more. It started as an abomination and just gets uglier every day.
I’ve seen worse things on cars fixed with expanding foam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSxLHINQlgo
Field Expedient Repair. Sure, it could have been done in a more aesthetic way, but a CrossCab with a broken roof has essentially zero resale value, so I agree with the owner in doing the bare minimum to keep it going with the least possible time and expense.
I worked with a guy who had an old Jetta. it was completely rotted between the rear door and wheel well. He filled it with spray foam and painted it black to match the car.
His exhaust was also snapped off and was never fixed, so the open pipe melted a hole in his gas tank. He could only put about 2 gallons of gas in it at a time or it leaked out.
On the one hand I was inspired by his ingenuity. On the other hand I was horrified that he shared the road with me.
Different story. There is nothing dangerous about this crosscab to the driver or anyone else. Just trying to keep warm and dry.
Agreed. I am just reminded of that co-worker every time I see automotive spray foam used.