Just got hardtop installed

Hello, I also have a ZHP vert with the hardtop and I wish to black out my silver trim on it as well. Let me know how you decide to do it? I am curious what method I should use and would like other peoples opinions.
Thanks

The vinyl wrap idea mentioned would be the best IMO

Originally Posted by jbehr99

Hello, I also have a ZHP vert with the hardtop and I wish to black out my silver trim on it as well. Let me know how you decide to do it? I am curious what method I should use and would like other peoples opinions.
Thanks

@Jbehr99.....two basic opinions on the 'black out' from this group. To paint or to use the tape. I plan to use the vinyl tape from Shadowline Since my E46 has the ZHP package, all the trim is the glossy black, so that's what I ordered. You can go to the link & see both types. I'm sure there will be some that post to paint, but I had bad experience in the past doing this & the shop that painted the top said to quote "you can't paint chrome without it coming off in the future". I'll let the others argue/disagree with them. I'll let you know how it turns out for me.

Originally Posted by bimmernut3

@Jbehr99.....two basic opinions on the 'black out' from this group. To paint or to use the tape. I plan to use the vinyl tape from Shadowline Since my E46 has the ZHP package, all the trim is the glossy black, so that's what I ordered. You can go to the link & see both types. I'm sure there will be some that post to paint, but I had bad experience in the past doing this & the shop that painted the top said to quote "you can't paint chrome without it coming off in the future". I'll let the others argue/disagree with them. I'll let you know how it turns out for me.

Yes, that was exactly what I was looking at too (shadowlinetrim.com), as I said I have the ZHP package as well and the chrome trim is really bothering me haha! I even have the gloss black performance grills from BMW so the chrome on the hardtop is the only chrome on the whole car. What width of the gloss black wrap are you ordering? And once you finish up the project, please let me know how it went, pictures of the car would be great too, I also love the color of your car, it looks so clean!

Originally Posted by jbehr99

Yes, that was exactly what I was looking at too (shadowlinetrim.com), as I said I have the ZHP package as well and the chrome trim is really bothering me haha! I even have the gloss black performance grills from BMW so the chrome on the hardtop is the only chrome on the whole car. What width of the gloss black wrap are you ordering? And once you finish up the project, please let me know how it went, pictures of the car would be great too, I also love the color of your car, it looks so clean!

Thanks for the compliment jbehr. This is the 1st Blue car I have ever bought other than the '69 Plymouth GTX that I bought back in my younger years. The metallic really look good, as the color will change to hi-light on the edges.
I have ordered the 3" width, since the widest part on the trim is about 1 5/8" & 3" width is the the best option.

Originally Posted by bimmernut3

Thanks for the compliment jbehr. This is the 1st Blue car I have ever bought other than the '69 Plymouth GTX that I bought back in my younger years. The metallic really look good, as the color will change to hi-light on the edges.
I have ordered the 3" width, since the widest part on the trim is about 1 5/8" & 3" width is the the best option.

No problem, and yes, I agree with you, I just went out and measured mine as well, and the 3" width gives you just the right amount of extra on each side for the cutting and tucking of the vinyl. This is the second winter for my hardtop and normally I am not to happy about the winter months, but now I can not wait to put on my hardtop on every winter because it looks and feels like driving a somewhat different car which is always fun.

Originally Posted by jbehr99

No problem, and yes, I agree with you, I just went out and measured mine as well, and the 3" width gives you just the right amount of extra on each side for the cutting and tucking of the vinyl. This is the second winter for my hardtop and normally I am not to happy about the winter months, but now I can not wait to put on my hardtop on every winter because it looks and feels like driving a somewhat different car which is always fun.

I agree with you as well. I had an E36 '99 328ic for the last 4 years. I never had a hardtop but kept looking for a 'bargain' and couldn't find one. Now that I bought this E46 330ci & found the hardtop, I think I will enjoy the 'change' from summer/fall season to the winter/spring. Almost like having 2 different cars. It might be different if we lived further south where you can use the top down mode more but here in Western North Carolina it's a good option.

Originally Posted by bimmernut3

I agree with you as well. I had an E36 '99 328ic for the last 4 years. I never had a hardtop but kept looking for a 'bargain' and couldn't find one. Now that I bought this E46 330ci & found the hardtop, I think I will enjoy the 'change' from summer/fall season to the winter/spring. Almost like having 2 different cars. It might be different if we lived further south where you can use the top down mode more but here in Western North Carolina it's a good option.

Yes, in Michigan it gets pretty cold and snowy as well. But I just ordered the 3" gloss vinyl from shadowlinetrim and the squeegee from them. It looks like we'll be doing this project at about the same time haha, I'll post picks of my final results once I have completed it.

Originally Posted by ImSoFreaknWhite

Nice top, im picking mine up next month!!

how much you paying for it?

thanks

I think it looks different. I would not mind having one myself but I Live in Southern Cali so we get a lot of topless days.

Originally Posted by lsbmatt

how much you paying for it?

thanks

1,700 because i had to get it painted jetblack
I have the M3 hardtop though (my trim is black not chrome)

OP, do you know how to get the interior lights and rear defroster to work? I had my shop install the top and they said the lights should come on without any wiring? (granted the bulbs are still good) Is this true, or is some kind of wiring needed?

^ that makes no sense. How would the top know if the door is opened or close without any wiring to tell it.

Originally Posted by ImSoFreaknWhite

OP, do you know how to get the interior lights and rear defroster to work? I had my shop install the top and they said the lights should come on without any wiring? (granted the bulbs are still good) Is this true, or is some kind of wiring needed?

The lights & defroster will only work if they installed the Hardtop Prep Kit. Was this installed? If so, check the fuses.

Originally Posted by bimmernut3

The lights & defroster will only work if they installed the Hardtop Prep Kit. Was this installed? If so, check the fuses.

This is correct. I've seen many threads where people had a problem with this and it turned out to be the hardtop prep kit being installed incorrectly. It's been awhile since I did mine, but if I remember correctly, there was a ring on the passenger side socket (where the hardtop pin goes in) that activated the lights and defroster on the back window. I'll see if I can find the thread.

Here is the thread I used....

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...hlight=hardtop

The ring I'm talking about is in photo #9

I wrapped all the chrome on my vert and the ht, makes it look a little more modern I think

Originally Posted by Snik

^ that makes no sense. How would the top know if the door is opened or close without any wiring to tell it.

He said its like a Bluetooth connection type thing. lol idk it didn't make sense to me either..

Originally Posted by bimmernut3

The lights & defroster will only work if they installed the Hardtop Prep Kit. Was this installed? If so, check the fuses.

They did all the installing because they painted it as well. ill take it back to them and have them check again thanks

Originally Posted by BobSC

This is correct. I've seen many threads where people had a problem with this and it turned out to be the hardtop prep kit being installed incorrectly. It's been awhile since I did mine, but if I remember correctly, there was a ring on the passenger side socket (where the hardtop pin goes in) that activated the lights and defroster on the back window. I'll see if I can find the thread.

Originally Posted by BobSC

Here is the thread I used....

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthr...hlight=hardtop

The ring I'm talking about is in photo #9

read the thread and saw the picture you were talking about!
thanks for the help bro

Beautiful hardtop!

Would've been neat to see entire trim chrome as it was to match the wheels, looks weird to me with tint being like that as well.