Just wanted to offer any help to anyone adding the hardtop to their convertible. I have figure out most all the steps & adjustments. Let me know if you need any help. I'll post pictures later as shes in the garage now, cleaning her up & waxing for the winter.
@ E46er75...Why do I want a hardtop?....for the same reason you have an all wheel drive next to your vert. You CAN....right. You probably leave the convertible in doors all winter & drive the xi. and let me guess, you have snow tires on the X........:thanks:
I live in the best mountain road area in the eastern US and if I have to drive around on them with the top up during our below 50 deg days, lets put a hard top on it and pretend it's a coupe. Best of both worlds. AND how many Mystic Blue ZHP hardtop coupes do you see out there?
Better looking than coupes? From the pictures it doesnt look all that appealing. I have a vert and I beg to differ on the looks but hey, you like it thats all that matters....
does it creak at all with the hardtop adjusted so tightly? i had to leave a bigger gap on mine to lessen the creaking noise. i liked how the hardtop looked when it was flush with the rest of the car but the creaking was killing me.
@ azndrunck74.....I do NOT have any of the creaking that to referred to. However, I lubricated the back bottom seal before installing with a good vinyl/rubber coating. I'm not sure if this helped that or not. I measured around the back area & have about 3mm clearance from metal bottom edge to the body and am not sure what is specified. I have very little wind noise & the car feel 'tighter' but this might be my imagination.
@ E46er75......I was just having a little fun with you. Didn't mean to offend you & no, I wasn't offended either. :>) FWIW; I had the top, why not put it on during the 'cold' months? I doubt that I would be dropping the top much during the months ahead. Also, when we drive our mountains or Blue Ridge Parkway, you lose about 5 deg for every 1000' of elevation, so it does get colder up there. We're at about 2200' here and a 20 min drive you're at 5000-6000'. Why do it in a soft top when you have the hard top. Just sayin. I apologize if I offended you.
I bought a convertible a few months ago that came with a hard top. I sold the hard top, but my car won't be driven during the winter. If I drove my convertible during winter months, I would definately put the hard top on. I also find the hard top looks very good.
Living in New England I am surprised that you don't see the value in this, and that you let your wife drive the XI without winter tires! We have 2 Subarus and both are shoed with Nokian Hakkas for the winter. I see no reason not to take every measure to make sure you and especially your wife have the safest car possible for those horrible winter conditions.
I found it locally at $500 with cover & stand + BMW windscreen for $50 & a BMW outdoor cover for $30. I couldn't turn it down. She also threw in the BMW convertible top care kit for free. Her convertible was totaled and she bought a newer hardtop convertible & didn't need it. Sometime parts are cheaper when you want to sell them but expensive when you want to buy them, right.
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.
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?
I have a hardtop for my car and I used it during our "rainy" season. Out here in my area you don't see many hardtops. People who even own E46 Cabs were asking me what model E46 i had ...
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