E46 Convertible Hardtop prep kit info needed

bimmernut3 · 09-21-2012, 07:06 PM

Hell-o all. I'm new to the forum, having just purchased a '05 330Ci last week. I was just able to purchase a hard top today for a very reasonable price ($500) including storage rack & cover. I have been told that I need to purchase & install a "Prep. kit" in order to actually put the top on. I see it listed on the parts list as, (Item #2) #54217146749 HARDTOP-PREPARATION (from 09/03) as looking at the parts layout below
[IMG]

[/IMG]
Can anyone tell me what this consists of?
Does anyone out there have a kit the want to sell cheap?
Thanks,

johnrando · 09-21-2012, 11:20 PM

Don't know the details, but essentially it's the wiring, pins, screws, and lighting for the hardtop. Sorry that's not much info, but I've never had one. My guess is that you'll have to get it from a dealer. What type of detail did you need? I could ask a friend who got a hardtop with his car.

WickedZeus · 09-22-2012, 01:31 AM

The kit is needed to get the electrical stuff in the hardtop to work (lights, defroster). It's also needed to lock down the hardtop in the back. I picked mine up from ECS Tuning for a reasonable price and I know there's a DIY somewhere on the forum that walks you through how to put it yourself.

silber92 · 09-22-2012, 07:34 AM

It's an easy install once you've gotten the kit. Mine came with the hardtop I bought, but I think they retail for around $125. It consists of the left and right mounting brackets, four bolts and necessary wiring. There's a post somewhere on the forum about how you can do the install without removing the rear seat and quarter panel trim. I wanted to make sure the wiring was routed out of the way of the top mechanism when I did mine, so I removed the trim. Adds about 30 minutes to the job.

Brackets are side specific, and make sure you mount them correctly. They are marked, so it's not too difficult.

Great buy on the hardtop too! At that price, you won't regret it. It makes the cabrios look and feel like a totally different car.

jbehr99 · 10-01-2012, 08:16 PM

I purchased my kit from the dealer for around $125. I asked for the installation instructions and it was very easy to install, just followed the instructions. The kit is needed to power the hardtops lights and defroster and it allows the top to lock down in the back. Once installed, it is left on for the life of the car and makes putting and removing the hardtop a couple minute job at the most. I love my hardtop and every winter I can't wait to put it on as in a way, it makes it seem like I'm driving a little bit differen car.

Retrax · 10-14-2012, 10:30 PM

It looks like the hardtop preparation kit has the left and right rear pin receivers along with the left and right wiring connectors, wiring harness and bolts. What I can't figure out is realoem.com lists two of the nuts (# 4 in the diagram at the top of this post) and one "Adapter, hardtop" (#3). The price of the preparation kit is $146.95, which isn't too bad, but the "Adapter, hard top" piece is $630.00! What is this adapter for? What does it do? It looks like a pretty substantial piece but I can't figure out what it's for. I'd like to prep my 2004 325CI in the event I can find a used removable hard top within driving distance.

ECSTuning · 10-15-2012, 10:46 AM

I haven't seen anyone that actually needed the adapter kit, what you need is simply the hardtop preparation kit. As some of the other guys have stated, I have it available (LINK). Below is a photo showing exactly what comes in the kit.

jbehr99 · 10-15-2012, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECSTuning

I haven't seen anyone that actually needed the adapter kit, what you need is simply the hardtop preparation kit. As some of the other guys have stated, I have it available (LINK). Below is a photo showing exactly what comes in the kit.

+1, my car did not need an adapter kit and it was not pre set up from the factory for the hardtop. It only needed the prep kit listed above by ECS.

Retrax · 10-16-2012, 10:09 PM

OK, that's good news. Do any of you guys know what that adapter part is for? Maybe it is a part that is already on my car (I can't tell by the diagram where it fits or what it even does). It would be sweet if all I needed were the parts in the pic ECSTuning posted. I checked on realoem's site for the part. My 04's build date was 03/03 and it says the part is no longer available but I see under hardtop-preperation it lists a part number of 54218268922, then it says in the "up to" column 09/2003, under "notes" it says +core, ENDED, See EBA 0009975. Anyone know what the EBA 0009975 notes would mean or where I could find out? I am wondering if it was replaced by a later/updated part because if I look at my same vehicle with a build date of 09/2003 or later it lists a part number of 54217146749 for $146.95 with a notation See EBA 0009975. I am kind of confused about this "EBA" stuff. Hopefully there were not any differences with my earlier build that would make it incompatible with the newer part number 54217146749.

09-21-2012, 07:06 PM	#1
bimmernut3 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 190 My Ride: '05 330cic, '01 540i View My Garage	E46 Convertible Hardtop prep kit info needed Hell-o all. I'm new to the forum, having just purchased a '05 330Ci last week. I was just able to purchase a hard top today for a very reasonable price ($500) including storage rack & cover. I have been told that I need to purchase & install a "Prep. kit" in order to actually put the top on. I see it listed on the parts list as, (Item #2) #54217146749 HARDTOP-PREPARATION (from 09/03) as looking at the parts layout below [IMG][/IMG] Can anyone tell me what this consists of? Does anyone out there have a kit the want to sell cheap? Thanks, __________________ '05 330ci [IMG][/IMG]

10-15-2012, 10:46 AM	#7
ECSTuning Sponsor Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Wadsworth, Ohio Posts: 4,359 My Ride: BMW View My Garage	I haven't seen anyone that actually needed the adapter kit, what you need is simply the hardtop preparation kit. As some of the other guys have stated, I have it available (LINK). Below is a photo showing exactly what comes in the kit. __________________ *Have questions? Need answers? Live Chat us! 8:30am to 12:00am Midnight EST* sales@ecstuning.com \| customerservice@ecstuning.com Customer Service Hours: 8:00am - 8:00pm EST Sales Team Hours: 8:00am - 11:00pm EST 800.924.5172

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

09-21-2012, 11:20 PM	#2
johnrando Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 850 My Ride: '06 330 CIC ZHP View My Garage	Don't know the details, but essentially it's the wiring, pins, screws, and lighting for the hardtop. Sorry that's not much info, but I've never had one. My guess is that you'll have to get it from a dealer. What type of detail did you need? I could ask a friend who got a hardtop with his car. __________________ John '06 330 Cic ZHP Southern California ZHP Performance Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather, Jet Black/Black/Black Cube, NAV AA Tune, Sprint Booster, BMW Perf. Air Intake, H&R Touring Cup Kit, H&R Spacers, UUC TSE3 Exhaust, Dinan STEP software DICE Ipod, Parrot/Connects2 Bluetooth, StealthOne Valentine Module, Hardwired V1 BMW Performance Strut Brace, Orion V2 Angel Eyes, No-holes License Plate, SMG Paddle Shift Mod

09-22-2012, 01:31 AM	#3
WickedZeus Registered User Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Northern, VA Posts: 12 My Ride: 06' e46 M3 vert View My Garage	The kit is needed to get the electrical stuff in the hardtop to work (lights, defroster). It's also needed to lock down the hardtop in the back. I picked mine up from ECS Tuning for a reasonable price and I know there's a DIY somewhere on the forum that walks you through how to put it yourself. __________________ 06' e46 M3 Vert - Jet Black/Black SS V2 Stepped \| CPI EURO 200R \| SS non-res X-pipe \| Scorza APEX ARC-8 Square \| Michelin PSS \| Vogtland \| KONI Sport \| Rogue EVOLVE-R \| Orion V2 AE's \| AS SSK 30% \| RE Pulleys Coming Soon CSL Vert Trunk \| Dynavin

09-22-2012, 07:34 AM	#4
silber92 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Columbia, Missouri Posts: 75 My Ride: 330CiC (x2) 325xiT View My Garage	It's an easy install once you've gotten the kit. Mine came with the hardtop I bought, but I think they retail for around $125. It consists of the left and right mounting brackets, four bolts and necessary wiring. There's a post somewhere on the forum about how you can do the install without removing the rear seat and quarter panel trim. I wanted to make sure the wiring was routed out of the way of the top mechanism when I did mine, so I removed the trim. Adds about 30 minutes to the job. Brackets are side specific, and make sure you mount them correctly. They are marked, so it's not too difficult. Great buy on the hardtop too! At that price, you won't regret it. It makes the cabrios look and feel like a totally different car.

10-01-2012, 08:16 PM	#5
jbehr99 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Metro Detroit, MI Posts: 100 My Ride: 2005 330CI Vert ZHP View My Garage	I purchased my kit from the dealer for around $125. I asked for the installation instructions and it was very easy to install, just followed the instructions. The kit is needed to power the hardtops lights and defroster and it allows the top to lock down in the back. Once installed, it is left on for the life of the car and makes putting and removing the hardtop a couple minute job at the most. I love my hardtop and every winter I can't wait to put it on as in a way, it makes it seem like I'm driving a little bit differen car. __________________

10-14-2012, 10:30 PM	#6
Retrax Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St. Paul Posts: 40 My Ride: 2004 325CI vert View My Garage	It looks like the hardtop preparation kit has the left and right rear pin receivers along with the left and right wiring connectors, wiring harness and bolts. What I can't figure out is realoem.com lists two of the nuts (# 4 in the diagram at the top of this post) and one "Adapter, hardtop" (#3). The price of the preparation kit is $146.95, which isn't too bad, but the "Adapter, hard top" piece is $630.00! What is this adapter for? What does it do? It looks like a pretty substantial piece but I can't figure out what it's for. I'd like to prep my 2004 325CI in the event I can find a used removable hard top within driving distance.

10-16-2012, 10:09 PM	#9
Retrax Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: St. Paul Posts: 40 My Ride: 2004 325CI vert View My Garage	OK, that's good news. Do any of you guys know what that adapter part is for? Maybe it is a part that is already on my car (I can't tell by the diagram where it fits or what it even does). It would be sweet if all I needed were the parts in the pic ECSTuning posted. I checked on realoem's site for the part. My 04's build date was 03/03 and it says the part is no longer available but I see under hardtop-preperation it lists a part number of 54218268922, then it says in the "up to" column 09/2003, under "notes" it says +core, ENDED, See EBA 0009975. Anyone know what the EBA 0009975 notes would mean or where I could find out? I am wondering if it was replaced by a later/updated part because if I look at my same vehicle with a build date of 09/2003 or later it lists a part number of 54217146749 for $146.95 with a notation See EBA 0009975. I am kind of confused about this "EBA" stuff. Hopefully there were not any differences with my earlier build that would make it incompatible with the newer part number 54217146749.