Any regrets with softtop?

B

bmwz4dream

Member
Hi guys

I bought a z4 3.0 si auto last weekend for 8k softtop, but today i saw a convertible coupe for just 1k more similar spec and wondering if i made the right decision (too late now as iv got the car). The coupe looks much better but i always thought it would cost much more, guess i didnt do my research

I dont mind the look for the softtop, but for motorway driving which i will do 1/2x a month is it quite noisy? Also the fabric always looks dirty is there a product to clean it? And finally is it ok to keep outdoors in winter as i dont have a garage?

Also is there any way of converting a softtop to hardtop - i guess with huge cost?

Thanks
 
bmwz4dream said:
Hi guys

I bought a z4 3.0 si auto last weekend for 8k softtop, but today i saw a convertible coupe for just 1k more similar spec and wondering if i made the right decision (too late now as iv got the car). The coupe looks much better but i always thought it would cost much more, guess i didnt do my research

I dont mind the look for the softtop, but for motorway driving which i will do 1/2x a month is it quite noisy? Also the fabric always looks dirty is there a product to clean it? And finally is it ok to keep outdoors in winter as i dont have a garage?

Also is there any way of converting a softtop to hardtop - i guess with huge cost?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Hi, hardtops are available for the e85-keep an eye on the classifieds as they pop up regularly :thumbsup:
Rob
 
Smartbear offers a good solution (suppose that's why he's 'smart'bear :lol: ), with the removable hard top for the E85 you can have the best of both worlds. You're going to love the top down when it's warm and the sun's shining, and when the weather turns back to winter you can pop the hard top on and keep on enjoying the drive :thumbsup: . The hard tops seem to go for anything up to what it would have cost you to get the coupe, so you're not spending more than it would have cost to buy the coupe (if you want to apply some man-logic to it).
As for the dirty soft top, there are plenty of cleaning agents for soft tops. I personally would not recommend any silicon-based ones. The aim is not to waterproof the top layer, as it's meant to 'breathe'. The second layer underneath is the waterproof bit. Water beading on the soft top is not what you should be trying to achieve, just cleaning it. There are also dyes to bring back the black (if your soft top is actually black?).
 
bmwz4dream said:
I dont mind the look for the softtop, but for motorway driving which i will do 1/2x a month is it quite noisy? Also the fabric always looks dirty is there a product to clean it? And finally is it ok to keep outdoors in winter as i dont have a garage?

Also is there any way of converting a softtop to hardtop - i guess with huge cost?
Click to expand...
Roadster obviously will be noisier than coupe, that being said.
Edit: hit send too soon. Hardtops are available in the vicinity of about 800£. Depending on the colour of your car, your ideal colour might be a bit of a wait. I've got a silver grey z4, but absolutely loving my sapphire black roof on it.
There are indeed quite a few threads on here with regards to cleaning the softtop (and two camps as well with regards to waterproofing it or not)
 

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Hardtop for the roadsters are great for the winter months and a good option to having a soft top/cardtop.
 

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Hardtops are available at a cost of up to £1000 which puts you in the same bracket as the E89 that you looked at which was £1000 more than yours.
In my eyes both models of Z look good and it all comes down to whether you want a hard top or a soft top or whether you want a nicer interior.
 
I'm in the other camp - so to speak. OK you get a little more road noise and I keep the windows up on duel carriage ways and the motorway as the wheel noise of car I'm passing does get wearing. But .. and its a big but embrace the soft top - as soon as you fit a hard top or buy a coupe you have to plan when to go topless (I guess around March) or not at all (coupe).

The roadster has a very good heater and if you got heated seats its topless all year and some of the best driving is on cool winter days or starlit nights. It takes seconds to drop the top or put it back up if it rains. Clean the green stuff of the hood with Miltons Sterilising fluid (yes the baby bottle cleaning stuff) a couple of caps fulls in a bucket of water then scrub the hood. Wash again with car shampoo. On a dry day use a stiff dry brush and a vacuum cleaner then repeat the Milton and wash routine - you'll be amazed at the result.
 
Thanks for the suggestions i didnt realise this option would be possible, i was hoping for a convertable hardtop option but i guess this is the next best thing

In terms of the logistics, if i bought one would the person fit it on for me and does it require removing the softtop or just folding it in and putting this on top?
 
bmwz4dream said:
Thanks for the suggestions i didnt realise this option would be possible, i was hoping for a convertable hardtop option but i guess this is the next best thing

In terms of the logistics, if i bought one would the person fit it on for me and does it require removing the softtop or just folding it in and putting this on top?
Click to expand...
I believe all UK spec E85's come with the hard top mounting points, so the hard top just drops in over the (folded down) soft top. It locks in place to the mounting points. It can be fitted by two people, no special skills required (although I haven't done it myself, just going by what others have posted). The hard top has a heated rear screen just like the soft top.
 
Also, if the hard top comes with the plastic 'covers' (for some part inside), you can sell them and retire to a villa in Spain :lol:
 
bmwz4dream said:
I bought a z4 3.0 si auto last weekend for 8k softtop, but today i saw a convertible coupe for just 1k more
Click to expand...

I'm not sure we have all understood the OP's original post. There is no convertible coupe as such with the E85 / E86 model. Are you referring to the newer E89 that has a retractable hardtop? If so, that is a different car altogether and a completely different driving experience to the E85. You can read endless threads on here about the comparisons of the two. Personally I think you made the right choice (apart from the auto bit)!
 
No regrets. Looked at the hatchback when I was looking for another car when I had the 2.5 years ago. Didn't do anything for me then and still doesn't. E89 was never and will never be considered and the new Toyota is hideously hideous like a hideous thing that's really hideous whether it's the best car to drive or not.

As for cleaning...

Get yourself a Vikan Upholstery Nail Brush and the Autoglym kit for soft tops.

Clean the roof with the Autoglym and the nail brush until no dirt comes out. If it's really dirty you might need to clean it twice or more. You'll know when the dirt stops coming out the fabric.

Hose the roof down thouroghly.

Then use the waterproofing stuff on the roof. Don't get this stuff on the glass as it dries worse than tree sap and is terrible to remove.

The instructions are on the packaging anyway.

Make sure you get shot of all the green bits too. Look up the Milton fluid stuff on the forum as there's been success with that.

Cleaning the roof is usually a twice per year job at the end of March / April and end of September / October for me. Make sure you hose off any bird s**t as it can stain the roof.
 
All my other vehicles are tin tops so its nice to have a roadster, great feeling the wind in your hair :wink:
 
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