E89 2014 s20i - smarttop advice

B

Baronbb

Member
Hi there, due to pick one of these up shortly and was a little disappointed on the test drive with the hood operation. Couldn't understand why you had to hold button to open hood and why you couldn't operate whilst moving. I've heard that this can be changed in the internal settings of the refresh model itself and alternatively you can fit the smarttop that give this functionality. Has anyone got experience of changing the cars settings and if not anyone recommend smarttop?

Thanks
 
I got a smart top last year - easy to recommend it. Very happy with mine.

Easy to fit (about 20 minutes taking it slowly) & as well as the roof operation being one touch / plus can do it from the remote up & down, you also get the option to fold the mirrors when you lock the car.

I like that - can see at a glance out the window that the car is locked. Might be just me :)

Matt
 
Thanks Matt,

Is yours the 2010 model? I heard that with the 2013 refresh they sorted some of the limitations so hoping someone can advise. I know the easy answer is to wait until I have it and then have a play but I am planning to drive it to spa next weekend and I won't have a lot of time to mess around.
Pleased to hear it is a fairly simple fit though and gives good results.

Cheers

Damien
 
I am sure on the newer models you can operate the roof whilst traveling up to 25mph. You still have to hold the roof button down and I believe you cannot close the roof using the key fob.

I have a 2010 model and was told when I bought it you could operate the roof while moving. I was quite surprised when I first found out this wasn’t the case. The smarttop is still worth it for the one touch control, key fob control and the auto-folding mirrors even if you can already operate your roof while moving.
 
Im thinking about this also, have 2014 sdrive i20. You can use the fob to open the roof but not close, also the mirrors do not fold with the fob. You have to press the button on the door. I keep leaving mine unlocked as with our other cars the ears fold on locking which makes it so much easier to check. Definitely isn't just you Matt. I have the comfort pack, don't know if that makes a difference, but it would be nice to think this is just a software setting change, does anyone know?
 
If you have comfort access you can put the roof up and down with the fob, you cannot put it up if you don't have it. If you find it's not going up with the fob then ask your dealer to check the settings. It was the first thing the dealer showed me when I got mines, I was very impressed by that as it had always bugged me about my E88 as you either had to do it whilst in the car or by using the key in the door lock, which also works with the Z4 if you don't have comfort access.

With regards to roof opening and closing whilst moving this change was made in 2012 when they changed the hydraulics and motor to withstand the roof being opened and closed whilst moving as it will be subject to wind etc whilst the car is in motion but as said you still need to keep your finger on the button which is a safety feature so it can be stopped at any moment ie if something gets trapped. Infact it's a feature of all convertible roofs and not just the Z4 or a BMW feature.

I would suggest that you possibly get into the habit of locking the car with the fob if you keep forgetting via the sensor on the handle. With regards to the folding mirrors it supposedly can be programmed by a dealer or possibly a good Indy. I know that someone has already enquired and was told it could be but they didn't have folding mirrors to start with or the comfort pack.
 
Seems a lot of people like the smartop, so why have BMW not added it as an option??? or even a dealer fit option!...or better still make it standard!
 
People like the one touch system but it's for safety that the roof isn't one touch. Smart tops are available for all higher end car manufactures, everyone likes different options. It's possibly that the electrics are already a complicated matter and they just don't want to add to it. Just like the fact that roof opening and closing whilst moving was not available until the system was changed.

Some of the options are really quite good, like the fact you can open the door whilst the roof is folding into the boot, not sure why you can't do that anyway. It's always annoyed me on my other verts.
 
Thanks all.

Think I will have a play with it. I think I can live with holding the button down and if as many say you can open with fob, open and close otm and program to fold mirrors on locking I think I prob won't mess with it.
 
There is probably good reason for not allowing opening and closing while in motion due to forces imposed on the structural members while moving. They could get distorted if they were not designed to withstand these forces (ie acceleration, turning , wind etc.). OK the smart top overrides these restrictions but damage could occur.

Current models are probably structurally designed to cope with these forces up to 25mph.

Just my opinion as a mechanical engineer, not a statement of fact. I wouldn't fit a smart top unit to my car.
 
dr_john said:
There is probably good reason for not allowing opening and closing while in motion due to forces imposed on the structural members while moving. They could get distorted if they were not designed to withstand these forces (ie acceleration, turning , wind etc.). OK the smart top overrides these restrictions but damage could occur.

Current models are probably structurally designed to cope with these forces up to 25mph.

Just my opinion as a mechanical engineer, not a statement of fact. I wouldn't fit a smart top unit to my car.
Click to expand...

That's exactly right.
 
Opening / closing the roof while the vehicle is moving? Fair comment, it does involved added stresses. (I don't do this for that reason).

One touch opening? Yep - you could get trapped & injured if you are careless. I make sure I am careful & sat in the vehicle, or do by the remote keyfob while not in the vehicle.

Folding mirrors on lock up? Can't see a downside to this one.

Also as an engineer, I would (& have) fit a smarttop to any convertible that I own - know it's limitations & if you want the features then enjoy them :D

Matt
 
I'm going to fit my smarttop module soon and accept that a degree of common sense has to be used as to when the roof can or should be moved.

Maybe ok at 30mph but not in the face of a 30mph wind !
It's the moving away from the traffic lights when it starts to rain that appeals to me and probably more important is raising the roof after the car goes into my garage,
 
So I can and have raised the roof whilst moving slowly, not 30mph but certainly at a pace that doesn't incur the horn from peeps behind me at the lights. Presumably it's an update or have you always been able to and just shouldn't?
 
Newer e89s have a beefier roof mechanism than the early ones ( sorry I don't know exact dates) but they are rated to allow opening and closing at low speed.
If you fit a smart top any model can be programmed to operate at less than a speed of your choosing. Personally I have set it to zero but am considering going for 10kph to allow closure before coming to a compete halt if it starts to rain.
 
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