New Smart Top - PITA

[Argyll Andy]

My new Smart Top arrived yesterday

Plugged it into my laptop, nothing except green light on unit so I knew it was connected ok. After much faffing around discovered it’s an IT issue with my laptop

Work for a local authority with full VPN access. What that does mean is because of their security systems for some odd reason it doesn’t class mods4cars as an acceptable site and is blocking all access

As of last Friday I’ve not to interact one to one with anyone for the foreseeable so can’t get use of another laptop easily, only have an iPad at home.

Searching and reading on here it seems to be a bit of a PITA to program on the car, has anyone had experience of this, how difficult is it? I tried following a few old links on here with instructions and they now say “page not found”

Also leaving the USB connected is there any recognised panel to feed it behind because all the images on here that recommend where to feed to seem to have fallen victim of the photobucket problem

Andy

 

[Tinker15]

It would be much easier if you could get hold of a laptop to use at home. I have no experience of programming using the car but as you say it does look a PITA to do and only to be used unless there are no other options. Fitting the unit to the car is fiddly but doable if you take your time. The difficult bit is connecting the original plug to the matching plug on the socket. You really have to make sure it is correctly seated otherwise you will get error messages.

A quick photo I’ve taken below showing how I fitted the cable.

 

[Argyll Andy]

It would be much easier if you could get hold of a laptop to use at home. I have no experience of programming using the car but as you say it does look a PITA to do and only to be used unless there are no other options. Fitting the unit to the car is fiddly but doable if you take your time. The difficult bit is connecting the original plug to the matching plug on the socket. You really have to make sure it is correctly seated otherwise you will get error messages.

A quick photo I’ve taken below showing how I fitted the cable.

Firstly thanks for the picture, do you just leave the cable out all the time or can itv be tucked away?

Yes it does look like a PITA on any post I’ve been able to find. I’ll be able to get a laptop at some point just not quickly.

Wondering if I just fit it “as is, out the box” what functions it’ll give me and more importantly will it conflict with any existing settings?

If it throws any error codes do they clear themselves when it’s fitted correctly or do they need cleared manually?

 

[Tinker15]

I just the leave the cable and am careful how I pack things in the boot. If you look at the manual it tells you what function are selected by default. On the face of it it doesn’t look as though there would be a problem but I don’t know this for sure as I programmed it before fitting. If you don’t fit the plug correctly when you switch on the ignition you get a roof malfunction warning. Once fitted correctly it just goes.

The good news is that once fitted it’s a nice bit of kit. I hope you get it sorted soon.

 

[Argyll Andy]

I just the leave the cable and am careful how I pack things in the boot. If you look at the manual it tells you what function are selected by default. On the face of it it doesn’t look as though there would be a problem but I don’t know this for sure as I programmed it before fitting. If you don’t fit the plug correctly when you switch on the ignition you get a roof malfunction warning. Once fitted correctly it just goes.

The good news is that once fitted it’s a nice bit of kit. I hope you get it sorted soon.

Update, got it fitted working with whatever the default settings were, all good. Got into the car started is, indicators started flashing on a sequence all but themselves and then stayed on for about a second then beeped. Now f**k all works except the original functionality, I’m presuming it’s gone into valet or factory mode. Now looking for the programming by stalk instructions

Got to agree, for the 40mseconds it was working it looks like a hopped piece of kit

I’ve routed the cable up behind the side panel and attached it behind the removable panel for changing bulbs, seems to sit quite happy there.

 

[Tinker15]

Very strange. Function 2 controls valet mode and by default it is off. No chance of borrowing a laptop locally I suppose? This would also enable you to check for a firmware upgrade.

 

[Argyll Andy]

Very strange. Function 2 controls valet mode and by default it is off. No chance of borrowing a laptop locally I suppose? This would also enable you to check for a firmware upgrade.

Yes strange right enough. My problem is I’m in isolation, not just socIal distancing so I’m not envisaging anyone being to keen to let me have access to them or their laptop

I’m trying to convince my brother if I wipe everything down he can do it for me , he’s not committing

 

[Tinker15]

Good luck. I hope things work out for you.

 

[enuff_zed]

In all the time it's taken you, could you not have lowered the roof normally?

 

[Tinker15]

In all the time it's taken you, could you not have lowered the roof normally?

You’re just a party pooper!

 

[Smartbear]

In all the time it's taken you, could you not have lowered the roof normally?

No, he has to keep taking his finger off the button to make all the posts about it
Rob

 

[Argyll Andy]

In all the time it's taken you, could you not have lowered the roof normally?

No, he has to keep taking his finger off the button to make all the posts about it
Rob

Right you pair of smart arses, you’ll be glad to know it’s all working .

Got my brother to lend me a MacBook on the condition he left it outside for me to collect and I wore disposable gloves while using it the little sh!t.

Did all the settings on the computer plugged module back in and worked fine. Great piece of kit.

Bought it from PPCGB over the phone, said I was on the forum and got a 10% discount. Just under £320 delivered next day

 

[enuff_zed]

In all the time it's taken you, could you not have lowered the roof normally?

No, he has to keep taking his finger off the button to make all the posts about it
Rob

Right you pair of smart arses, you’ll be glad to know it’s all working .

Got my brother to lend me a MacBook on the condition he left it outside for me to collect and I wore disposable gloves while using it the little sh!t.

Did all the settings on the computer plugged module back in and worked fine. Great piece of kit.

Bought it from PPCGB over the phone, said I was on the forum and got a 10% discount. Just under £320 delivered next day

Glad you got it sorted :wink:

 

[Argyll Andy]

No, he has to keep taking his finger off the button to make all the posts about it
Rob

Right you pair of smart arses, you’ll be glad to know it’s all working .

Got my brother to lend me a MacBook on the condition he left it outside for me to collect and I wore disposable gloves while using it the little sh!t.

Did all the settings on the computer plugged module back in and worked fine. Great piece of kit.

Bought it from PPCGB over the phone, said I was on the forum and got a 10% discount. Just under £320 delivered next day

Glad you got it sorted :wink:

I love this forum, absolutely fantastic source of information, nice helpful people and most importantly a laugh too

 

[R.E92]

I do all the config through the button method. It used to be done through the indicators and was fairly straightforward but now you have to do it with the roof open/close buttons in the latest firmware and it's a nightmare. But once it's configured you really don't need to touch it.

 

[enuff_zed]

Right you pair of smart arses, you’ll be glad to know it’s all working .

Got my brother to lend me a MacBook on the condition he left it outside for me to collect and I wore disposable gloves while using it the little sh!t.

Did all the settings on the computer plugged module back in and worked fine. Great piece of kit.

Bought it from PPCGB over the phone, said I was on the forum and got a 10% discount. Just under £320 delivered next day

Glad you got it sorted :wink:

I love this forum, absolutely fantastic source of information, nice helpful people and most importantly a laugh too

Need a bit of humour just lately.
Just hope everyone realises it for what it is.
If not, I have a box full of apologies at the ready

 

[kinger]

 

[Argyll Andy]

Glad you got it sorted :wink:

I love this forum, absolutely fantastic source of information, nice helpful people and most importantly a laugh too

Need a bit of humour just lately.
Just hope everyone realises it for what it is.
If not, I have a box full of apologies at the ready

Absolutely need humour and if they don’t realise it for what it is them maybe not for them or limit/no interaction with the humorous posts.

I too have a box full of apologies at the ready but my huge fear is now given the restrictions on bulk purchases I may not have enough

I know not important in the slightest but on a personal note the one thing that’s a huge disappointment is being new to this myself and the OH, who’s surprisingly into the Z4, had agreed that we’d attend as many forum events as possible. Not breakfast meets etc as they’re all at least 2+ hrs away and early but the overnight Scottish ones. We hadn’t signed up to any yet as there were personal things going on in the background to work around. Her father had dementia and unfortunately passed away last week. I can’t go to the funeral because I’m in sole isolation but that’s a whole other story.

I was looking forward to meeting and putting faces to the names of people I’ve seen and interacted with and tbh seeing the other cars and what people have done to them. Believe it or not I don’t think I’ve seen another Z4 when I’ve been in mine since I got it. Anyway, events have overtaken us all round and we’ll just need to pick up again when hopefully some sort of normality returns.

In the meantime I’m still expecting to get/give smart arse responses when I’m doing/see something humorous

 

[Smartbear]

Glad you got it sorted :wink:

I love this forum, absolutely fantastic source of information, nice helpful people and most importantly a laugh too

Need a bit of humour just lately.
Just hope everyone realises it for what it is.
If not, I have a box full of apologies at the ready

He was talking about the humorous posts, not yours
Rob

 

[enuff_zed]

I love this forum, absolutely fantastic source of information, nice helpful people and most importantly a laugh too

Need a bit of humour just lately.
Just hope everyone realises it for what it is.
If not, I have a box full of apologies at the ready

He was talking about the humorous posts, not yours
Rob

Oi, take your extra bog roll and go back to the woods!