If you’re thinking about a used hardtop for your BMW Z3 or Z4, beware! I get to talk to a lot of people about their BMW roadsters and you wouldn’t believe some of the nightmare stories I have heard about buying a used hardtop.

The BMW roadster hardtops are great. They not only look great but they perform well too. They eliminate outside noise, make the interior warmer in cold weather and gives your roadster extra rigidity which may be why so many people are looking for hardtops.

The cost, if purchased new, is very high and a lot of people are looking for used hardtops to save some money. The BMW list price for a new Z4 hardtop is $2,575.00, the Z4 mounting hardware is another $180, the Z3 hardware (which is no longer available) was around $450, and the labor to install it is $250 to $500 depending on the labor rate and car. They are great but expensive.

Here are some things to consider if you’re looking to purchase a used hardtop. Hardtops are extremely large, heavy and hard to ship. When purchased new from your local BMW dealer they arrive at the dealership mounted on a metal rack on a pallet and a box is built around them. They come painted to match your car and are ready to mount. An item this large is difficult to ship and must be shipped as freight.

I spoke to one guy who purchased a used hardtop, sight unseen. It was located on the other side of the country and to save money he had it shipped via bus, in the luggage compartment underneath the bus. It still cost him several hundred dollars but was much less expensive than using a freight carrier. When he received the hardtop it was bent, twisted, and scratched. Now he is fighting with an insurance company and a bus company to get his money back and his hardtop repaired. How much money do you think he saved by purchasing a used hardtop? So far he’s spent more on this used one than he would have on a new one…and he still doesn’t have a hardtop on his car.

I spoke to another person who used a totally different approach. He installed the hardtop mounting kit on his car and drove to the place of purchase, put the hardtop on the car and drove it home. This sounds like a much better approach to me.

A good place to begin your search may be the parts counter of your local BMW dealer. They may have a hardtop lurking in the back corner collecting dust. One guy told me he got a great deal this way. My local dealer had one sitting around for a long time before someone took it home.

Here is a list of some things to think about before buying a hardtop, new or used:
*Initial cost.
*Transporting it; how are you going to get it home? On an item this size and weight, shipping is very expensive.
*Installation; this is not an easy install unless you are really handy.
*Cost and availability of the mounting hardware, needed before you can use the hardtop.
*Getting it painted, which could cost around $400.
*Removing it. How are you going to get the hardtop off the car? Two people can do it but you can’t do it yourself. A hoist can be a big help here.
*Storage. You’ll need a hoist or a cart to store your hardtop in.

A used hardtop will cost $1,000 to $1,500 and you still have to find and purchase the mounting hardware, have it installed, get it painted. You would be extremely lucky to find one in the color you need. Don’t spend this kind of money on a used hardtop and end up with something unusable. There’s a lot of opportunity here to waste your money. Do your research up front and you won’t get stuck.

For more info/advice on all your Z3/Z4 accessories, contact Dick at Roadster Solutions:
Dick Leinbach
Roadster Solutions (Z3Solutions)
P.O. Box 194, Birdsboro, Pennsylvania 19508 USA
1-877-862-0585 (toll free)
610-406-0597 (voice) / 610-406-0598 (fax)
Dick@RoadsterSolutions.com
http://roadstersolutions.com/

Nissan Americas recently invited journalists to the dedication of its new U.S. headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, moving from its temporary location in Nashville.  The new facility is designed to enhance employee productivity, and to be a “green” workspace.

The ten-story facility will house 1500 employees and is located on a 50-acre campus with a restored wetland that’s home to 50,000 native plants.  The building features many energy saving design elements like adjustable sun screens on the exterior, and interior lights with sensors that dim lights when enough natural light is present to illuminate the wide open office areas.  There’s also a roof mounted plant tray system that helps to naturally insulate the roof.

The building is constructed with open stairways and myriad “Town Hall” meeting spaces to enhance employee productivity.  “This ‘Connectivity Concept’ encourages impromptu meetings,” said Rob Traynham, director of Corporate Services for Nissan, who oversaw the move into the new building.  “Not only will we have increased productivity, we expect a 30-35% savings on utilities,” said Traynham.

The increase in employee productivity was apparent everywhere the assembled group of journalists toured.  “I started being more productive the second I touched down,” said Katherine Zachary, manager, Nissan Corporate Communications.  And these employees will need to be productive, as at an outdoor dedication ceremony for the new building, Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn outlined an aggressive plan for Nissan to be a world and U.S. leader in producing zero-emission electric vehicles.

Ghosn announced a new partnership with the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority electric utility to produce an electric vehicle in the State by 2010, and worldwide by 2012.  At a later roundtable discussion with journalists, Ghosn was asked why Nissan chose to go the electric car route when other manufacturers are gravitating towards hybrids. “We are moving in this direction because I think the environment has changed dramatically in the last few years,” said Ghosn.  In addition to rising fuel prices, Ghosn said the political environment has changed, and Nissan’s strategy must remain flexible.  “Every time we meet with an official, the only question is about electric cars and when are we going to produce them,” said Ghosn. “And we are not doing zero-emission vehicles by duty, we are doing it because there is a market for it,” Ghosn added. When asked if there would be a singular strategy for Nissan’s worldwide electric car effort, Ghosn said that each market is different, and each platform would reflect the nuances of that market.

In addition to their aggressive electric car initiative, Nissan announced they will launch 60 new models worldwide by 2012.

For those that don’t know, Evosport is your one-stop shop on the West Coast for routine or emergency service to the most specialized high performance work, delivering quality work at a competitive price. If you’re just the average joe who needs a tune up, or you’re getting ready to head for the track, Evosport provides car care, installation, engine building, and dyno testing & tuning to name a few services.

So, when we heard that they were starting a new tuning program for the Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series, with upgrades for over 600 horsepower and 200mph, we had to get the details. Just when you thought the Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series can’t get any better, Evosport has gone and designed several offerings for more performance.

Here a a few of their new upgrades:
# Stainless long-tube performance race headers
# Stainless 3″ race exhaust with performance x-pipe and hi-flow resonators (optional cats)
# Custom intake modification
# Compound brake rotors (rear) + upgraded pads + stainless brake lines
# Dampened crankshaft and accessory pulley kit
# ECU/Software upgrade (Stage 1 & Stage 2)
# Dymag Carbon/Kevlar wheels
# Bolt-in 4-point chromoly roll bar
# Aero Package (front carbon lower splitter, rear carbon decklid spoiler)
# Track Package (billet lower rear adj. control arms, camber plates, track spring setup)

Click here for more on Evosport’s Black Series upgrades.

Evosport CLK63 AMG Black Series First Dyno Test Video

Contact Evosport:
15608 Graham Street
Huntington Beach, CA
92649-1611
Email: info@evosport.com
Phone: 888.520.9971 (Sales) 714.901.3100 (Questions, Help, and Support)