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/

The season opener at Infineon Raceway was a raging success. The series has already grown from the 2 cars last year to 6 competitors on Saturday (March 15th, 2008) and 7 on Sunday (March 16th, 2008). The March event at Thunderhill saw 6 Saturday and 9 the following race. Add to that the 3 or 4 cars in our shop that we’re preparing and we’ll have a full grid of our own by the end of the season. The SpecE30 series is a real testament to BMWs and their durability. The cars are limited to stock engines, transmissions and differentials. Despite the cars being nearly 20 years old they are able to withstand the abuse of the warm up, the qualifying, and 30 minute sprint races with little to no maintenance between rounds! While our fellow racers are busy hammering away repairing or replacing parts we get to stand around and enjoy each others company. This camaraderie has some Spec Miata and RX7 people looking at our series, the Valley Motorwerks / Norcalspece30.com

Saturday’s race at Infineon was pretty trouble free despite half the field was made up of rookies. We took the time to talk to everyone and make sure that they were going to drive a clean race and not damage their car or reputation! The guys did really well and I was proud to watch them in their maiden race. I was not present for Sunday’s race and maybe it was a good thing. All of our good luck from Saturday was gone by Sunday’s race. Brenden Selvig from Carmel managed to overcook turn 11 and total out a Honda Challenge car. Luckily no one was hurt and the parties involved were able to work out an equitable solution. The March Thunderhill race was simply incredible. I thought it would be difficult to outdo ourselves but we did. Having a record number of 9 cars and 2 others at the track going through testing was an incredible feeling. Adam Lazur, Mike Schwartzbart, Ryan Johnson and Brenden Selvig tested for their licenses and passed! Ryan sat out the Sunday race but the others jumped in feet first. The start was a reverse grid that placed 2 rookies on the front of the pack. The races were going to be run with a standing rather than a rolling start adding to the stress. AJ Goldsmith took off early then BACKED UP and got back into place just in time for the green flag. We could have had a real catastrophe on our hands but it all worked out well. There was some really exciting racing but it only lasted a few laps. Unfortunately, the race was red flagged due to a bad accident that involved Brandon Kraus. He took Lifeflight to a Chico area hospital and was released with only bruising a few cuts and a broken arm. His crash was a grim reminder how dangerous our sport can be.

For most of the guys this was their chance to get into racing and live out a lifelong dream. The cost of building and maintaining a SpecE30 is relatively low compared to other forms of auto racing. A set of tires will run 3 race weekends and brake pads will last about half a season.

VMWERKS Racing prepared a car for licensed racers outside the series to drive during a non-race session. Scott and Marcus Miller, Don Bailey, Carlos Suarez, Mark Welch, Tommy Lo and Richard Serafino along with myself took the car out. The common thread between all of us was how drivable the car was. The Miatas owners really liked the stability of the chassis and all the torque. I owned a SpecE30 for 2 years and picked up a second one a year ago but had never driven one. I was excited to get behind the wheel and give it a go. My personal track car is an E30 but is modified to a much greater degree than the Spec cars. I was surprised at how quickly you could pedal around Thunderhill in a stock drivetrain E30. The E30 chassis equipped with the Spec suspension had no bad habits and was “easy” to drive. Needless to say the test drive concept was a good one and allowed other competitors a chance to see what racing “The Ultimate Driving Machine” is all about!

See you at the races!

This facility is responsible for world-wide production of the M engines as well as a significant number of 3 Series wagons. The video features manufacturing areas such as the robotic welding arms, robotic car painting as well as final car prep areas of the factory.

BMW Production Factory Tour Video:

8 Series (E31) Forum

The E31 Lounge

Watch our BMW Welt Video:

You can also watch the BMW Welt Video Tour on YouTube.

Well, I replaced my ignition switch this morning in hopes of solving a problem with my cruise control. The initial problem was that after having the cruise control on for a minute or so, the car would just pop out of cruise (green cruise light would stay illuminated), then the red SRS light would come on. Upon restart, everything was fine again. As the problem progressed over 2 weeks, I would also loose steering wheel control of the radio.

Dan suggested that it might be the ignition, and Jim Cash provided a “test” to link the problem to the ignition, his test was simple, turn on the passenger side vanity light in the sun visor and see what happens. When I did this, my steering wheel would adjust all the way up, and come back down, I’m told another common indicator for the same test is that you get all sorts of lights on the dash board. Thanks Dan and Jim, I gotta say it was like magic when I did Jim’s test, this guy is amazing.

Vaheh at Crevier got the right part (61 32 6 901 962) out to me on time and a great price ($38).

I didn’t find any detailed replacement instructions, so here are my instructions starting with H8LUUZNs basic notes. Pics of failed ignition are at the end. The replacement did indeed cure my CC problem.

Tools

10mm wrench for the battery
Small Philips screwdriver
Two T-30 torx bits, one long (lower screw), one short (upper screw).
1/8″ slotted screwdriver tip bit (longer is better than shorter)
1/4″ ratchet drive and socket that accepts the T-30 and 1/8″ slotted bits

Instructions

Place the steering wheel in the maximum up and out position.

Disconnect the battery (don’t want a surprise from the airbag).

There is a plastic philips screw on top of the plastic cover at the 12 o’clock postion, and one philips screw on the bottom plastic. Once those are off, carefully remove the top and bottom plastic trim around the steering wheel column. Be very careful, as to not break tabs.

Then you will want to pull out the lower cover as far out of the way as you can, I didn’t see how to remove it completely, but it would help to get it out of there.

You can see the ignition switch from the drivers door looking in and up, pull the tab on the wiring harness and remove the connector from the ignition switch.

There is a black bracket around the ignition switch held in by two torx 30 screws. I removed the bottom one completely and loosened the top one.

The switch itself has two very small screw pins that hold it in place. The heads of the very tiny screw heads are marked with red paint. Scrape the paint away and back the screw pins out using the 1/4″ drive with 1/8″ slotted tip, you don’t need to remove them completely.

Pull the ignition switch out, note the position of the input shaft on old ignition switch, align the new switch to the same position and install.

No secrets putting it back together, just reverse the instructions.

Here are the pics. You’ll note the very discolored contact in the bottom picture, I’m suspecting that is the culprit.

DIY Difficulty Level
Easy

External links

How to replace a BMW 5 Series ignition switch on Roadfly forums

What is it about a car that can drive an otherwise logical person to the verge of irrationality? Is it the performance? The styling? Or is it some other, inexplicable stirring that takes place deep within the soul? Automotive companies have been wise to identify and capture this feeling and they make a great effort to maximize the lustful desire that is “carwantingness syndrome.” Ahh, but love is a fickle flame – it can burn either party in an instant.

Perhaps no lover has been scorned as quickly or as badly as have the legions of BMW loyalists and enthusiasts whom, for many years, had supported nearly everything and anything that bore the Munich nameplate. However, with the recent redesign of two of BMW’s more popular line-ups, the 5- and 7-series, many enthusiasts have run away, searching for new love, as the ashes of a once burning love smolder.

For the longest time, BMW had the better portion of the automotive community wrapped around its finger – it was the prettiest girl at the prom and everyone was lined-up, waiting for their chance to dance. This has all come to change, thanks to the, ahem, bold designs of “the new BMW” and Chris Bangle’s team.

Despite the new 7-series’ swift descent from prom queen to double-bagger, BMW has been surprisingly steadfast in its support of Bangle. The automotive press was quick to rip the new 7’s appearance, and automotive enthusiasts weren’t far behind. From message boards to magazines, everyone had an opinion about the new design, and very few of them were positive. Yet BMW didn’t falter. Why? Some would blame traditional German stubbornness (”Vee make a decision and vee stick vith it!”), while others chalk it up to that whole “love is blind thing.”

BMW must give bats a run for their money on the Amsler Grid (you know, the eye chart with the big “E” on top), because from what we’ve read on the Roadfly message boards, many BMW loyalists are looking for new love. Some have flirted with other brands, some held-on to their current models, and others are trying to weather the storm. Perhaps the new 7 was the result of a lover’s quarrel – surely BMW wouldn’t set themselves up for another round of Bangle-induced bashing.

Alas, and for reasons unknown, BMW left the blinders on, launching Bangle’s redesigned 5-series in early 2003. And once again, the critics howled. Many journalists were slightly more kind, skirting the styling issues by focusing on the handling and performance improvements (which is a lot like dating someone for their personality). But the enthusiasts weren’t playing as nice. Many dubbed it the “BMW Grand Prix,” referring of course to the 5’s strong resemblance to a certain General Motors offering.

So after taking another one on the chin, thanks to Mr. Bangle, what did BMW do to combat this ever-growing popularity problem? Did they “dump that zero and get with a hero?” Well, not exactly…the official news from Munich was announced on February 3: “Bangle Strengthens Design Teams of the BMW Group.” So much for kicking him off the island.

BMW, in a bit of an odd move, shifted Bangle to the boardroom, making him Director of BMW Group Design. And while Bangle may not have been completely removed from power, there has been a significant buffer placed between him and the sheet metal. The news was welcomed by many, but the rumblings were still there – heck, just weeks earlier, a prominent European automotive publication had all but dropped the guillotine on Bangle – predicting his demise by mid-to-late 2004.

In the grand scheme, this change is no glass slipper for BMW enthusiasts, because Adrian van Hooydonk was named as the new BMW Automobile Design Group leader. Mr. Hooydonk was largely responsible for the design of the resurrected 6-series and also played a role in the 7-series styling. Smells like more trouble in paradise, Mildred.

So what do all of these changes mean? In all likeliness, very little. We don’t expect any extreme makeovers, and BMW shouldn’t expect too many Valentine’s Day candies from lovelorn suitors. BMW recognized a 19% drop in sales for January 2004, but placed the blame on weather and excess inventory. Browsing the many message boards sheds a different light – insiders are speculating that unless BMW can pretty up its appearance (and quickly), the sales slump may continue. BMW spin-meisters play with numbers and stories to support their agendas.

Calls placed to BMW for comment were not returned, but that’s not too surprising. Mr. Bangle has been notoriously defiant of critic’s of the new stylings. He has gone on record stating, “You have to be a little different sometimes,” claiming that the new look of the BMW 5- and 7-series have “personality.” Whoops, there’s that dreaded p-word again…for a more honest perspective of that phrase, ask any single guy how many times he’s been told he has a “great personality.”

BMW enthusiasts will no doubt be talking about the great personality and the legendary BMW driving performance for years to come, carefully avoiding the issue of styling all the while. As long as the man behind the X3, Z4, 5- and 7-series designs is behind the wheel, it’ll be tough to truly love a BMW like we once did. But then again, appearances are only superficial – it’s what’s under the skin that’s important right? Yeah, that sounds good…we’ll just keep telling ourselves that, and eventually we’ll probably start to believe it. If BMW isn’t careful with future redesigns, we can only speculate that ‘ole Johnny’s lyrics will ring through again, “And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire…the ring of fire.”