Hi all
Just bought my first Z3 a lovely silver '98 2.8. Still blown away with performance and looks. Problem is I still like to have the top down even though it's winter.
Jumped in the car yesterday morning, it wasn't raining so what the hell --- Top down..
Big crack and the rear screen splits all the way up. Is this normal??? I know it was cold but not frosty or has the plastic just reached the end of its life 6 years??
Can anyone recomend somewhere for a replacement. Dealer would be a fortune I imagine.
cheers
Phil
Rear Screen
hi
try these they are based in london,but will come out to you,they replaced my whole hood ,and a bloody great job they done as well,i recon you,ll pay around £90
www.soft-tops.co.uk
www.soft-tops.co.uk
I got one from the States (£96). Found it on eBay. Even though he said "US only", I persuaded him it was worth me paying a small fortune for shipping. I think about £30 of the cost was for freight.
I think BMW charge £120 + VAT, but I'm not too sure.
I had to fit it myself with 12 year old son helping. Took about two hours, but it would only take thirty minutes now I know the top tips.
I think BMW charge £120 + VAT, but I'm not too sure.
I had to fit it myself with 12 year old son helping. Took about two hours, but it would only take thirty minutes now I know the top tips.
Pingu
Rear Sreen
Cheers Guys,
thanks for the info, dealers want 90 plus vat for the part 300ish
to fit it. Soft-tops.co.uk reckon they can supply and fit for 150.
What were the big issues Pingu, would you really do it again??
The other side of the question is was it really that bad a thing to drop it in the cold or wasI just unlucky????
thanks for the info, dealers want 90 plus vat for the part 300ish
to fit it. Soft-tops.co.uk reckon they can supply and fit for 150.What were the big issues Pingu, would you really do it again??
The other side of the question is was it really that bad a thing to drop it in the cold or wasI just unlucky????
-
Guest
phil485,
THe UV form the sun makes all plastics brittle over time and will eventually break. The cold weather makes this worse, hence you unfortunate episode.
If your window had been new you would probably have been able to drop in at any temperature, but the older it gets, the more brittle and the more careful you have to be.
I have seen a couple of people post now that fitting is not as bad as it looks. Do a forum search, I am sure you'll find something.
Simon
THe UV form the sun makes all plastics brittle over time and will eventually break. The cold weather makes this worse, hence you unfortunate episode.
If your window had been new you would probably have been able to drop in at any temperature, but the older it gets, the more brittle and the more careful you have to be.
I have seen a couple of people post now that fitting is not as bad as it looks. Do a forum search, I am sure you'll find something.
Simon
Several top tips. None of this will make much sense unless you have the rear window kit and the instructions to refer to, but here goes:
1. Do not attempt it on your own.
2. Check the weather forecast and do it outside on the brightest day you can. Lots of light, little chance of rain and radiant heat for no. 3. Start early, as once started, you have no back window!
3. Allow enough room around the car to have both doors fully open, and enough for you to move freely around the car. I was in and out of the car about ten to twenty times.
4. Have a large flat surface (I used a blanket on the driveway) that you can lay the window down on. This allows it to warm up and become more supple.
5. Polish it before fitting. "Hindsight" seems to be the one to use nowadays. This may be too aggressive for a new screen, though. I used some screenwash (the type that goes in the washer bottle). The polishing seems to make the window more supple.
6. The instructions you get are for a 3 series, and they tell you to half lower the roof and to lift the roof at the rear. Obviously, you cannot lift the roof at the rear. This means that the inside of the screen cannot be reached from outside, this is why you need two people to fit it.
7. Lower the roof about halfway and the use a one metre long length of wood (or similar) to prop the roof open (I used a spirit level). Without it, the roof has a tendency to close.
8. If you are careful with the small clips they can be used again. This is not really relevant in your case, but if you were changing the window because it was dirty and you then managed to clean it, you would have a spare fitting kit as well as a spare window.
9. A great deal of care and patience is needed when zipping in the screen. The acceptable tolerance is one link either left or right of centre.
10. Use a drop of washing up liquid to help the zip move more freely.
11. You will not be able to put the window in first go, and the zip will split. Don't give up. As the zip is used more, the freer it becomes and after several (ten to twenty) attempts at zipping the whole window it will be in. Now you need to "lock" the zip.
12. Before you "lock" the zip, check the zip is correctly fastened all the way round.
13. Get yourself a piece of pine, or other soft wood that the zip lock can be pushed into. With you on the inside with the lump of wood, your partner pushes the clip through the fabric into the wood. Now give the piece of wood to him and fit the zip lock retaining clip. With him pressing from the outside, you can close the teeth on the zip lock. A flat blade screwdriver is good for this task.
14. Clear up the mess at the end, don't forget the one metre prop, and close the roof. It's a worrying moment when all the roof tension is applied for the first time, but it should hold.
15. Finally, trust your workmanship. I was paranoid that the window would pop out, but so far (touch wood) it's OK.
16. The instructions tell you to use rubber cement and glue. I haven't done this and haven't seen any consequences so far.
1. Do not attempt it on your own.
2. Check the weather forecast and do it outside on the brightest day you can. Lots of light, little chance of rain and radiant heat for no. 3. Start early, as once started, you have no back window!
3. Allow enough room around the car to have both doors fully open, and enough for you to move freely around the car. I was in and out of the car about ten to twenty times.
4. Have a large flat surface (I used a blanket on the driveway) that you can lay the window down on. This allows it to warm up and become more supple.
5. Polish it before fitting. "Hindsight" seems to be the one to use nowadays. This may be too aggressive for a new screen, though. I used some screenwash (the type that goes in the washer bottle). The polishing seems to make the window more supple.
6. The instructions you get are for a 3 series, and they tell you to half lower the roof and to lift the roof at the rear. Obviously, you cannot lift the roof at the rear. This means that the inside of the screen cannot be reached from outside, this is why you need two people to fit it.
7. Lower the roof about halfway and the use a one metre long length of wood (or similar) to prop the roof open (I used a spirit level). Without it, the roof has a tendency to close.
8. If you are careful with the small clips they can be used again. This is not really relevant in your case, but if you were changing the window because it was dirty and you then managed to clean it, you would have a spare fitting kit as well as a spare window.
9. A great deal of care and patience is needed when zipping in the screen. The acceptable tolerance is one link either left or right of centre.
10. Use a drop of washing up liquid to help the zip move more freely.
11. You will not be able to put the window in first go, and the zip will split. Don't give up. As the zip is used more, the freer it becomes and after several (ten to twenty) attempts at zipping the whole window it will be in. Now you need to "lock" the zip.
12. Before you "lock" the zip, check the zip is correctly fastened all the way round.
13. Get yourself a piece of pine, or other soft wood that the zip lock can be pushed into. With you on the inside with the lump of wood, your partner pushes the clip through the fabric into the wood. Now give the piece of wood to him and fit the zip lock retaining clip. With him pressing from the outside, you can close the teeth on the zip lock. A flat blade screwdriver is good for this task.
14. Clear up the mess at the end, don't forget the one metre prop, and close the roof. It's a worrying moment when all the roof tension is applied for the first time, but it should hold.
15. Finally, trust your workmanship. I was paranoid that the window would pop out, but so far (touch wood) it's OK.
16. The instructions tell you to use rubber cement and glue. I haven't done this and haven't seen any consequences so far.
Pingu
