Removing softop...
- Thread starter Bianx
- Start date
No... that isn't true. Take a look at your owner's manual. If you don't have one handy, you can download it from the BMW Owner's Circle website.
When you have the hardtop on, your soft top stays stowed under the tonneau cover (and in the expanded area of your trunk) thus limiting your trunk space for the winter. It's for this reason, and my mercurial convertible needs (up, down, up, down depending on mood) that I decided against the hard top. The hard top for the convertible does look really sweet though. I'm just not the target customer.
When you have the hardtop on, your soft top stays stowed under the tonneau cover (and in the expanded area of your trunk) thus limiting your trunk space for the winter. It's for this reason, and my mercurial convertible needs (up, down, up, down depending on mood) that I decided against the hard top. The hard top for the convertible does look really sweet though. I'm just not the target customer.
I agree with TheBry, it's not removable.
I just put my hardtop on this weekend. A couple of tips:
- Make sure the soft top is completely dry before you put it down for the winter.
- Clean the chrome strip around the tonneau before putting the hardtop on to ensure you get a good seal for the weatherstrip.
- You will have to remove two plastic cover plates to expose the rear mounting holes for the hardtop. You have to do that with the tonneau cover in the up/open position. Do that by releasing the button AFTER the convertible top is completely down and stowed but BEFORE the tonneau starts dropping into position.
- Just to be safe, throw a blanket over the trunk area to protect the paint.
- There is a storage slot on the inside of the doors that hide the rear latch mechanisms, Slide the covers into the slot (they go in upside down) so you don't lose them.
- The top weighs about 75 lbs. Two adults can put it in place.
To put it on:
- Make sure the car is on a flat, level, even surface to avoid any slight body flex that might make it difficult to seat the top.
- Make sure the rear latch levers are in the unlocked position, pulled towards the front of the car.
- Lift the top, one person on each sde. The back is a bit heavier than the front, so you need to lift at the back with one hand roughly around where the rear latch is. The other hand around the center of the window opening.
- The person on the left of the car will have to deal with lifting over/around the antenna.
- Set the rear in place first. slowly guiding the pins into the rear sockets. You have to do this evenly on both sides at the same time or the pins will bind.
- The rear will appear to not be all the way seated by about 3/4", which is OK. The latches are holding it up.
- The front will pretty much just fall into place.
- Check that everything looks evenly seated all the way around.
- Push the rear latches in. The top will drop as you push the rear latch, and it will get harder to push. As long as everything looks OK, keep pushing until the latch snaps all the way in. Stow the plastic cover plate, and close the hidden door.
- Push the front latches up until they snap in place.
- Done!
It's not as hard as it sounds. It really only takes less than 3 - 4 minutes.
I just put my hardtop on this weekend. A couple of tips:
- Make sure the soft top is completely dry before you put it down for the winter.
- Clean the chrome strip around the tonneau before putting the hardtop on to ensure you get a good seal for the weatherstrip.
- You will have to remove two plastic cover plates to expose the rear mounting holes for the hardtop. You have to do that with the tonneau cover in the up/open position. Do that by releasing the button AFTER the convertible top is completely down and stowed but BEFORE the tonneau starts dropping into position.
- Just to be safe, throw a blanket over the trunk area to protect the paint.
- There is a storage slot on the inside of the doors that hide the rear latch mechanisms, Slide the covers into the slot (they go in upside down) so you don't lose them.
- The top weighs about 75 lbs. Two adults can put it in place.
To put it on:
- Make sure the car is on a flat, level, even surface to avoid any slight body flex that might make it difficult to seat the top.
- Make sure the rear latch levers are in the unlocked position, pulled towards the front of the car.
- Lift the top, one person on each sde. The back is a bit heavier than the front, so you need to lift at the back with one hand roughly around where the rear latch is. The other hand around the center of the window opening.
- The person on the left of the car will have to deal with lifting over/around the antenna.
- Set the rear in place first. slowly guiding the pins into the rear sockets. You have to do this evenly on both sides at the same time or the pins will bind.
- The rear will appear to not be all the way seated by about 3/4", which is OK. The latches are holding it up.
- The front will pretty much just fall into place.
- Check that everything looks evenly seated all the way around.
- Push the rear latches in. The top will drop as you push the rear latch, and it will get harder to push. As long as everything looks OK, keep pushing until the latch snaps all the way in. Stow the plastic cover plate, and close the hidden door.
- Push the front latches up until they snap in place.
- Done!
It's not as hard as it sounds. It really only takes less than 3 - 4 minutes.
Last edited:
Interesting that your 2004 manual says you cannot remove the soft top. This is from the 2000 manual under the heading of "Hardtop" :
It is not necessary to remove the fabric
top even in the winter, when the hardtop
is generally in constant use. But you
can take it off at any time with no problem.
So unless I'm misreading that, it sounds like you CAN remove the soft top. However no directions on how to do so are given.![[scratch]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_headscratch.gif "Head Scratch [scratch]")
It is not necessary to remove the fabric
top even in the winter, when the hardtop
is generally in constant use. But you
can take it off at any time with no problem.
So unless I'm misreading that, it sounds like you CAN remove the soft top. However no directions on how to do so are given.
DrivingTopless said:
Interesting that your 2004 manual says you cannot remove the soft top. This is from the 2000 manual under the heading of "Hardtop" :
It is not necessary to remove the fabric
top even in the winter, when the hardtop
is generally in constant use. But you
can take it off at any time with no problem.
So unless I'm misreading that, it sounds like you CAN remove the soft top. However no directions on how to do so are given.
It is not necessary to remove the fabric
top even in the winter, when the hardtop
is generally in constant use. But you
can take it off at any time with no problem.
So unless I'm misreading that, it sounds like you CAN remove the soft top. However no directions on how to do so are given.
DrKeng,
Are you using the Wind Screen? I just picked one up last week and love it. I've got to admit I originally thought they looked dorky, but as the weather here in the San Francisco bay area started getting cooler, I decided to give it a try. It makes a world of difference. The wind turbulance is diminished significantly, promoting better heating when the heater is up full blast.
Are you using the Wind Screen? I just picked one up last week and love it. I've got to admit I originally thought they looked dorky, but as the weather here in the San Francisco bay area started getting cooler, I decided to give it a try. It makes a world of difference. The wind turbulance is diminished significantly, promoting better heating when the heater is up full blast.