Hardtop or Hibernation

[bronty]

I bought my Z3 in April with every intention come October I would put her away for the winter in my 92years old god parents garage.
Now October is nearly upon us the though of my Z3 going in to hibernation till April in a cold lonely garage is not as appealing as it once was.
I will miss her.
Now I am also paranoid of mice the or other disasters that occupy my nightmares
The wife as for once agreed I can build another garage/carport on the side of the house but will take time and money.
She has kindly offered to buy me a hardtop and fitting kit for Christmas and birthday(there is a catch she keep looking at a red Chanel handbag with eyes she once looked at me with many moons go)
So is it worth buying a hardtop
I don't see any Z3 with hardtop in my area is there a reason?
Will buying a hardtop and using my Z3 for the better winter days be a good idea or are they a pain in the bottom storage fitting fuel consumption
How dose it affect the car are they fragile when not in uses
Basically is it a waste of £1000

 

[Peter1450]

My wife uses hers everyday, hardtop goes on in October comes off in Spring, like most Oder cars I think they’re better being used, plus I keep my bikes in the garage

 

[Rudyrov]

In Arizona we have mild winters and harsh summers so I use my hardtop in the summer now.
I bought the hardttop in the winter some years ago when I lived in Seattle and the winters are very rough.
Try the hardtop, I believe you will find it enjoyable in the winter.

 

[Duncodin]

I am most certainly in the "Hardtop-on-drive-it-all-year" camp.

I like the look of a z3 with hardtop so much that I have it on the car even in summer. But I've got a hoist in the garage so can lift it on/off on my own pretty quick if I fancy a top down drive on a really nice day.

Having said that my Z3 doesn't look much like that Z3 now and the hardtop has been chopped up to make it fit the new body.

 

[bronty]

I too like the look of the Z3 with the hardtop
Looks like a different car dare I say a bit more sleek.Unfortunately I have no place to fit a winch but I have 18 stone step son that is built like a brick sh@t house to help me.
I am in shock at the price of the fitting kit.
If I was still working the lads in the machine shop would be making a set this week.

 

[Rudyrov]

I am most certainly in the "Hardtop-on-drive-it-all-year" camp.

I like the look of a z3 with hardtop so much that I have it on the car even in summer. But I've got a hoist in the garage so can lift it on/off on my own pretty quick if I fancy a top down drive on a really nice day.

View attachment 317939

Having said that my Z3 doesn't look much like that Z3 now and the hardtop has been chopped up to make it fit the new body.

View attachment 317937

Would love to see more of this car and its refreshed body, please post some pictures and a link!
Thanks

 

[Steve Medlock]

Most of my Z3 enjoyment is driving with the roof down and yes, I have driven top down in the rain in Summer. However I do like to drive occasionally in Winter and the hard top gives better heat and noise insulation and you have a heated rear window so for me the hard top makes Winter driving acceptable. In the Summer, the top sits in a caddy & cover and yes, gets in the way but hey...

 

[Ade33]

Depends where you live on the globe, the condition of your Z3 & your attitude towards looking after it or just using it.

My 3.0 Sport Z3 has never seen a British winter with the roads encrusted in salts..It looks like a two year old car underneath so I continue the tradition and it goes away end of this month until April & get summer use only.

In some ways I wish I had another Z3 that was a bit crusty underneath that I wasnt worried about the condition. So it will be back to the trusty Ford Focus for the winter

 

[Jam03]

If you have nowhere to store the hardtop and you like driving with the top down, I say it’s a waste. I have had plenty of top down drives between October and April.

 

[Jam03]

This photo was taken on 2 January at 15:25. Winter’s not all bad.

 

[mikeyH]

Mine's a Z4 but still 20 years old and it lives outside all year. I don't have a hard top and as I drive it everyday with the roof down the wife and I would miss those cold but sunny days we have in the winter. Also I have seen them advertised with broken corners, so probably difficult to keep nice.

 

[bronty]

Mine's a Z4 but still 20 years old and it lives outside all year. I don't have a hard top and as I drive it everyday with the roof down the wife and I would miss those cold but sunny days we have in the winter. Also I have seen them advertised with broken corners, so probably difficult to keep nice.

The wife had a Suzuki vita soft top but
The local weather and trees around my house made the roof go green and fall apart

Depends where you live on the globe, the condition of your Z3 & your attitude towards looking after it or just using it.

Unfortunately it rains a lot in my part of the world my and z3 is in very nice condition rust free
That's what worries me but
The z3 is a second car I have a Range Rover for the bad days of winter but I much prefer to drive the Z3


Thank you to everyone for the information I think I will take the plunge and get the hard top and extortionately priced fitting kit

 

[Duncodin]

Would love to see more of this car and its refreshed body, please post some pictures and a link!
Thanks

There's a few of us doing rebodies. See the rebody pages here - Rebody forum

 

[Duncodin]

Thank you to everyone for the information I think I will take the plunge and get the hard top and extortionately priced fitting kit

Look for a roof complete with fitting kit. Might be a bit cheaper

 

[Duncodin]

Look for a roof complete with fitting kit. Might be a bit cheaper

Heres one for sale Here

 

[bronty]

Heres one for sale Here

Thanks but I have just bought one in silver from eBay
Now I have a road trip to Abergavenny

 

[GZed]

Thanks but I have just bought one in silver from eBay
Now I have a road trip to Abergavenny

“…..hoping the weather is fine….”

My home town! Now live in Shropshire but get down to see my brother quite often

You don’t need a massive hoist to get it off, two small pulleys and some rope does it, along with some lifting slings and karabiners to create a harness

 

[bronty]

I am going to drive down the A49 from wet Wigan to Abergavenny
Put the hard top on
Then head towards Aberystwyth find a nice hotel/B&B for me and the wife then home the next day via Ffestiniog.

 

[as400]

Bought my Z for £4.5K...immediately sold the hardtop very quickly snapped up for £500.

I'd say don't bother, it will not stop mice getting in if they want to.

Continue driving your car.

 

[bronty]

@as400
The wife has bought it now at least I get something for xmas I like
If I don't like it I can always sell it on but thanks for your advice