Are they retained?

[Medskipper]

After buying my Z3M last September with an OEM hardtop I have finally managed to take it off today for the summer. There are retaining bolts either side at the front and as they haven’t dropped out of the frame I’m assuming they are retained? They can’t be screwed back is as they will foul the soft top!
Or is there a way of removing them so I can store them?

many thanks

 

[Grumps]

@Lee

 

[Jack Ratt]

Just leave them in, they wont rattle about or fall out. I've never taken mine out

 

[Medskipper]

Just leave them in, they wont rattle about or fall out. I've never taken mine out

good man thanks, I have thought that but wanted to check as I didn’t want to lose them! Thanks again

 

[Lee]

Mine do the same, the plastic surround sits slightly off centre to the hole so they don't drop out. If you push it from the side the bolt will drop.

 

[mwpe]

The OEM bolts have an O ring on them which holds them in the hole.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Not on mine, there aren't. Something else to waste some time over, then.

 

[Mario]

Hello - My advice is push them from the top of the frame down and wiggle them out with a small screwdriver, the one in the toolkit works perfectly, they might stay on for a while but wait until you get onto a bumpy road and the car starts shaking and they fall down to disappear forever under the seats or god know where.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

they fall down to disappear forever under the seats or god know where.

Sounds like the voice of experience.

 

[Nodzed]

Never use my HT and never taken the front bolts out and they've never fallen out. ............................... note to self, just check they are still in there

 

[Medskipper]

I must admit I don’t know when I’m ever going to use my HT again!
It was on the car when I purchased it and judging by the condition of the soft top I’m thinking previous owners almost never used the car as an open soft top! Can’t understand it! I also have another Z3 with a smaller engine, never had the HT and have always loved having the top down.

 

[the Nefyn cat]

previous owners almost never used the car as an open soft top!

There are some around who almost never use the car fullstop.

The previous owner of mine managed to do around a thousand miles in a year, and never took the hardtop off. Kind of missing the point.

 

[Medskipper]

There are some around who almost never use the car fullstop.

The previous owner of mine managed to do around a thousand miles in a year, and never took the hardtop off. Kind of missing the point.

yes it’s unbelievable isn’t it! I’ve been a boat owner for many years and you can’t believe how many boats just sit in marinas worth hundreds of thousands of pounds and never move! Incredible!

 

[the Nefyn cat]

Oh yes I would. Believe, that is. Used to live in Folkestone and there were plenty of boats in the harbour that never seemed to go anywhere, and it seems much the same in Pwllheli. Too many

 

[benf]

E89 best of both worlds