DIY Z3 roof kit?

[Pond]

At some point I will need a new roof covering and rear window for my Z3. The window is blue (!) and the fabric edges around zip have come away.
I will be unable to drive the car anywhere for a VERY long time, so I am thinking of whether anyone does a DIY roof covering 'kit' for the Z3?

I have spoken to a very local auto upholsterers who will do it for me if I take the car to them, but (a) they are very very expensive and (b) I can't get the car even down the road.

Any suggestions?

 

[Nodzed]

There are quite a few mobile Z3 roof suppliers / fitters I used 2 different ones for my Zeds but again not cheapest options.
This was the last one I used for the M

Home

We supply and fit hoods and soft tops to convertible cars both modern and classic. Based in Stockport, Cheshire we also do a mobile hood fitting service covering the North West and West Midlands

www.thesofttopshop.com

 

[Ade33]

AirBnb in Swansea and a trip to Jack Smiths is your best option who is well documented here..About £400 fully fitted

..Around a six month waiting list though

 

[Pond]

AirBnb in Swansea and a trip to Jack Smiths is your best option who is well documented here..About £400 fully fitted

..Around a six month waiting list though

I can't drive the car! Any hood will have to be done at my house, or a DIY kit.

 

[Ade33]

Sorry should have read your original post about drivability

Personally having researched the cost of hoods elsewhere and assuming you can live with the current hood even with gaffa tape.. I'd wait until the car is drivable then go to Jack's as the cost saving is huge compared with elsewhere plus his workmanship is second to none!

 

[Jack Ratt]

If you need a new top now because the car is outside and leaking water the cheapest option for your predicament is to buy a hard top. Can't imagine you'll get a home fitting service for a new soft top for the same cost. Second hand hardtop will be around £1000. On the plus side you can sell it and get your money back when you're straight.

If your car is undercover why not just wait until it is drivable and save a few quid?

 

[Nodzed]

If you need a new top now because the car is outside and leaking water the cheapest option for your predicament is to buy a hard top. Can't imagine you'll get a home fitting service for a new soft top for the same cost. Second hand hardtop will be around £1000. On the plus side you can sell it and get your money back when you're straight.

If your car is undercover why not just wait until it is drivable and save a few quid?

My mobile supply and fitting was about £800 in I think 2018

 

[Delk]

Prices have climbed quite a bit. Ifitted one a few years ago to my car and a good quality top was cheap. The cost for a top has doubled since.

If you do your own the only real issue I found was cleaning the goo off the back seal. It took a good amount of time to do it properly. Fitting the rest of the hood was just simple but fiddly.

 

[Pond]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I don't need it doing as a priority and the car is in a garage and will be for the foreseeable future. Swansea is an awfully long way from me, no matter what the saving may be TBH.
I will wait and do some more research nearer the time. I need to remove the roof and store it somewhere anyway, so the mice will probably make it worse!

 

[Duncodin]

When my rebody is at the paint stage - year or 18mnths maybe - I'll do the trip to swansea for a nice new professionally fitted top to go with my new paint.

In the meantime though my existing roof is totally shot so I need something/anything to tide me over while I'm bodging with the rebody.

So I ordered one from a USA supplier on etsy. Burgundy Twill weave vinyl. Around £180 quid. Free delivery but got hit 50 quid on customs duty/tax.

I'll fit it myself and, as I said, it'll do for a while till my car is ready for paint.

Quality of the material feels and looks good but the back window is bonded in from the outside and doesn't look nice at all. But you get what you pay for and I'd be gutted if I messed up a nice roof while waving tools and grp around. I'm a real messy worker.

 

[Ade33]

Swansea ones are not zipped in. I'm guessing having not seen one they are stitched

I asked Martin at Jack Smiths this specific question.. But despite this a bargain for the circa £400 he charges.. But a warning he does have around a six month waiting list

 

[Stevo7682]

I have priced getting a roof done anywhere north of the border and you're £750 plus depending on who it is
I have seen a couple of Jack Smith roof and for the money he is charging its a good product he uses decent quality materials and yes as already stated there are 2 differences between Jack's roof and original.
First as stated the rear window is stitched in and not zipped and second jacks roofs do not have side bellows like the original one
( Just for educational purposes for those who dont know)

On original roofs the flap circled is open through to the inside BMW designed this to lower the pressure exerted on the rear window by the pressure wave caused by simultaneously closing both doors Jack Smith roof doesn't have the opening ( but this does not seem to cause any issues with normal use).

@Pond
Could you not find a good second hand full roof with frame and change the lot have looked into doing this ( definitely a 2 man job ) but looks fairly straightforward hardest bit looks like the butyl seal at rear.
Stephen.