Car decisions

[TW]Fox · 22 May 2020 at 16:31

This is what happens when you don't use something. First time since last year?! Why did you buy a convertible

CliffyG · 22 May 2020 at 16:35

It was fine the first winter i didn't use it and presumably most people don't have their roofs down over winter!

[TW]Fox · 22 May 2020 at 16:36

It's an umbrella, if it's not raining put it down

Especially in the E85, a car that is great with the roof down and miserable inside when it's closed.

CliffyG · 22 May 2020 at 16:40

Haha nope it needs to be 19 degrees or it gets a bit nippy.

Joe T · 23 May 2020 at 08:28

CliffyG said:
Haha nope it needs to be 19 degrees or it gets a bit nippy.

I suggest dressing appropriately. I drive the Morgan all year round, and the roof (nor the side windows) have been on that car in over a decade.

As Fox says, if it isnt raining then the roof should be down. The car has a heater, right?

MissChief · 23 May 2020 at 13:34

Why buy a convertible if you’re not going to use it? If it’s above 10’C and not raining, taps aff!

CliffyG · 23 May 2020 at 13:40

I do use it when i feel it is appropriate. While i do appreciate all the suggestions of how often i should have the roof down if anyone could actually offer any insight into why its so slow opening that would be far more useful.

Muffin` · 23 May 2020 at 15:04

That's not how this works - it's far easier to judge you than help

[TW]Fox · 23 May 2020 at 17:21

CliffyG said:
I do use it when i feel it is appropriate. While i do appreciate all the suggestions of how often i should have the roof down if anyone could actually offer any insight into why its so slow opening that would be far more useful.

Unfortunately this is likely a sign that the motor is on its way out. It'll gradually slow to the point where it's difficult to get it to catch as the catch flicks out ahead of the arrival of the roof.

It could just be a bit stiff through lack of use but if it doesn't get better with use I'd start to budget for the inevitable.

CliffyG · 23 May 2020 at 19:10

I am resigned to it costing money. Waiting to hear back from my mechanic about potential costs. Just hoping there is a magic fix without spending anything.

Uncle_Gravy · 23 May 2020 at 20:37

[TW]Fox said:
It's an umbrella, if it's not raining put it down

Especially in the E85, a car that is great with the roof down and miserable inside when it's closed.

This, you have to listen to all the horrible plastic interior rattles with the roof up....I know....I used to have a 3.0i Z4.

CliffyG said:
I am resigned to it costing money. Waiting to hear back from my mechanic about potential costs. Just hoping there is a magic fix without spending anything.

Yeah, it's called getting someone to relocate the roof motor into your boot for £200-£250, have a search on https://z4-forum.com/ loads of people across the country can do it.

CliffyG · 23 May 2020 at 20:46

I've seen that not any near cambridge and I'm not 100% it's the motor and even if it is dying then a relocation won't do much.

Psycho Sonny · 24 May 2020 at 19:25

CliffyG said:
I've seen that not any near cambridge and I'm not 100% it's the motor and even if it is dying then a relocation won't do much.

The motors are bulletproof they cannot die.

There are ones that have been completely encasdd in water for years been brought back to life.

If its losing power then its likely waterlogged in its case.

The guy in Durham will relocate to the boot for £80 iirc.

So it's worth the drive.

He will also top up the fluid. He topped mine up. Could be it needs more fluid.

It's likely waterlogged.

Or of its struggling they can sometimes not fold right and go out of track. You need to make sure you manually bend it into track when someone else hits the button.

Mine won't go fully down sometimes and needs a push at the end to lock in.

CliffyG · 24 May 2020 at 20:19

I think it's likely to have come off track then. Will get my missus to give me a hand in the next day or so to see if I can sort it.

[TW]Fox · 24 May 2020 at 21:18

Psycho Sonny said:
The motors are bulletproof they cannot die.

We've had two die. The first one was done under BMW warranty years back but no amount of drying out would bring the second back to life.

Psycho Sonny · 25 May 2020 at 00:52

[TW]Fox said:
We've had two die. The first one was done under BMW warranty years back but no amount of drying out would bring the second back to life.

You should have read the Z4 forums.

They can be with the right process.

If you took them to bmw dealers then I'm not surprised

[TW]Fox · 25 May 2020 at 08:30

The first one went to the dealer because the car was under warranty, so why wouldn't it?

The second we did ourselves on the drive.

Psycho Sonny · 25 May 2020 at 20:47

Did exactly the same a few years ago. These motors are very robust. It's just the electrical contacts that fail due to the water.

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76309

plenty of people brought theirs back to life by dipping in diesel iirc and left it in the diesel for a day or two. then remove and dry