Considering adding a Cab - what are the big ticket items?

[RND1]

I'm considering adding a Cabriolet to the garage, but know very little about the top mechanisms. I'm very familiar with the e36 M3 Coupe as I've spent an endless amount of time below mine :). What I'd like to know is how to evaluate the top, difference between semi-auto or fully auto, cost of replacing rubber seals, tension straps, the top itself, etc. Thanks for your help.

[flyfishvt]

I have a 97 328 vert with fully auto top that is my weekend toy. I also have a 94 325 vert with a semi auto top and I'm in the middle of an extensive renovation to that car. I must say I am starting to lean towards the semi auto top just from a simplicity standpoint. The cost to replace the top depends on the quality you get. $350-450 is a good price range if you install it yourself. Not many of us actually replace the tension straps. We usually repair them. Once you get the top working correctly they can be amazingly trouble free. When something goes wrong with them. Finding a solution can be a bit like finding a needle in a haystack until you learn more about them. I've found that just about every issue you could run across has been documented here at one tome or another.

[E36ic4Me]

I've owned four different E36 Convertibles. Top issues are not as horrifically common as some might have you believe. I have replaced the top on two of them, which ran me about $700 (top, straps & installation). I've 'fixed' tension straps myself and it is very easy to do! All of my E36 tops have been perfectly reliable and typically go up and down twice a day.

[RND1]

Thanks guys for the input. I was expecting a top replacement to run $1500 or more from an independent. When replacing a top, are there a lot of different sources of material? Is the OEM material still available?

- - - Updated - - -

I just called my local dealer and they said they can still get the OEM material for a '98 M3. It's $4500 for the top and $1200 in labor!!

[E36ic4Me]

You can amply find OEM materials, that is what I purchased for my vehicles. Be aware, when you take a vehicle to the dealership for soft top replacement all they do is drive the car to a local upholstery shop and have them do it.

[ConvGeorge]

The front seal is around $300. topsonline has the top for $500 or so, provided you can replace it yourself (I can.) The material on these looks like stock. The top motors cost around $5-600 each, and the tonneau cover motor is the one most likely to fail, in my opinion. Fortunately it's the easier one to replace.

[nevolution]

You can also find used motors on Ebay and Craigslist; expect to pay $125-175 for the top motor, $150-200 for the tonneau cover motor assembly, and $75-125 for the front motor. However, no guarantees that they will work, and you'd want to try to find one from a similar year.

Also, the top control module does have some diagnostic abilities, but you will need to find a dealer or someone with a capable scan tool to read those codes and use the diagnostics; cheap scan tools won't be on any help with the top.