Are Hard Tops really more valuable than our high mileage cars?

[wcampbelliv]

I have a hard top for both my cars and love how it changes the dynamics of the car - so I understand why people want one, but are we really at the point where the hard tops are worth as much as our high mileage cars?

As I'm trying to move on from a decade with a car, I'm to the point where I (also my wife) just need my 2002 3.0 to go to a good home and be out of my driveway so we can get a baby hauler; thankfully I'll still have an M to play with so I'm not leaving the community. I'm trying to sell my Blue/Red Z and have dropped the price down to $5,000 WITH a hard top! I know the hardtops go for $2K with the mounting hardware and I'm sure I could find a few takers for just the top, but I need the car to go with it - hoping to find someone who wants a project in addition to a hard top.

Anyone know someone looking to get into our community?

[BimmerBreaker]

Itd be a much easier sale if the hardtop matched in color

Youd get the best return by selling the HT to someone with a red car and selling the z3 without it

And yes, some of these cars are worth so little now that the HT is worth more

[Z3X2]

I had the same issue selling my Daughters 02 3.0 I wanted 5k with the top no takers so I sold
the top for 2k and Carmax gave me 2.5K for the car I was fine with that. For not having to deal
with buyers wanting to bet me up on the car price it was worth it to me 20mins and out the door
with the check. Carmax didn't even drive the car they just send them to the Auction if they are
over 10 years old.

[pine1000]

I'd bet it would sell faster without the hard top. Someone who wants an old convertible doesn't necessarily want to deal with the hard top.

[BimmerBreaker]

I'd bet it would sell faster without the hard top. Someone who wants an old convertible doesn't necessarily want to deal with the hard top.

Yup, have to agree with this. Theres a reason they made more Z3's than hardtops... not everyone with a Z3 wants a hardtop

To me, hardtops on convertibles are a sin. If I was gonna put a hardtop on a vert, I'd just buy an E36 coupe or something...
Exceptions are made for cold climates when people want to drive em year-round. That I get. But driving with a hardtop in 70 degree weather? Travesty

[wcampbelliv]

Yup, have to agree with this. Theres a reason they made more Z3's than hardtops... not everyone with a Z3 wants a hardtop

To me, hardtops on convertibles are a sin. If I was gonna put a hardtop on a vert, I'd just buy an E36 coupe or something...
Exceptions are made for cold climates when people want to drive em year-round. That I get. But driving with a hardtop in 70 degree weather? Travesty

Thanks for the feedback everyone - I guess I was looking at it from the standpoint of the hard top being more desirable, thus making the car more likely to sell. Clearly not the case! I’ll switch things up.

Also, I’m strictly a hardtop user during the winter. I do love the look, but since I daily drive, I take advantage of every possible top down day.


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[Vintage42]

... not everyone with a Z3 wants a hardtop ...

The first Z3 I looked at, on a used car lot, came with a hard top on a dolly out behind the office.
It was one of the reasons I did not buy that car. I did not want put a hard top on the convertible, or pay whatever it was adding to the cost of the car. I had no way of transporting or storing or installing it myself, and did not (then) know what it might be worth or how to sell it.

[tadanlala]

I got my e36 vert for 1600$ and I cant seem to find a hardtop for less then that (including painting to color match)

[amancuso]

I got my e36 vert for 1600$ and I cant seem to find a hardtop for less then that (including painting to color match)

I had one on my old e36 convertible.

[Meeners]

Supply and Demand. They are expensive because there really aren't as many around. It's the same story for S2000 tops:
1) Everyone wants one
2) People that own them don't want to let go of them for under $2,000
3) People don't want to travel to buy them
4) Most buyers are too frugal to pay the shipping cost.

If it were a Miata the hardtops would be in the $500-900 range because they are so plentiful.

If you want to sell a Z and own a hardtop, unfortunately it's in your best interest financially to sell the car separate from the top. Personally, it's not worth the time to separate anymore. In my experience most people looking for a hardtop aren't willing to travel over 300 miles to obtain one (I've traveled twice that for the ones I've owned). I've sold quite a few hardtops and only one person of the many was willing to come get it. Buyers also expect you to coordinate the shipping, however, the liability and freight cost are the delineation. Buyers scoff at paying high dollar ($350+) shipping costs, so instead they request to cheap out just to save $100. What ends up happening is the hardtop ends up getting scuffed/damaged in freight because the inexpensive shipping company doesn't take care and then the buyer complains to the seller about it. Then as a seller you are roped into the process for filing a suit with the trucking company and the new owner gets mad because it taking so long to get their claim fulfilled (if at all). Ask me how I know. I will never ship a hardtop again unless the owner handles pickup/freight themselves. I'd rather lose money and include it with the car.