Can anyone help (car soft top problem) ?

[dougal]

Not really the place to ask, but since i'm comfortable in the Amibay forums i'll have a go anyway

When the soft top is closed on my 2000 model BMW 3 series convertible there is a horrible rattle (heard on rough bumps on the lovely Maltese roads) coming from the front center part of the top (between the locking latches). Basically from where near the interior courtesy light is but obviously on the roof part.

Sometimes opening and closing again the soft top fixes the problem. Sometimes not.

In both cases (rattle or no rattle) the top locks properly.

 

[Justin]

bizarrely the E46 suffers with shocker top mounts failing, the symptom of this is various rattles from the roof, i know weird huh!

 

[Beavis]

Yeah, there are some subframe mount cracking issues, and the recall unfortunately has expired by now.

 

[dougal]

Never did it before , only the last couple of weeks.

 

[dougal]

Yeah, there are some subframe mount cracking issues, and the recall unfortunately has expired by now.

Ouch. Since the car hit 100K miles all these annoying problems are popping up.

 

[Beavis]

We're just guessing of course, best to check it out ASAP though, before it gets worse.
Would be a damn shame, the E46 is still the best looking "Dreier" IMHO.

 

[dougal]

Yeah Will do. I still love the car and it still packs lots of engine power

A trip down to the stealers is in order.

 

[Beavis]

What's under the hood?

 

[dougal]

It's a 323ci. 2.5 straight 6

 

[Beavis]

Ok, an M54 I presume?
I've got an E39 528, also straight 6 M52 block.
Nowadays the "entry" level models are all 4 cylinders.

 

[dougal]

The E39 is my favorite 5 series. Not too keen on the newer E60 (?) models etc. modern yet with that classic look.

Yeah entry levels are all boring 4 cylinder or even worse, diesel

 

[Beavis]

Yeah, they must have hired some retard to design the E60 and the E90, the latter looks seriously stupid.
The newer models look a lot better though.
But if you take a 528, it still has 4 cyls. With the 2 L engine, only with some more turbo pressure.
But hey, they are also more environmental friendly, so there's a lot to say for that, because the taxes are a wee bit lower too.

 

[dougal]

Here is the retard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Bangle

 

[fitzsteve]

On my old Mgf the screws on the latches themselves used to work loose after time and start to rattle, I guess you checked the latches are screwed tightly to the hood?

 

[Beavis]

Hmm, so now he works for Samsung, there's not so much damage he can do over there, I guess....
He also worked for Fiat, surprises me that he didn't design the Multipla, the most horrible car ever made.

 

[dougal]

On my old Mgf the screws on the latches themselves used to work loose after time and start to rattle, I guess you checked the latches are screwed tightly to the hood?

The is a latch on either side, left and right and the actual locking mechanism in the centre between them. The latches are locking fine and there is no rattle from either side and roof is closing/locking tightly.

The rattle/knocking is coming from the locking mechanism. As i said, the problem is sometimes solved by re-opening and closing again the soft top or by manually tightening (using emergency tool) the locking mechanism. But once I open the top again and then close it afterwards I risk that the rattles might come back.

- - - Updated - - -

Haha the Multipla is a joke.

 

[Justin]

Schumacher loved his Multipla, maybe as ugly as hell but if it was good enough for Schuey..............................

 

[protek]

The E39 is my favorite 5 series. Not too keen on the newer E60 (?) models etc. modern yet with that classic look.

Yeah entry levels are all boring 4 cylinder or even worse, diesel

In Finland, we've always had a 4-cyl entry lever Fiver for taxation reasons. The E28 had a 518i and the same applies for the E34 too. The E39 was probably the only one that didn't have 4-cyl engines.

 

[dougal]

I think I found the problem.... I removed the cap covering the emergency manual latch thingy and noticed that the part where the allen key fits is loose and knocks on the plastics around it. I wedged some folded paper between the metal part (where the allen key fits) and the cap and closed it and it stopped knocking.

I have not tried opening the soft top yet with the paper wedged. Might have a go later, but at least no more knocking noise.

 

[supaduper]

well done fella !, paper is a wonderful material for most jobs LoL .
You can write on it , use it for packing(even used on cars back in the day , great insulator, read from it ( no loo should be without one to read or wipe in emergencies!), its only enemies are fire and water !!