E85 Hardtop rattle

[chewie]

So I e-mailed BMW Seattle again, and this is what they said:

"The harness is already installed on vehicles that have the Hardtop preparation option on their vehicles. When I ran your VIN last time, I didn’t see that option on your vehicle. I am guessing it is because your car was built before the hardtops were created for the Z4"

But Psygnosis, you had the harness already but not the prep, correct? What year is your car? I don't know what to think/do now =/

[Matty C]

That is total bullshit. I had a 2003 Z4 3.0 and I bought it with a hardtop. If your car originally didn't come with a hardtop maybe the hardtop prep, a $75 option was not done on the car. I would dig deeper. BMW Seattle seems to be blow smoke up your a**. Contact BMW NA if you are not getting treated the way you deserve to be.

[psygnosis]

Originally Posted by chewie

So I e-mailed BMW Seattle again, and this is what they said:

"The harness is already installed on vehicles that have the Hardtop preparation option on their vehicles. When I ran your VIN last time, I didn’t see that option on your vehicle. I am guessing it is because your car was built before the hardtops were created for the Z4"

But Psygnosis, you had the harness already but not the prep, correct? What year is your car? I don't know what to think/do now =/

March 04 build date.

There are 3 BMW dealers in the Seattle area, BMW Seattle, BMW Bellevue, and BMW Northwest (Fife) maybe give the other two a call and see what they have to say. But as far as I'm aware the wiring should be in place on most cars. "Unless your z4 was made between 10/04-03/05 then you need hardtop wiring hardness part# 54210403610 cost $44"

edit: looking on realoem it seems the wiring harness doesn't even show up as a part# unless you chose a car with in that date range
11 Hardtop wiring harness retrofit kit 1 10/2004 03/2005 54210403610 $34.50 See EBA 0403611

[chewie]

Another response:

"After poking around a bit with your VIN and talking with a few people (technician, shop foreman, etc…) there seems to be now definite consensus on whether you Z4 needs the wiring harness or not. The parts catalog mentions the need for a harness for vehicles Oct 2004 – March 2005 without hardtop preparation. Obviously your car is before that production date so it doesn’t show that part when you have your VIN entered into cataloging. However, after spending years working around these cars and the idiosyncrasies of cataloging vs. reality, I am quite certain your car will need that harness during installation. I am not trying to scare you away with big dollar parts or tons of labor. I just want you to be prepared for the scenario where the car will need that harness. If your vehicle doesn’t need it, then we won’t put it in the car! Presuming we go ahead with the order, I would order the harness anyway just in the event that it needs it. That way you wouldn’t be stuck here for another day or two before the installation was complete. Let me know what you think. And like I quoted you before, if your car doesn’t need the harness, then labor would be around 1-2 hours."

I find it pretty ridiculous that they can't find a definite answer. I don't want to drive down there and have to pay some more, really.

Side note. Do you think if I called BMW NA, they could price match the US price? I find it pretty crazy that our currency is almost on par, but there's a $1300 price difference, forcing me to take time to drive to Seattle, deal with unknowns, customs, taxes, etc.

[psygnosis]

I'm quite certain it should be damn easy to look in the car and see if the wiring is in place. There are two other BMW dealers in the Seattle area (all owned by different companies) and probably one up closer to you. It can't hurt to talk to them, tell them BMW Seattle is being stupid at least ask their opinion, maybe they might actually want your business. Or install the parts your self and say gimme the top.

edit: I got my oil changed at BMW Seattle and while I was there I asked about programming for the alarm and asked if they had a list of what other options could be programed. The guy said he couldn't get a list, but they'd be happy to charge me $130 for the 3 options he could remember. (alarm, door locks, DRL)

[GP20]

If you're prepared to come to Seattle to pick up the hardtop, you might as well drive down to Portland and buy it without taxes, and do some other shopping while you're at it.

[chewie]

Yeah, that's true. But that's a much longer drive, and it's winter in the Pacific North West. Plus, I'd have to factor in gas. Haha. I'd love to drive down there and just pick up the top without install, but it wouldn't fit in the Z4 trunk would it? The only other option is driving down with my mom's 95 civic, and I still don't know if it would fit. That, and I'm not too confident in my own abilities to put it on myself.

[chewie]

Sorry for bumping an old thread. Looks like I will hopefully be getting a hardtop that's out of town. I've got to drive there to get it, and I might not be able to get the prep kit in time. Can someone confirm that the hardtop will fit without the prep kit, and I'll just have to deal with a little noise/rattle? I just need to drive it back home without the prep kit, and then of course I'll be getting it.

Thanks,

*EDIT*
NVM, looks like I had the prep kit all along =/

[enzo 240]

ok i know you guys have gone over this many times however what exactly does that big black plug (the one behind the white plug behind the driver seat) do or is for