The Neurosis Continues.. Found another Car, help. <pics> --

[E30 Cabrio]

I'll say it again and maybe it will click with you. Save the money you'd spend on a soft top and buy yourself a hardtop. It will make your car a million times more enjoyable to drive on a regular basis, and if you get a hoist you can have it on and off in 2 minutes. I was debating selling my cabrio until I got my hardtop; now I'll never sell it.

But keep in mind, he lives in Florida where rain is not as predictable as out here in California, so the option of just putting the top on while out and about wouldn't be available to him.

As I understand it, in Florida and in that part of the country, it can be sunny one minute and raining 10 minutes later.

If you're out and about, you don't have the option of putting a hardtop on.

That would be a better option for us California guys where we know we won't see any rain for 6 consecutive months.

My top has been up twice in the last 3 months and that's only because I parked in SF overnight, but around the beginning of November thru the end of March, the top will be up most of the time.

I might have to invest in one of those HT's myself as I plan on keeping this car for a long time.

I missed out on one about a year and a half ago on craigslist for $100.00 by a few minutes.

[lespaul]

Very true, I was just in a torrential downpour, and I'm looking outside my window right now and there isn't a cloud in the sky.. So odd. That being said, what do you thing of the blue/black top combo if I go with another top?

But keep in mind, he lives in Florida where rain is not as predictable as out here in California, so the option of just putting the top on while out and about wouldn't be available to him.

As I understand it, in Florida and in that part of the country, it can be sunny one minute and raining 10 minutes later.

If you're out and about, you don't have the option of putting a hardtop on.

That would be a better option for us California guys where we know we won't see any rain for 6 consecutive months.

My top has been up twice in the last 3 months and that's only because I parked in SF overnight.

[E30 Cabrio]

What's the weight difference between the hardtop and the complete soft top assembly?

It would be a simple matter to remove a manual soft top frame and leave it off the car while running the hardtop.

What is it? Three or four bolts on each side?

Good question, how much does a HT weigh?

I wouldn't mind having one for the winter months although my soft top doesn't leak a drop.

Not yet anyways.

[VacMan]

Hardtop weighs about 75 lbs. My wife helped me put it on the car.

You don't need to remove the soft top, just leave it in the boot. I'm not saying the hardtop is a replacement, I'd just run the hardtop when you know it's going to be inclement weather, and if you get stuck somewhere without the hardtop you can use the soft top for short stints. To me, it's just not worth the $1500 to get a new top properly installed and still have the soft top flap, wind noise and poor sealing (by comparison.)

[E30 Cabrio]

My Soft Top is in good shape, but I would love to have a HT to leave on for the rainy months here in Northern Calif. which is November thru March, but that's a $1,000 luxury item which isn't really a necessity.

I just wish I didn't miss out on that one I mentioned earlier on cragslist for $100

But for the OP, if his top is in bad shape and leaking, and he's in Florida where the rain isn't as predictable as here in California, then a new soft top would be a better option, but only if his current soft top is really leaky.

Like I said, the weather can change quickly from sunny to a cloudburst in that part of the country, especially during the summer, top down months, so he may find himself where he needs to put the top up right away and needs one that doesn't leak.

[Lair]

Hardtop weighs about 75 lbs. My wife helped me put it on the car.

You don't need to remove the soft top, just leave it in the boot. I'm not saying the hardtop is a replacement, I'd just run the hardtop when you know it's going to be inclement weather, and if you get stuck somewhere without the hardtop you can use the soft top for short stints. To me, it's just not worth the $1500 to get a new top properly installed and still have the soft top flap, wind noise and poor sealing (by comparison.)

The winters here would make soft top removal worthwhile. We have two or three months that are cold enough to preclude topless driving.

Ditching the 75-100 pound soft top & frame would have to help gas mileage.

[markseven]

The color should be the last thing on your mind. I vote for the Bronzit one, BTW.

[Sam Cogley]

I like the blue one. M42 FTW!

[E30 Cabrio]

The color should be the last thing on your mind. I vote for the Bronzit one, BTW.

Color is important to many people, including myself.

I wanted to replace my 325es with either a silver or delphin cabby with black interior and a 5 spd, in good condition, low mileage and records.

Tough to find seeing how only about 3,000 5 spd cabrio's were made per year for 325i E30's in the US

It took months for me to find the right car and I came close as my car had all of the above except a navy blue interior which I have since changed to black.

My Corvette had a tan interior and I hated it and it actually took away from my enjoyment of the car.

Black sport interior on an E30 is awesome looking IMO, and it matches well with certain color combo's like blue, silver, gray and red.

To some people, color is very important.

[Irish1]

Of course my perfect 1993 Cabrio is still for sale.... No risk, new top+ all the other stuff listed in my for sale thread. Just got a Z4 coupe, so ready for the red 93 to go.

Very true, I was just in a torrential downpour, and I'm looking outside my window right now and there isn't a cloud in the sky.. So odd. That being said, what do you thing of the blue/black top combo if I go with another top?

[lespaul]

Don't agree at all, color is extremely important to me. I eliminated a few colors completely from my search. I think it sets the personality for the car..

If the woman has a heart of gold, but her face doesn't invoke anything within me, I can't force an attraction. I can't do that with a car either. Although I can see how it can happen..
Fast forward 2 years and your trading her in or painting her at Maaco (the car not the woman.) :)

The color should be the last thing on your mind. I vote for the Bronzit one, BTW.

[lespaul]

me too.. Hey, what does FTW! mean? I've been seeing many use it on the forum here.

I like the blue one. M42 FTW!

[twothrees]

FTW= For The Win
FTL= For The Lose

[lespaul]

ah... got it. thx.

FTW= For The Win
FTL= For The Lose