Why is the bonnet the wrong way round?

[Dr Firefly]

Just wondering - is it so that it can't open and blow into the windscreen or something? Or is it just for the hell of it? As far as I can see it just makes the car harder to work on...

[buster]

i think its just as easy,dont know why though

[oze30]

I think its fine. But I agree with the not blowing open. I've had to drive many times with it open because of overheating issues.

[dimebag_from_hell]

I'm glad its the wrong way!! About a month ago i was out in my 306 d-turbo S, doing between 70-80mph and the bonnet flew up and smashed of my windscreen. It was on country roads too, i managed to stop safley, it was scary to say the least.

[Dr Firefly]

Had the bonnet blow open and then fall off on my old 1973 landrover - was not a nice moment as I was on the motorway. Luckily I was going up a hill, so I could only do 45mph, so it wasn't too dangerous. That was shortly before the top of the passenger door fell off - rust was never the landrovers' strong point!

Though it did have cruise control - you pressed a button and this latch literally shot across and clipped onto the throttle cable - apparently it was an experimental model...

Oh well, was just wondering if there was a particular reason that people knew why BMW designed it that way and then swapped around on later models. Where's Brian and his encyclopaedic knowledge when you need it?

[shaprid]

I had one slap up the windscreen once on a Mk1 capri very scary dont want to repeat in a hurry! i for one glad they the wrong way, peace of mind is worth a lot, or maybe i'm just slowing down

[munky30]

My old mini popped the bonnet open at 85mph on the motorway once... smashed the screen, covered me in glass, was a terrifying experience.

I think the e30 bonnet does make it harder to work on the engine (especially bits on the front like the water pump, pulleys etc) but its worth it so I dont have to go through that again.

Hadnt thought about driving with it open in an emergency to solve overheating issues... cunning plan!

[Rosc0PColtrane]

My old mini popped the bonnet open at 85mph on the motorway once... smashed the screen, covered me in glass, was a terrifying experience.

I think the e30 bonnet does make it harder to work on the engine (especially bits on the front like the water pump, pulleys etc) but its worth it so I dont have to go through that again.

Hadnt thought about driving with it open in an emergency to solve overheating issues... cunning plan!

Esp when drifting mate, seen vids of japs in e30's drifting and donutting with the bonnets open

[Simon]

It's just a design feature of the E30, lot's of older BMW's have the bonnet open to the front.

And as for working on the engine, 5 bolts, and a couple of hoses (and maybe a wiring loom) takes about 2 minutes.

[essexboy]

i think it makes it easier to work on as u dont have to worry about hitting ur head on it unless u got a dodgy gas strut in it and if its really in the way 2as above 2 minuts and its off

[snoops]

i think its easier to work on as well and IMO it looks better the way it is because its different.

[stonesie]

Its a good idea having the bonnet opening forwards, anyone seen watchdog recently with the MK2 clio's bonnet catches literally rotting away causing the thing to fly up on the motorway??


On my old clio i drove about for a day with the bonnet open with no problems (it was a mk1 with the forwards opening bonnet )

on my Vauxhall today i happened to notice the bonnet 'jittering' on the motorway at about 85~90, the bloody thing had popped itself and i was very happy that the saftey latch worked till i got it slammed back down

[munky30]

i think it makes it easier to work on as u dont have to worry about hitting ur head on it unless u got a dodgy gas strut in it and if its really in the way 2as above 2 minuts and its off

You've obviously never worked on your engine on a windy day... doesnt matter how good your struts are, enough of a gust and it comes crashing down... most painful!

But as simon says (jump up and down) they're very easy to take off and put back on.

[oze30]

i think it makes it easier to work on as u dont have to worry about hitting ur head on it unless u got a dodgy gas strut in it and if its really in the way 2as above 2 minuts and its off

You've obviously never worked on your engine on a windy day... doesnt matter how good your struts are, enough of a gust and it comes crashing down... most painful!

But as simon says (jump up and down) they're very easy to take off and put back on.

That happens on all bonnets. Ive seen the bonnet fly off when someone was working ona jeep (normal opening with a support brace) and it mashed the windscreen. Lucky it was a soft top, he just drove home with ethe screen folded down!
Best way in my opinion to work on a car is remove the bloody thing.

[Dr Firefly]

I actually prefer the bonnet that way round - love the satisfying 'clunk' as you push it down to click it closed. So it's a mystery why they did it then... Not liking the sound of the 85mph mini experience Munky - were you in the fast lane too? At least when it happened to me in the landrover I could pull straight onto the hard shoulder. Just walked back 300 yards, picked up the bonnet and clicked it all back together, and set off again at 45mph - once drove 300miles from Bristol to Leeds in that thing, won't be doing that again in a hurry, took 6 and a half hours. Good round the farm though - just cannot get it stuck.

[Simon]

So it's a mystery why they did it then...

No, as I said above, it's the design!

It's like saying why did they make the headlamps round!

[Dr Firefly]

So it's a mystery why they did it then...

No, as I said above, it's the design!

It's like saying why did they make the headlamps round!

No but seriously, why did they make the headlamps round?

Lol - sorry bad choice of words when I said "mystery." Was wondering if there was any particular reason that everyone knew, but obviously not. I do think it adds to the design, and makes it more distinctive.

On another note, I've just made 500 posts! I'm a regular!! I guess that means my views have to be taken seriously now...

[PeterS]

So it's a mystery why they did it then...

No, as I said above, it's the design!

It's like saying why did they make the headlamps round!

I'm fairly sure I read somewhere that BMWs originally had the bonnets hinged at the front as a safety measure. Hinges were pretty stiff bits of metal that could encroach into the passenger cell in the event of heavy collisions, potentially causing injury to passengers.

As hinge design improved, and I guess pedestrian safety regs were tightened, they switched to hinging at the back, Under current pedestrian protection regs you'd not get away with a pair of nice stiff hinges at the front - it's one of the reasons new cars have higher bonnet lines and bigger front overhangs - if you do run into someone they should just bounce off Or at least, not suffer major head injuries when head collides with the top of the block...

Not sure how much truth there is in the above, but it was what I read, and it seemed logical...

Peter

[munky30]

Not liking the sound of the 85mph mini experience Munky - were you in the fast lane too?

Yup, fast lane, rush hour in the rain. I had about an inch at the bottom to look through. Pulled into the hard shoulder before braking so as not to get rear ended... I'd like to say it was my skill as a driver that got me out of it with nothing more than a few cuts from the glass... but I think it was sheer blind luck to be honest.

[munky30]

On another note, I've just made 500 posts! I'm a regular!! I guess that means my views have to be taken seriously now...

I wouldn't count on it.

[Dr Firefly]

I know I know.... It was meant ironically, (that means "sort of like iron" in case you didn't know)

[gareth]

have any of you lot tried refitting an E30 bonnet on a windy day, on your own! it comes highly recommended!!!!!
you end up running down the road with a massive sail, unable to see where you're going!!!!
i did it sucessfully a while ago. i was quite chuffed!

having been an a maestro van which had it's bonnet fly up, i'm bloody glad the E30 is like it is!!!

[munky30]

I know I know.... It was meant ironically, (that means "sort of like iron" in case you didn't know)

I was being ironic too... once a newbie always a newbie... etc.

Oh and ironically doesnt mean sort of like iron... you're thinking of irony

'Ironically' is a statement about vauxhall calibras. Cally's that weigh so much they may as well be made of iron..


Gareth - been there... not fun! Though after nearly being blown into the wall a few times I did get it fitted.

Also must recommend not leaning the bonnet up against an iron railing while working, if the wind blows it down and it lands on the catches/rollers at the scuttle edge, they sink into the bonnet and it sits too low.

[gareth]

aha, that's what the're for. i assumed the rollers were only there to test the strength of my skull!

[DRIFTBOY]

When I had my first full time job at a motor spares shop I went outside one day to fit a battery for a customer to a mk1 Fiesta - forward hinged bonnet.
It was a real turd and while I was fitting the battery a gust of wind came along and blew the bonnet forwards so it was sticking right out from the front of the car, almost horizontal!

With the customer standing next to me it was very difficult not to wet myself laughing!
Even more so as he struggled to bend the hinges back shutting it again!

Martin.

[peejay]

[quote="munky30"][quote="Firefly2005"]
On another note, I've just made 500 posts! I'm a regular!! I guess that means my views have to be taken seriously now...
You cant beat being regular......my dear ole mom used to swear by it !!

[peejay]

What makes you think the bonnet is the wrong way round ? I reckon its all the other sorry looking cars !

PJ.

[JohnnyThunders]

Its on the way it is so photos look cool.

[aceraf]

i think it makes it easier to work on as u dont have to worry about hitting ur head on it unless u got a dodgy gas strut in it and if its really in the way 2as above 2 minuts and its off

You've obviously never worked on your engine on a windy day... doesnt matter how good your struts are, enough of a gust and it comes crashing down... most painful!

But as simon says (jump up and down) they're very easy to take off and put back on.

I agree...luckily i've always managed to move out the way...but when mine dropped down, it dropped with some force....it fell so hard it wedged into the gap between the roller guides and the wing

[e30bmlover]

why is it when you have your bonnet up everyone thinks the car has broken down? i was checking the oil the other day and this little girl and her father walked past, the little girl said ''whats wrong with that car daddy?'' her father replied ''its proberbly broken down''. he obviousley underestimates german engeneering as i can guarentee that my car will be around alot longer than what his fiat(french, cant build cars cant fight wars) will ever be!

[munky30]

I had my bonnet on the floor next to the car, the old engine on the floor and the new one hanging from the engine crane above the empty engine bay and one of my neighbours walked past and asked what I was doing to the car.

'Changing the tyres' was my reply...

[JohnnyThunders]

Why did you have the bonnet out to change the tires?

doh.. maybe they were being nice?

[DaveD]

why is it when you have your bonnet up everyone thinks the car has broken down? i was checking the oil the other day and this little girl and her father walked past, the little girl said ''whats wrong with that car daddy?'' her father replied ''its proberbly broken down''. he obviousley underestimates german engeneering as i can guarentee that my car will be around alot longer than what his fiat(french, cant build cars cant fight wars) will ever be!

fiat FRENCH!!! an Italian stallion

[e30bmlover]

I had my bonnet on the floor next to the car, the old engine on the floor and the new one hanging from the engine crane above the empty engine bay and one of my neighbours walked past and asked what I was doing to the car.

'Changing the tyres' was my reply...

lmao, some people are so @ucking inept.(like me, thinking fiat was french!)

[e30bmlover]

why is it when you have your bonnet up everyone thinks the car has broken down? i was checking the oil the other day and this little girl and her father walked past, the little girl said ''whats wrong with that car daddy?'' her father replied ''its proberbly broken down''. he obviousley underestimates german engeneering as i can guarentee that my car will be around alot longer than what his fiat(french, cant build cars cant fight wars) will ever be!

fiat FRENCH!!! an Italian stallion

lol whatever! i dont claim to know anything about cars, it was just a chance for me to have a dig at the french!(gutless bastards!)
i stand corrected.