Hardtop weight ?

[GDBN]

Hi ... anyone know how much a hardtop weighs ??
Just won one on e-bay and need to know if me and the other half can lift it and if it will fit into the back of an Avensis estate. 1000 mile round trip to collect !!
G

[orangecurry]

two people can lift one easily - one person with difficulty!

it's the shape rather than the weight that is the problem.... and make sure it'll fit in the estate before you go! - why not take the BMW? You KNOW it'll fit on top of that

[GDBN]

Good point .... but I have no idea who I am buying it from (yet) and if they will help fix it ....Just thought it would be easier to borrow a car from Hertz to pick it up.
Failing the Avensis I could go for something a bit bigger like a VW Touran or Ford Galaxy.
Plus it's 1500km less on my clock !!!!!

G

[orangecurry]

I can measure mine if you like, but that still won't mean you know it'll fit!

Copenhagen - great place! I asked my wife to marry me when we were visiting there - I went down on one knee and produced the sparkler when we were in front of the Little Mermaid..... corny or what

[toby]

I gotta say orangecurry has a point about taking your own car to fit. Yes this is a two person job to install but it will allow you to see if it has been mishapen and compromises the fit of the thing. It's gotta fit right or it will leak. I know you've already paid for it on ebay but you may have the opportunity to challenge the seller face to face if it doesn't fit correctly.

Just a thought - if you are gonna keep the hood folded up for a while the hardtop is in place - the rear screen of the hood can get compressed and discolour so maybe open in out occasionally to help prevent this.

Enjoy your new roof

[GDBN]

Thanks ... but I haven't paid for it yet. It's payment on collection. Can maybe take a colleague with me to help fit it. Just didn't fancy trying to fit it on a cold night in Germany and I don't speak the langauge !!

Proposing by the little mermaid -orange ..... very romantic. Unless you were surrounded by american and japanese tourists !!
At least you now know why it's called "little" - blink and you miss it !!

And my folding top is a bit knackered anyway . The rear window has lots of cracks in it and is a bit milky in places. Job for next year I hope.

Giles

[orangecurry]

there were a few other foreigners around , but it was in autumn so not too bad;

I can give you a few pointers on how to fit the roof if you like.... for the trip back it won't matter if the fit is not perfect - the front will lock ok, but ask the seller if the hartop has the metal pins for connecting at the back.

Does your car have (at the back) the female sockets already, under the small square plastic bungs?

[GDBN]

The bungs disappeared a while ago ... one of the leads for the window demister broke off ... will check soon but I have most of the interior out at mom as I'm fitting the heated seat wiring loom. Bit cold out there I can tell you !!

[martin325sport]

sorry to go off topic, but how easy is it to retrofit heated seats? I have a 320i cabriolet with leather, but was thinking of fitting some heated seats. can you strip the seats down to fit the heating elements etc?

cheers in advance

[GDBN]

Hi Martin ... I bought the kit from waeco ... came with the heating pads and wiring loom with switches. Not a tough job really, I think most time was spent on cleaning the seats rather than fitting the kit.
You have to take out the seats and then remove the cushions individually to fit the seat element and the back element. Not difficult as where the leather is pulled onto the frame "spikes" - it just went back easily. Then you slide the elements in between the felt and the foam cushion.
Wiring fits fine ... jusr tricky getting the wiring under the carpet but there is room for the excess cable next to the handbrake lever.
Kit cost about Ԛ£65 and it works very well.
G

[martin325sport]

G,
Thanks for that! Was the kit an aftermarket one then? or the BMW kit as fitted to the E30? I was hoping to get one from a breakers as it would have the proper switches in the dash etc.

cheers

Martin