Thoughts from the Curb

Nov 24, 2008 - My Z3: Replacing the Effing Window

Remember how car reviewers always used to bitch about plastic rear windows in convertibles? Point now taken.

After more than one year I had finally grown tired of my creased and cloudly plastic rear window. Plus, the rubber lining that blended the roof and window together was coming off and looked like crap. So I shopped around and decided to buy the official BMW part from Bavarian Autosport for $163 (shipping free) and install it myself. Bavarian Autosport suggested professional installation, but folks on the Internet had accomplished the install and if I couldn't do it as well, shame on me.

Because of the awkwardness of installation, it's a two-man job, so I recruited Vice Lieutenant of Vehicle Testing Mike Magrath (aka my neighbor) to assist. The instructions that came with the window were for an E36 3 Series, not the Z3, but with a few exceptions things seemed to line-up with what we were seeing on the car (the E36 is actually more difficult). I also brought along the photo instructions someone posted on the Internet.

That's all well and good, but you actually have to follow the damned instructions. Everything was nice and easy for a while as the old window came out easily. But then we made a crucial mistake. Despite looking over the directions countless times, we started to zip up the new window in a clockwise direction from the outside -- it was supposed to be clockwise from the inside. This simple mistake cost us about 10 futile tries and more than an hour. We suspected something was up when putting two zipper parts together proved to be more difficult that stuffing a live turkey -- but we kept on trying until we got it together and couldn't get the zipper pull thingy out without unzipping what we had already zipped. Magrath finally figured out we were doing it backwards.

Now it was in with one try. Then we had to tuck in the roof fabric underneath the window's aformentioned rubber lining (which is pictured above). That two was a pain in the ass -- hopefully it stays tucked when I drop the top for the first time. But hey, at least I can now see out the back window.

The first window lasted 10 years with a lot more raising and lowering and high temperatures than I'll ever subject it too. Lets hope this one lasts a lot longer ... 'cause I know Magrath ain't helping again. He's probably going to go out and buy some old British Leyland thing to get me back. Hey Riswick, could you help me with my Grandfather Clock?

-James Riswick

9:38 am | Categories: my z3 Permalink | Alert Administrator

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