Any good ideas for a Cali-sunroof mod?
 

My California sunroof is broken on my 96 318ti, has been for years. Its sealed with silicone around the cloth/seal. I was wondering if any of you have done something cool with replacing this - like carbon fiber, cut and paste a E36 2DR roof?, glass insert, anything. I'd like to get rid of the cloth. The BMW dealer told me a few years ago could be $2,000 to fix it LOL (I'd like to spend $200-600 area.) Any good ideas to replace the roof nicely and cost effectively?

Hmm you COULD just get a shop to insert a moonroof style piece of glass installed or you could get it repaired. There's a cali top being parted out on here I believe, why not just fix it?? If I could get a cali tip id be happy just saying..

.50cal

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...ss76/50CAL.jpg

^ EPIC WIN!

dude. that would be smart. then no one could steal your car unless they gernade you out.

Like cooljess' idea.

What do you mean by 'broken'?
Does not open or does it leak??

My top refused to close at one point - I took it to the dealer (years & years ago before I decided to most of the repairs myself) & they told me it was gonna be 2K to fix.

Turned out only the motor was broken... didnt even buy a new one ($200), but simply rigged the old one. Still working fine after 6 years.

F the dealership!

Apparently there's a little plastic gear that is known to strip out or break. I remember Steven mentioning something about this and I'm sure there's an article floating around about this issue.


Edit; here's a thread that talks about the gear:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30141

and here's a thread with TIS articles on California top removal, installation and disassembly:
http://www.318ti.org/files/showentry.php?e=8&catid=1

Yep, little plastic gear... However on my car, the small metal pin which moves the gears snapped in two, so the motor ran but roof was not moving.

I simply replaced the broken pin with a stronger metal piece (a cut down alen key actually) and its been fine since then.

I remember the douches from the dealership tried to convince me that 'my cables were tangled up' and so entire roof mechanism needed replacing.

F-ing thieves!

That and the PS'd mud tires from an older post would be great...

Sorry, Its sealed with epoxy in the back and i think silicone the rest of the way around lol. I would like to cut it all out and replace it with something else. Like carbon fiber, or some type of glass or mirror.