[mkoesel]

I love this thread. Any thread with such polarized opinions mixed with great discussion is awesome in my book.

Personally, I am completely enamored by the notch-back profile of the E93. Ever since the E92 pictures first hit the net, I have not taken a strong liking to the rather soft flowing B pillar. In fact, for this reason, I also prefer the E90 profile vs. the E92 profile. To my eye, the sharper, tighter turn that is the transition from hood to windshield on these cars makes the slow flowing "woman's foot slipping into a high-heel" look of the B-Pillar on the E92 seem just a bit too dramatic. I realize that using such terminology while in tandem driving a convertible will probably get me endless flaming but that's fine. Its just a discussion after all.

Combine that aggressive rear roofline with a darker color and dark wheels and you have a real winner, by my eye. Here's a pic of my car as it looks right now. This is perfection in my mind.

[M3MIKE]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I love this thread. Any thread with such polarized opinions mixed with great discussion is awesome in my book.

Personally, I am completely enamored by the notch-back profile of the E93. Ever since the E92 pictures first hit the net, I have not taken a strong liking to the rather soft flowing B pillar. In fact, for this reason, I also prefer the E90 profile vs. the E92 profile. To my eye, the sharper, tighter turn that is the transition from hood to windshield on these cars makes the slow flowing "womens foot slipping into a high-heel" look of the B-Pillar on the E92 seem just a bit too dramatic. I realize that using such terminology while in tandem driving a convertible will probably get me endless flaming but that's fine. Its just a discussion after all.

It's why we love and hate these machines so much.

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I love this thread. Any thread with such polarized opinions mixed with great discussion is awesome in my book.

Personally, I am completely enamored by the notch-back profile of the E93. Ever since the E92 pictures first hit the net, I have not taken a strong liking to the rather soft flowing B pillar. In fact, for this reason, I also prefer the E90 profile vs. the E92 profile. To my eye, the sharper, tighter turn that is the transition from hood to windshield on these cars makes the slow flowing "woman's foot slipping into a high-heel" look of the B-Pillar on the E92 seem just a bit too dramatic. I realize that using such terminology while in tandem driving a convertible will probably get me endless flaming but that's fine. Its just a discussion after all.

Combine that aggressive rear roofline with a darker color and dark wheels and you have a real winner, by my eye. Here's a pic of my car as it looks right now. This is perfection in my mind.

You've confused me here. When you say B-pillar, are you referring to the C-pillar? There isn't a B-pillar on the e92.

My tastes are actually the opposite of yours. I like the way the roofline is one continuous curving line on the e92. Usually I prefer a long sloping C-pillar (for reference, check out the S5 or something like an Altima Coupe).

[AtoB]

Originally Posted by buschy

well the z4 I like the soft top. its a different kinda car though, so imo, you cant compare the z4 soft top to the 3 hard.,

I think that I like the z4 better with a soft top, so I guess jsut depends what car.

i agree... i thin the new volvo convertible's hardtop is a great example.... it looks fantastic... blends beautifully with the lines of the car.

[hipvspec]

Originally Posted by PLAYON

That's your opinion. I know plenty of people who find soft top 'verts aesthetically pleasing. Personally I think the lines of the E93 look bad in comparison to the E90/E92.

i guess that's why the RR phantom drophead insist to use cloth roof? e93's roof are surely the a best of both world solution and it's very well engineered, but every time when i see one i always think it looks like the roof is not completely closed. i meant those window trims are not always completely lined up, and the middle roof seam that's above the front seat head rests looks tiny weeny bit squashed down, plus the roof seam next to the rear seat head rests is kinda too noticeable on light color car, combine all the above making the silhouette of the roof looks a bit funky. but with the top down, it's gorgeous. i am not trying to convince anyone i am just sharing my opinion. at the end beauty is from the eyes of the beholder, so maybe i am just too damn old

[Rick Hunter]

Originally Posted by slammedm3

KEEP IN MIND - I have painted the ugly chrome trim around the window that ruins the 335 and M3 Convertible in my opinion.[/I]

Blacked out chrome trim + tint = FTW.

Yummy ride, man.

[watrob]

I have noticed that in the States your verts have a chrome trim and not the black shadowline like we get!

[sdiver68]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Loyalist

You know the point of diminishing returns right? The 3 series is right at the tip of it, and then you have everything else where you're gonna pay a lot more for not much more.

While I don't agree with everything you said above, fair enough. Obviously someone is buying them.

[SlammedR8]

Originally Posted by watrob

I have noticed that in the States your verts have a chrome trim and not the black shadowline like we get!

Good observation, you are correct!
That is why like I said in my previous post on the 3rd page of this thread that painting the trim helps smooth out the lines of the hardtop.

[Buschy]

Originally Posted by AtoB

i agree... i thin the new volvo convertible's hardtop is a great example.... it looks fantastic... blends beautifully with the lines of the car.

the lines are not bad on the volvo, but the volvo is ugly in general.
however, the vovlo did a good job on their trunk. the lines where the trunk lifts are blended nicly in, and when the top is closed the trunk sits over the window hiding the "sitting on top: look that the 3 series has.
the rest of the roof looks about the same to me.

that said, would anyone buy that volvo convertible over a 3 series? probably not.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by Bimmer Loyalist

You've confused me here. When you say B-pillar, are you referring to the C-pillar? There isn't a B-pillar on the e92.

Yeah, I meant the second pillar. The fact that I called it B instead of C was because I was OTL when I wrote that.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by watrob

I have noticed that in the States your verts have a chrome trim and not the black shadowline like we get!

I'm pretty sure you can get shadowline trim on an E93 335i or 328i as of MY2009 if you order the sport package.

But not on the M3 (= BMW NA FAIL).

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by sdiver68

While I don't agree with everything you said above, fair enough. Obviously someone is buying them.

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Yeah, I meant the second pillar. The fact that I called it B instead of C was because I was OTL when I wrote that.

[graider]

Originally Posted by PLAYON

That's your opinion. I know plenty of people who find soft top 'verts aesthetically pleasing. Personally I think the lines of the E93 look bad in comparison to the E90/E92.

^^I have to agree with the other guy bro, soft top looks horrible on any vert. Hard top is the future. That is the reason why all companies are switching to hard top vert now, including ferrari california (gay car IMO).

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by graider

^^I have to agree with the other guy bro, soft top looks horrible on any vert. Hard top is the future. That is the reason why all companies are switching to hard top vert now, including ferrari california (gay car IMO).

the reason they're switching to hardtops is because that's what the general public believes is best. they're not all-out superior.

[cn555ic]

bought my car just for the sake of it having a hardtop...My previous verts were E30...E36....all were softops but I bought the hard top as an accessory that cost me 2000+ for each of them...I went through all the problems of the dreaded plastic rear window that i had to change every 4 years...Finally the E46 came out with the glass rear window and I was about to pull the trigger, but heard about the E93 coming out in 2007 so I waited until the E93 debut...It was everything I wanted a vert with a hardtop and glass rear window...Coming from two cars that had the softop and buying a hardtop cover for it, it was indeed the best thing that came out...I was always jealous of the MB SL500 that came out in a hardtop for quite a while...In fact I was leaning towards buying one just for the sake of a luxury car with a convertible hardtop...Test drove a one and its nothing like a BMW for sure even if it was one of MB top of the line cars!! I have my E93 for two years and I have to say it looks incredible, the lines on the hardtop are indeed less noticeable on a darker car and that definitely helps...A stock E93 might look awkward, but a fully modded one is beyond expectations...I am going to keep this car for at least 10-15 years and give it to my kids for their first car....I have it two years and only 3400 miles on it!

[Year's_End]

Originally Posted by cn555ic

bought my car just for the sake of it having a hardtop...My previous verts were E30...E36....all were softops but I bought the hard top as an accessory that cost me 2000+ for each of them...I went through all the problems of the dreaded plastic rear window that i had to change every 4 years...Finally the E46 came out with the glass rear window and I was about to pull the trigger, but heard about the E93 coming out in 2007 so I waited until the E93 debut...It was everything I wanted a vert with a hardtop and glass rear window...Coming from two cars that had the softop and buying a hardtop cover for it, it was indeed the best thing that came out...I was always jealous of the MB SL500 that came out in a hardtop for quite a while...In fact I was leaning towards buying one just for the sake of a luxury car with a convertible hardtop...Test drove a one and its nothing like a BMW for sure even if it was one of MB top of the line cars!! I have my E93 for two years and I have to say it looks incredible, the lines on the hardtop are indeed less noticeable on a darker car and that definitely helps...A stock E93 might look awkward, but a fully modded one is beyond expectations...I am going to keep this car for at least 10-15 years and give it to my kids for their first car....I have it two years and only 3400 miles on it!

I hope your e93 holds up for 10-15 years. That's a long time.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by cn555ic

I am going to keep this car for at least 10-15 years and give it to my kids for their first car....I have it two years and only 3400 miles on it!

Wow. Please go drive your car. I think you are missing out on so much enjoyment by letting it sit so much. Don't worry about saving it, especially for the kids, they should start off in something less likely to get keyed or get them killed.

[bavarian19]

While I like the hardtop better, I wish BMW could have somehow made the top a two piece folding top like the Merc SL's are.