If there’s a Zshed coming up close to where you live or an event or other members living near you, you could always pop along to inspect the work they have had done.
New Roof
- Thread starter Gatsoburner
- Start date
bmwz3tower
Dedicated Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2024
- Points
- 29
I had mine done by him 2 months ago so I can take some photos today, which bits of inner sealing do you want photos of?
ChrisD
Zorg Legend
Great, thanks a lot. I’m interested in the finish of the material across the top of the header rail - can only be seen with the roof down. Also with roof down, the sealing of the outer part of the roof against the inner hood compartment. Nothing to dismantle, only open the hood which I appreciate may not be good to do today. I appreciate the assist.
There’s a very important point to make about fitting a new roof for those considering it for the first time. The new roof is actually just a new covering. Only the fabric parts and rear window are replaced. If you have any problems with the rubber seals and the structure of the roof, these will remain. Also, the rubber seals are removed and refitted as part of the job, so they might not go back exactly as before so some tinkering might be required afterwards. The only leaks that will be cured with a new roof are ones that were the result of holes in the fabric or window and if the seal around that back above the boot, if it was previously compromised.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
@Jam03 .
You pretty much said what i was going to say thats its only the outer fabric and rear window that gets replaced all other parts ( seals , frame headliner etc all stay) so as has been said any issues relating to them will still remain.
Have looked around in Scotland cant get a roof done for less than 800-1000 even then some of the companies i spoke to had never did a z3 roof before.
Jack Smith would now be my first choice as a few dozen forum members have had roofs done by him nd not heard any complaints.
For me i could drive down from Scotland get an overnight hotel get roof fitted and drive home still for a few hundred quid less than any one up here.
Stephen.
You pretty much said what i was going to say thats its only the outer fabric and rear window that gets replaced all other parts ( seals , frame headliner etc all stay) so as has been said any issues relating to them will still remain.
Have looked around in Scotland cant get a roof done for less than 800-1000 even then some of the companies i spoke to had never did a z3 roof before.
Jack Smith would now be my first choice as a few dozen forum members have had roofs done by him nd not heard any complaints.
For me i could drive down from Scotland get an overnight hotel get roof fitted and drive home still for a few hundred quid less than any one up here.
Stephen.
bmwz3tower
Dedicated Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2024
- Points
- 29
Hi, it started raining when I got home today so I'll try again tomorrow.
Waters coming in at the top of the bulkhead in the boot. I'm assuming the seal has given way where the roof rear fixed point meets the car.
I was thinking a new roof would fix it as I thought wrongly they'd replace that seal when fitting a new roof.
I've put it on pause until I can get out, roof down and look at the seal, fixing that alone may solve the water issue.
Cheers Rob.
At the back where the fabric attaches to the rear deck is a fat rubber trim thing that clips in all the way around the rear deck. But that rubber trim is not really a seal. It's not meant to stop water. It just stops the fabric flapping against the metalwork. Pretty much cosmetic apart from that. The guy changing the roof won't replace that rubber trim.
Below that rubber trim is where the roof fabric is stapled to a plastic bow. The plastic bow is sealed with very sticky sealant, along with a metal bow, to the rear body of the car. The way the bows are sealed together and bolted to the real bodywork is the waterproof seal and that sealant IS (or should be) replaced when the roof if replaced. By that I mean the old sticky sealant is removed and replaced. Not the bows.
If the roof is leaking then the water gets onto the rear shelf behind the seats. That carpet material on the shelf would be soaking wet and it would run down behind the seats onto the floor under the seats.
If the shelf behind the seats is dry then the rear of your roof is not leaking. If you still have water in the boot then it may be getting in through the middle brake light, the seal around the boot and the ariel grommet. If the boot is really wet then there'll be condensation on the upper surfaces making it difficult to see where water is actually getting in.
Im thinking the thick rubber seal has perished, apparently it's a 3 piece item of which the joining points are a quarter of the way into the car from either side, a Guy on Utube did a video.
The aerial gromit is new. Theres no water inside the car behind the seats, the 3rd brake light ive sealed too.
As you say that rubber buffer doesnt do a great deal in relation to water, just a draft excluder for want on a better description.
I saw that that comes of easily giving access to the 3 piece seal, again Utube says it's resealable at the 2 meeting points.
All stuff ive read so need to drop the roof and see what they're talking about. It does add up if it's true, the water is visible inside the boot, carpets removed, below where id expect the 3 pieces join
Hope all that makes sense
. Again, cheers for commenting, all useful knowledge for me 
Get the hardtop on for winter but I can assure you all fitted correctly he even went to the trouble of cleaning and sealing the drain plugs so all water tight -
ChrisD
Zorg Legend
I'm now thinking the temperature might be a bit low to be doing this kind of thing. I really appreciate your help and don't want you to experience any issues. Maybe we pick this up again when it gets warmer?
I don't think you're going to see much in a photo. The bits where it matters are covered in trim.
Remember. I fitted my own roof and it's really badly fitted. But you can't see that. The front edge, responsible for the front/rear tension is covered by a metal strip screwed to the frame. Looks fine in the photo. My shoddy workmanship is hidden by that trim.
The rear where it's stapled to the bows and sealed to the rear body work is covered by the shelf carpet. The carpet inserted under the lip of the metal bow.
That horizontal black strip is the lip of the metal bow. Above that is my roof fabric. Below that is the rear shelf carpet. The actual seal is invisible so looking at my photos you wont see the actual seals.
Everything else, rubber trims around the side windows etc and how those trims fit up against the glass isn't changed as part of a roof replacement and may need adjusting once the roof has settled in after a couple weeks.
Remember. I fitted.my own roof. Badly. These photos are just to show you how difficult it is to take photos without stripping out the metal trim and rear carpet. And that's a bit too much to ask.
All you can really go by is verbal feedback and whether you trust those people.
Remember. I fitted my own roof and it's really badly fitted. But you can't see that. The front edge, responsible for the front/rear tension is covered by a metal strip screwed to the frame. Looks fine in the photo. My shoddy workmanship is hidden by that trim.
The rear where it's stapled to the bows and sealed to the rear body work is covered by the shelf carpet. The carpet inserted under the lip of the metal bow.
That horizontal black strip is the lip of the metal bow. Above that is my roof fabric. Below that is the rear shelf carpet. The actual seal is invisible so looking at my photos you wont see the actual seals.
Everything else, rubber trims around the side windows etc and how those trims fit up against the glass isn't changed as part of a roof replacement and may need adjusting once the roof has settled in after a couple weeks.
Remember. I fitted.my own roof. Badly. These photos are just to show you how difficult it is to take photos without stripping out the metal trim and rear carpet. And that's a bit too much to ask.
All you can really go by is verbal feedback and whether you trust those people.
shera25
Regular Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2025
- Points
- 18
That doesn’t sound unusual for an older roof weather and age do take their toll even on low-mileage cars.
£1,120 fitted sounds about right from what people usually pay, but it’s always worth getting one other quote just to compare. Make sure they check the seals properly too so it stops that boot leak.
Hopefully someone here has used a good installer they can recommend!
ChrisD
Zorg Legend
It looks like I haven't been clear. Here's what I'm looking for from anyone that can help who has had a replacement top:
I'm looking for the neatness of the material around the header rail, as shown in the image above, with particular concern around the points shown - unfortunately my RHS pictures were all out of focus but I am interested in both sides.
Secondly, I am interested in seeing a neat finish for the outside of the fabric, below the dirt line that you can see here on my tired, 30 year old roof.
On some replacement tops I have seen sealing material applied to the area shown by the red arrows. again, both sides.
Thirdly, I have just thought of another issue I've seen with stitched in windows, where the stitches don't follow the outline of the clear window correctly. I've seen issues around the area of the yellow arrow where the stitches have run through the clear material.
I'm looking for any photos that you can provide that show these areas. I'm not interested in what's under the trim pieces - if there was an issue there the roof would fail in a short time and it really doesn't matter to me how neat the work is underneath covers.
I've found that verbal feedback on these issues is unhelpful. To be clear, I trust you all completely. I know that all of your replacement roofs are good, otherwise you wouldn't have accepted them, right? What I'm looking for is to see how these small, nitpicky points have been handled on your replacement roof.
Also, thank you to anyone who can take the time to provide the information. I really do appreciate the trouble it takes to answer my stupid questions.
Also, apologies to @Gatsoburner for piggybacking on your thread. Hopefully this info is helpful for you too.
Last edited:
Cholton82
Regular Member
Im booked in for a trip to Swansea in April , Had a good chat on the phone and looking forward to it. Going for a colour change
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
Cholton82
Regular Member
Im going for red . Should look like this courtesy of chatgtp
Attachments
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 218
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
That will look nice .
I am on the verge of needing a new roof have been toying with a colour change
Uk model Orinoco edition all seem to come with a black roof but European spec models quite often come with a beige coloured roof which i quite like
My only reason for not full on committing to this is i am worried about how clean it will stay and how easy will it be to clean if getts dirty.
So may end up with black again.
Stephen.
Cholton82
Regular Member
I
Unfortunatly im one of the saddos that doesn't get it dirty so thats not something I worry about but I can imagine the marks on anything but black roofs appear quicker.