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So is it something that should be fixed or do I just have to top off every 6-12 months?
Make sure that the systems I mentioned are okay, if they are then just top it off. If not I would fix the leak 100% before it gets bad enough to blow a seal and really start eating coolant, the afterrun system is also a very good idea to have working unless you always allow the car to idle hood open for 2-3 min and park it hood open.
So is it something that should be fixed or do I just have to top off every 6-12 months?
I don’t know if you saw my earlier post, but it’s normal. I wouldn’t worry about it for now. Mine hasn’t needed coolant since but I know if I undergo another tough duty cycle it’ll likely happen again. The BMW forums are full of this topic.
I think it’s an absolute terrible idea to buy this. The SL is 20 years old…the day after you get the top…the engine could break forever….or the transmission could say goodbye
just my thoughts. Don’t shoot me
what does your spouse say?
Are you being superstitious? I know what you're saying. But this car is a tank mechanically. Top has nothing to do with anything, all I care about is if it fits the car and isn't janky.
That said, I really don't care that much anymore about a hardtop. The black softtop looks good enough and with a hard top, I'd have to remove it twice a month to cycle the top during the winter anyway to keep it going. I can't stress enough that if you don't use these cars frequently they turn into junk, top included.
That doesn't mean I'm not interested in one at all, but my meter is blipping a bit with this current person and I don't care.
I have these forums (and a couple people IRL) and y'all to thank because I almost wrote the car off totally and was about to pass because it had no hard top.
Spouse feels same way as I do. Eventually we'll have one.
Soft top is extremely nice and very HQ. The car wasn't designed around the hard top, the soft top is still great. Check out the pics...
Are you being superstitious? I know what you're saying. But this car is a tank mechanically. Top has nothing to do with anything, all I care about is if it fits the car and isn't janky.
That said, I really don't care that much anymore about a hardtop. The black softtop looks good enough and with a hard top, I'd have to remove it twice a month to cycle the top during the winter anyway to keep it going. I can't stress enough that if you don't use these cars frequently they turn into junk, top included.
That doesn't mean I'm not interested in one at all, but my meter is blipping a bit with this current person and I don't care.
I have these forums (and a couple people IRL) and y'all to thank because I almost wrote the car off totally and was about to pass because it had no hard top.
Spouse feels same way as I do. Eventually we'll have one.
Soft top is extremely nice and very HQ. The car wasn't designed around the hard top, the soft top is still great. Check out the pics...
I think you made a wise choice. Another top will surface, will be closer to you too.
Nice pics. That looks very high quality. Love that leather strip/bar at the back.
Last edited by Toys4RJill; Oct 22, 2023 at 07:22 AM.
I think you’re overthinking the top a little bit, if it were my car I would want the top, the soft top is fine but they look way better with the hard top. That plus the car is supposed to have it hard top and it would bug me that it doesn’t have it.
Im in WV right now and those damn leather pillows are rolling around in the back of the van lol, but hey I have the pillows!
By the way the new Pacifica has been a joy on the trip. It’s so much better to drive than the old ones, the 9 speed in the gas Pacifica just really made it a chore to drive in the mountains. We’ve had all 6 of us in it and it never feels strained or underpowered. 30MPG loaded at 80. CVT doesn’t bother me at all, seats are good and the real center console is much more comfortable. Slides along great at 80, really pleased.
Do need to get rid of those Nexen tires though they are louder than they need to be.
I think you made the right call holding off. Make the hardtop a 2024 goal.
Did that pic of the hardtop have a couple of dings or am I seeing things?
I think so too. I still want one and will find one, eventually. I'll have the car for life, so whenever is fine.
And yeah, it's fishy. I know I've talked to this guy before at some point and the car has been for sale at a too-good-to-be-true price for a year.
He is cagey with some questions and yes there are some significant flaws. I'm not paying 3 grand for something that's gonna cost me another 2 (at least) to get up to snuff. If I lived anywhere near Chicago I'd go check it out but I don't. We'll see if he answers any more of my questions. I asked for closeups with a decent camera with lights on it (for 3k..yeah), haven't received any.
Well…apparently I don’t have to worry about getting rid of those Nexen tires. We are sitting in the VA welcome center just over the WV line with two flat tires. We pulled over for my wife to jump out and fix something on my daughter’s screen she was watching and we must have punctured both tires. Waiting on a tow truck.
What did you run over do you know? That sucks, sorry.
No clue! But it was bad whatever it was. You could hear the air rushing out of both tires. Then AAA gave the guy the wrong location to find us and the wrong phone number to call me. I happened to call the same guy they had called, lucky. Great guy.
At the Walmart in Lewisburg, WV, the tow truck guy knew the guy who runs the Walmart and they are staying open for us, should be back on the road shortly.
Glad y'all are okay. I've never had a blowout or flat (knock on wood). I honestly don't know what getting a flat is like. From the pics on the flatbed it looks like the front tire was a blowout situation or semi-severe.... how was the driving after that? Was it easy to get to the shoulder, etc?
