I love this car, but……
I have been driving convertibles for 7 decades, from my first (1959 Austin Healy), through VWs, Chevrolets, Mercedes, to my last (and second BMW) this 2007 hardtop. This is my favorite, and not because of the entertainment value of peoples’ reaction to seeing the engineering feat that is the top going up or down! Rather, the BMW just rides and handles beautifully. BUT. It is, after all, a convertible, and therefore a two door, that requires some gymnastics to navigate the back seat, and there is a significant blind spot with top up. The mechanics of the top have gotten a bit dodgy pier the years: it sometimes seems to stick midway through, and may take 2-3 tries to complete the job. There seems to be no suggested resolution unless, and until, the top becomes permanently stuck. Could this be a reason why BMW no longer makes hardtop? I know the company claims it was because of the weight and that the hard top took up storage space, but the car is definitely quieter than a soft top (at least compared to the older models). I’ll drive it to the end (of either or both of us)!