[cwilsong]

Hay guys new member still just doing research between several options in a new or possible used 2series.

I am an older guy and a bit of a worry wart 2 questions for now.

Does the convertible have some sort of a safety feature to keep you from accidentally raising or lowering the roof when driving above the recommended safe speed?

Does any one know on a 2015 model with the driver assist package does that include the active lane keeping and auto braking?

Thanks

[Rayscott]

I have a 2016 vert. I don't think it has a safety feature for raising the top over 20 mph. I am going out later so I will check for you. I don't have driver assist so I don't know about lane changes and braking.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by cwilsong

I am an older guy and a bit of a worry wart 2 questions for now.

I'm trying to figure out how a self-described "worry wart" chooses a convertible in the first place. You are worried about a safety switch for raising the top, but not worried about giving up all the structure from about your shoulder height on up?

I have a very good friend with a 2 convertible, but he's one of the last people I'd put in the "worry wart" category, so he just enjoys the wind through his disappearing gray hair!

[cwilsong]

Well given the way I drive combined with the lower CG of convertible I give the likely hood of a roll over being pretty low, but I could easily see the wife or I hitting the top button going down the interstate and there goes the top.

[Ron Jeffries]

the top won’t operate above about 30 mph. there are pop up roll bars in event a rollover is detected.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Ron Jeffries

there are pop up roll bars in event a rollover is detected.

Yes, very true, I can see them folded up here....

[RidingAgin]

Originally Posted by cwilsong

Well given the way I drive combined with the lower CG of convertible I give the likely hood of a roll over being pretty low, but I could easily see the wife or I hitting the top button going down the interstate and there goes the top.

The convertible top button has a slight time delay before it does any thing. It has to be held during the entire operation of lowering. If you let go of the button it will stop the operation. You can the resume the op.

The center console top slides forward a little that covers the switch also.

[msej449]

It's completely irresponsible to post that photo of the overturned 2 Series convertible out of context, and for me, smacks of crash porn. You could find something similar for just about any model of car to imply how it's unsafe. If you research the rest of the coverage about that crash you'd see there was no way they were going to survive intact, metal roof or not, given the degree of force the car had to endure. And no, I'm not going to post a link to the rest of the photos because I don't think this is what serious motoring forums are about.

More useful and less hysterical advice would be for the OP to go out and test drive a convertible to see what they think about it., and check if they like/dislike the experience. For many of us, convertibles make otherwise run-of-the-mill models far more interesting for an owner. Not for everyone, but the OP may be won over after trying one out.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by msej449

It's completely irresponsible to post that photo of the overturned 2 Series convertible out of context, and for me, smacks of crash porn. You could find something similar for just about any model of car to imply how it's unsafe. If you research the rest of the coverage about that crash you'd see there was no way they were going to survive intact, metal roof or not, given the degree of force the car had to endure. And no, I'm not going to post a link to the rest of the photos because I don't think this is what serious motoring forums are about.

More useful and less hysterical advice would be for the OP to go out and test drive a convertible to see what they think about it., and check if they like/dislike the experience. For many of us, convertibles make otherwise run-of-the-mill models far more interesting for an owner. Not for everyone, but the OP may be won over after trying one out.

It is neither irresponsible, nor hysterical. The photo was posted specifically after the statement was made that the car had rollover protection which pops up. Whatever that car was subjected to, note that the windshield frame, which is subject to regulatory requirements, maintained much of its integrity. The rollover protection bars, which are not regulated for performance by any governmental agency (to my knowledge), did not. I did not discuss fatalities nor injuries, as the occupants were unbelted and contributed to their own demise. However, had they somehow been retained witin the passenger compartment, their chances would have improved.

The reality that one can find any model of car having been smashed to bits is a red herring unless someone has made the point that that particular configuration of car has some specific additional technology made for just that occasion, as had been the prior point about the "rollover protection". Don't overreact generally to a very specific point and counterpoint.

The photo is completely unhysterical but simply the most eloquent response to the specific prior post (which you may have missed and therefore missed the context of the reply) that one may rely on the rollover protection. Everyone should drive whatever bodystyle they wish, but let's not pretend there aren't potentially quite different outcomes. Given that the OP started this by declaring himself a "worry wart", the evolution of the conversation is on point.

[elus1ve]

While doing calibration on my soft top recently, my dealer told me that the system indicated that i open or closed the roof over the recommended speed. Must mean that the system does not completely stop you from operating the roof outside of recommended speed.

Cant say for the 2015 but i have the 2016 m235i and it has the active braking and lane assist. Works well too.

[RoundelM3]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Yes, very true, I can see them folded up here....

Unless the "hockey stick" trim behind the front wheel wells is some sort of aftermarket add-on, this black convertible does not appear to be a 2-series. Looks like a 4-series, which comes standard with the aforementioned trim piece.

[p912guy]

Back to the OP's initial question, as someone else mentioned, there is no need to worry about "accidental" top operation above the suggested speed. That is unless you have an uncontrollable urge to operate the switch at speed, since it must be held in the active position to open or close the top for the full time of top operation. I can't speak specifically to active lane keeping or active braking since I don't have, nor would I want the advanced Driver Assist package.

I have a convertible and I love it, but then again I am a "convertible guy" and I typically put my top down whenever the temps are between 60 and 90 degrees and it's not raining, even just for short trips.

[Ron Jeffries]

Once again today, I drove with the top down. It neither tried to go up nor down while I was moving, and in fact if I had tried pressing the button at speed it would have been ignored.

In addition, I did not flip over, and the roll bar things did not explode out in a vain attempt to save my life.

I've done a lot of very stupid things in cars in my over 6 decades of driving -- though I have never done hard time for anything -- well anything I did while driving -- but I have never yet rolled a car.

There was that one time when crashing sideways into a tree save me from going over a cliff, but not rolling is not rolling, right?

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Ron Jeffries

but I have never yet rolled a car.

We're not talking top heavy Jeeps here. It is VERY HARD - borderline impossible - to roll a convertible 2 series even during very spirited driving. Yeah you can spin the thing out but putting it upside down is another thing entirely.

So yes if you spin then go off the edge of a drop or something sure but then you've got other issues to deal with.

If you want ultimate safety get a new Volvo. If not, don't drive like an idiot, buckle up, and roll the dice like the rest of us.

[Ron Jeffries]

I did have a Volvo V70R wagon. Real sleeper. Had to get rid of it, though, when a woman in a Lincoln beat me at a light. Where is she now? Behind me, I reckon.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Ron Jeffries

I did have a Volvo V70R wagon. Real sleeper. Had to get rid of it, though, when a woman in a Lincoln beat me at a light. Where is she now? Behind me, I reckon.

We had quite a few of the high end Volvo stealth attack wagons. They were great cars in their day.

[bimmerfile]

Originally Posted by cwilsong

Well given the way I drive combined with the lower CG of convertible I give the likely hood of a roll over being pretty low, but I could easily see the wife or I hitting the top button going down the interstate and there goes the top.

No, actually the system will not allow that. My wife did accidentally put her elbow or object on the top button and the large error message appears indicating that the vehicle is moving too fast for the top down to be deployed - so nothing happens.

[bimmerfile]

Originally Posted by elus1ve

While doing calibration on my soft top recently, my dealer told me that the system indicated that i open or closed the roof over the recommended speed. Must mean that the system does not completely stop you from operating the roof outside of recommended speed.

Cant say for the 2015 but i have the 2016 m235i and it has the active braking and lane assist. Works well too.

Interesting (and weird) as my M235xi ragtop did not deploy (recently) when the button was accidentally depressed while driving at city speeds 40+ Kmph - and produced an on-screen error message indicating that the car was going too fast to deploy roof.

[Maynard]

Sure, everybody gravitates to the catchy pics of a rollover, but nobody is warning OP about the REAL dangers:
- 40% increase in OCD behaviors as you nervously check for bug droppings, fingerprints, dust on interior, and that dreaded brake dust.
- 30-70% increase in aggressive driving behaviors (exact increase depends on premorbid personality factors and trim level)
- marked reduction in most other recreational and occupational behaviors
- and as many as 75% will develop patterns of habitual use and cravings, with upwards of 25% qualifying as a clinical addiction

Enjoy, but remember it is habit forming

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by Maynard

Enjoy, but remember it is habit forming

Maybe it's just me but when I have the top down other drivers are much more courteous and safer around me. More likely to let me in at a merge, less likely to cut me off, etc. My working theory is that most folks are, in general, nice when dealing with actual people and with the top down they car see me as opposed to just an anonymous box with wheels that's every other car.

Wonder if anyone else has similar experience.

[CE750Jockey]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I'm trying to figure out how a self-described "worry wart" chooses a convertible in the first place. You are worried about a safety switch for raising the top, but not worried about giving up all the structure from about your shoulder height on up?

I have a very good friend with a 2 convertible, but he's one of the last people I'd put in the "worry wart" category, so he just enjoys the wind through his disappearing gray hair!

What?! My hair is NOT disappearing, 'stick!

[CE750Jockey]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

Maybe it's just me but when I have the top down other drivers are much more courteous and safer around me. More likely to let me in at a merge, less likely to cut me off, etc. My working theory is that most folks are, in general, nice when dealing with actual people and with the top down they car see me as opposed to just an anonymous box with wheels that's every other car.

Wonder if anyone else has similar experience.

Yes, indeed. You've hit the nail on the head. I've experienced this many times with my top down. It's highlighted when you actually turn and look at 'em. A little wave, and they always let me in. There's just "something" about a 'vert.