Spider bites? Spider holes? IDK. Holes in my top.

[acbx]

So convertible gurus please school me because it's been annoying the hell out of me and I want to know how to fix it. I have two small holes on the drivers side and passenger side, dead center on the C pillar. 1/4 the size of a finger nail, the holes are a cup size away from each other. I remember searching it up on the forums a year ago and I recall something about spider bites? Now I can't find anything about it. Something about the mechanisms pinching the top? The holes are not that big but water will enter whenever there's a huge downpour.

It's been bugging me because the holes seem to get bigger over use, not by much but certainly noticeable after a period of months, and I don't even put the top down that much, maybe once or twice in the last four or five months, and lately I've been having the sudden urge to put the top down because I mean it is a convertible after all but I can't because I'm too worried to cause even more damage.

I'll post some pictures up in a bit.

need to know things?
I have a semi-auto
05/95 production
no headliner, car didn't come with one when I bought it. I was young and dumb, still am.

Any suggestions?

[richardodn]

If they are the holes I'm thinking of, there is a service bulletin on it. I don't have my stuff handy at work though.

[acbx]

here they are http://imgur.com/OYMGy2B
http://imgur.com/hz9mpXB
http://imgur.com/c7ZCiIA
sorry for my ignorance but what do you mean by service bulletin? my car didnt come with a manual unfortunately if thats what i need to look into?.

[richardodn]

Service bulletins are issued by BMW to the dealers for common service issues. The one I am thinking of is about a pair of pinholes in the same general area. However yours are definitely not what I'm thinking off.

[matlock328]

Snake bites they call them!

[acbx]

Snake bites they call them!

There we go! It seems most people just put a patch behind it, I'm thinking of just putting some form of fabric underneath it and gluing it on there like other people have done with the same stuff that goes on top of the window zip. Would a patch of leather be a bad idea? Or something more flexible? Any ideas?

[matlock328]

I have them on both sides, although they are not getting any worse, and have only penetrated part of the outer roof layer, so to be honest, it doesn't really worry me....its kind of like a sig for an e36 vert...;-)...I think a PO may have put in an interior patch anyhow...I think its an issue with bows 5 and 6 during the closing process!

[acbx]

How long would you say have the snake bites been on your top? Do you have a picture?

[flyfishvt]

My 97 vert has the original top. No snake bites. My 94 vert project car had the old style top with the relief pickets. My 97 has the newer style without relief pockets. My 94 had the original top until I replaced it last summer. That 94 top had snake bites. My 98 m3 has the original top and it's the newer style without relief pockets. The M3 has snake bites on the drivers side only.

Go figure

[matlock328]

I should clarify, upon closer inspection mine are left side only....goes to show how much notice I take of them.