[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by nabeelio

You can empty a half gallon of water over the outside of the window and see where it drains from too

Yep, no drain issue. Just fitment nit.

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by clivem2

The other side is fine. I looked at another X3 from the same batch as mine, it was identical. I should look at others but I wasn't wanting to get too obsessive about it. It's pretty minor but normally it's something that would alert me to potential accident damage - which it isn't as another car was identical.

I'm going to go do some trolling around looking at the 2020 models for comparisons. I can probably accept this as being design issue. But harder to accept if was done this way some factory people (process).

[Max Well]

Originally Posted by dinan5m3

I'm going to go do some trolling around looking at the 2020 models for comparisons. I can probably accept this as being design issue. But harder to accept if was done this way some factory people (process).

After washing my wife's 2019 G01 X3 M40i this morning I inspected to see how our doors appear after reading your thread. Viewed end-on, all four doors have a space between the trim piece and door, and our 2020 F97 X3MC also has the same space (relatively narrow and consistent between all doors of both models). Note it is not nearly as evident as the image you posted (which may suggest either your door or your trim has an element of warp which doesn't allow the trim to be tighter?). Not sure how to explain otherwise, but I'm not an Engineer.

Looking from above, one can see our lines appear relatively in synch (within margin of error IMHO). The spacing seen from end-on must be built in for a reason (drainage, water-ice expansion ?), and doesn't concern me personally on our vehicles.

But I would address the wide gap you showed if it were my vehicle, and certainly if they don't synch from looking above I would expect it to at least have that aspect corrected. Hope you get resolved to your satisfaction.

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by Max Well

But I would address the wide gap you showed if it were my vehicle, and certainly if they don't synch from looking above I would expect it to at least have that aspect corrected. Hope you get resolved to your satisfaction.

Thanks for sharing your situation as a comparison.

Yours look great!

I'm working with BMW NA to see what my next step is.

[dinan5m3]

I know there are others in similar situation, but just "riding it out", so to speak, more hassle to deal with.

But with car warranty expiring end of Feb 2023, just wondering,

... has anyone actually got this "repaired" to near "perfection" by the dealer service?

I've gone through this repair "twice" and with each time got better to what it is now, still not right but, well, ignorance is bliss?

I don't see that there is any SIB to even tallk about this issue (manufacturing, assembly defect)

[M40i4me]

Normal ugly looking drain holes, and yes the bottom trim is held on with double sided tape. A few post here where they have come loose.

[dinan5m3]

Originally Posted by M40i4me

bottom trim is held on with double sided tape. A few post here where they have come loose.

Interesting, if it is, then the bmw repair document doesn't even mention use of "tape". Just clips and screws.

Anyway, i may go in for "one more" try at this.

[Jen4BMW]

Mine have this gap too. I wouldn’t worry about it.

[rob175]

Maybe that's the way the lower pieces were designed as a way to drain any trapped water between the plastic trim and the door panel?

[BobBMWX3]

There are other discussions of this issue in this forum. Varying degrees of gaps, of dealership fixes, etc. As I recall, the best luck was adding some 3M taping to the install.

[wlfpck]

I actually had mine in the dealership with this issue. The guy actually went and found a couple more X3M40i's on the lot and took photos. All of them were like this.

I think it may just be warping like someone mentioned.

Maybe someone will make a carbon fiber replacement piece for this.

[dinan5m3]

Yeah, let's wrap this up now.

I will say though, and i don't want to give BMW a pass here, that there "are" same year, 2019's (and later pre-LCI's, and also LCI's) that i have seen and spy 'ed on that do not look like this. I don't think us that have this issue are just buckets of one offs. Cleary there are cars that are assembled properly.

Or, maybe this is one of those design != engineering.

I'll leave with my usual signature move,