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Door Panel Disintegration - 2015 BMW M235i Convertible Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,315
edited January 2016 in BMW

imageDoor Panel Disintegration - 2015 BMW M235i Convertible Long-Term Road Test

The door panel of our still-new, long-term 2015 BMW M235i is disintegrating.

Read the full story here


Comments

  • longtimelurkerlongtimelurker Member Posts: 455
    Either that or some rocket scientist was backing it up with the door open and caught it on something. Look for hinge damage, too, and maybe leading edge of door damage.
  • thepuffthepuff Member Posts: 87
    Don't think it was living the door open can catching it; looks more like something clawed into the door in a downward direction. Would have been something in the back seat form the location.
  • vince_nhvince_nh Member Posts: 9
    I've done some similar (although much less severe) damage to a newer BMW door panel by nicking it with on of the hooks on my boot when getting out of the car.

    Softer plastics have their place, but lower door panels aren't one of them.
  • daryleasondaryleason Member Posts: 501
    On the next episode of CSI: Edmunds... the case of the clawed door panel. Stay tuned for the season finale where we learn the fate of the next vehicle to get into an accident...and watch next season to find out what happens to our scrappy little underdog, the Balkin Bullet.
  • mercedesfanmercedesfan Member Posts: 365
    "...in my experience BMW interiors are some of the most durable around"

    Alas, that was 15 years ago. Ever since the E65 bowed Bimmer interiors have become less and less impressive. My E92 M3 was awful. That was a weekend car that I barely drove 7,000 miles a year and babied religiously. Nevertheless, there were a few nicks in the plastic and some pealing on the "carbon fiber" trim just from the occasional passengers I carried. The latest generation of BMWs seem slightly better, but that is mostly because BMW now uses low-grade, rock hard plastics rather than the pleasantly textured ones they used before. Either way, the interiors of BMW's below the 6/7-Series have not been able to justify their price point for a long time.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited January 2016
    The culprit will be driving the Balkin Bullet when exposed. :D

    Then again, I don't believe in owning stuff that you have to be overly careful about using. A few scrapes just add character.

    And yeah, I don't lease cars.
  • jeepsrtjeepsrt Member Posts: 88
    mercedesfan said:

    "...in my experience BMW interiors are some of the most durable around"

    Alas, that was 15 years ago. Ever since the E65 bowed Bimmer interiors have become less and less impressive. My E92 M3 was awful. That was a weekend car that I barely drove 7,000 miles a year and babied religiously. Nevertheless, there were a few nicks in the plastic and some pealing on the "carbon fiber" trim just from the occasional passengers I carried. The latest generation of BMWs seem slightly better, but that is mostly because BMW now uses low-grade, rock hard plastics rather than the pleasantly textured ones they used before. Either way, the interiors of BMW's below the 6/7-Series have not been able to justify their price point for a long time.

    I disagree about the E92 interior being cheap. My wife drives an M3 sedan with a 4yo and 6 month old constantly getting in and out with car seats and dirty hands and the interior still looks new after 44k miles.
  • defyant15defyant15 Member Posts: 74
    mercedesfan said:

    "...in my experience BMW interiors are some of the most durable around"

    Alas, that was 15 years ago. Ever since the E65 bowed Bimmer interiors have become less and less impressive. My E92 M3 was awful. That was a weekend car that I barely drove 7,000 miles a year and babied religiously. Nevertheless, there were a few nicks in the plastic and some pealing on the "carbon fiber" trim just from the occasional passengers I carried. The latest generation of BMWs seem slightly better, but that is mostly because BMW now uses low-grade, rock hard plastics rather than the pleasantly textured ones they used before. Either way, the interiors of BMW's below the 6/7-Series have not been able to justify their price point for a long time.

    I wish.,,my BMW 6 series (2008 M6) had peeling rubberized/satin textured buttons, steering wheel plastics and easily marred leather everywhere, even though I babied it.

    The leather got so folded and started to delaminate/discolor. I had to pay an upholstery shop to replace it. I never wore studded jeans or buttoned stuff, wallet in the back pocket etc. Always conditioned it with Lexol. Go figure...
  • nate001nate001 Member Posts: 102
    edited January 2016
    The editor who did the damage should need to get a photo of the Yugo at some landmark that is about 250 miles away, that would give them a 500 mile round trip or make them clean the inside of the Yugo
  • bobinsepabobinsepa Member Posts: 12
    As the owner of a 2003 E46 Convertible, I have to say this looks exactly like the result of the seat belt not retracting enough and the buckle getting caught in the door.
  • markinnaples_markinnaples_ Member Posts: 251
    Agree with bobinsepa; the shape of the offending object appears to be a triangle, so is that the shape of the seat belt buckle??
  • ldislerldisler Member Posts: 83
    Seat Belt Damage is my guess.
  • cjasiscjasis Member Posts: 274
    mercedesfan said:

    "...in my experience BMW interiors are some of the most durable around"

    Alas, that was 15 years ago. Ever since the E65 bowed Bimmer interiors have become less and less impressive. My E92 M3 was awful. That was a weekend car that I barely drove 7,000 miles a year and babied religiously. Nevertheless, there were a few nicks in the plastic and some pealing on the "carbon fiber" trim just from the occasional passengers I carried. The latest generation of BMWs seem slightly better, but that is mostly because BMW now uses low-grade, rock hard plastics rather than the pleasantly textured ones they used before. Either way, the interiors of BMW's below the 6/7-Series have not been able to justify their price point for a long time.

    Totally agree here. My 2008 E90 M3 had every option except the dreadful dual clutch transmission. While the "premium" leather did hold up very well, the plastics, buttons, etc. were absolute crap. Never mind the rattles, squeeks, etc.

    Funny enough, if you drive a similar year and mileage Lexus ISF (which has a brutally hard suspension (before the suspension was revised in 2010??) you'll see that the Lexus is rattle free, tight as a drum and the interior materials held up much better.

    I loved my M3 but the interior was not a high point.
  • cjasiscjasis Member Posts: 274
    As stated in multiple other threads where you guys at Edmunds curb wheels, etc.... please remind me to never let any of you drive one of my cars!

    PS - I agree with others here, this looks like someone slammed the door on the seatbelt.
  • mercedesfanmercedesfan Member Posts: 365
    @jeepsrt,

    I find that hard to believe, but I have to give you the benefit of the doubt because obviously I've never seen your wife's car. That's great that she got lucky with her M3. Unfortunately, that is not the norm. Visit a BMW forum, it will be riddled with complaints about how poorly the E9Xs were built.

    I will admit that a lot of this comes down to expectation. Despite having their fair share of flaws in other areas, Benz interiors hold up exceptionally well. At the time I owned my E92, my daily driver was an S550 that I was driving 18k miles a year. That thing was in better shape when I sold it with 130k miles than my M3 was when its lease ended after 21k miles.
  • mercedesfanmercedesfan Member Posts: 365
    @cjasis,

    Pretty much sums up my experience. If I had to do it all over again there is nothing I would change. I loved my E92. The interior, though, was awful.
  • kirkhilles1kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863
    Oh well, its just an interior door panel. Probably a lot better than screwing up your dash or deal with what Toyota owners are going through with that cracking dashboard ($4,000 fix!)
  • allthingshondaallthingshonda Member Posts: 878
    kirkhilles1 said:

    Oh well, its just an interior door panel. Probably a lot better than screwing up your dash or deal with what Toyota owners are going through with that cracking dashboard ($4,000 fix!)

    I'm pretty sure replacing the door panel on a BMW will cost close to $4,000.
  • dgcamerodgcamero Member Posts: 148
    jeepsrt said:

    mercedesfan said:

    "...in my experience BMW interiors are some of the most durable around"

    Alas, that was 15 years ago. Ever since the E65 bowed Bimmer interiors have become less and less impressive. My E92 M3 was awful. That was a weekend car that I barely drove 7,000 miles a year and babied religiously. Nevertheless, there were a few nicks in the plastic and some pealing on the "carbon fiber" trim just from the occasional passengers I carried. The latest generation of BMWs seem slightly better, but that is mostly because BMW now uses low-grade, rock hard plastics rather than the pleasantly textured ones they used before. Either way, the interiors of BMW's below the 6/7-Series have not been able to justify their price point for a long time.

    I disagree about the E92 interior being cheap. My wife drives an M3 sedan with a 4yo and 6 month old constantly getting in and out with car seats and dirty hands and the interior still looks new after 44k miles.
    The 2007 e93's interior is pretty terrible quality. It was really nice when new, but it is essentially worn completely out by 75k miles if you actually keep the roof down. The leather on the seats and the dash are the only exception.
  • longtimelurkerlongtimelurker Member Posts: 455
    allthingshonda said:

    kirkhilles1 said:

    Oh well, its just an interior door panel. Probably a lot better than screwing up your dash or deal with what Toyota owners are going through with that cracking dashboard ($4,000 fix!)

    I'm pretty sure replacing the door panel on a BMW will cost close to $4,000.
    Ah, no...it's $560.91 in vinyl, $757.23 in leather. And that includes the upper and lower (with the door pockets) card, the arm rest and the door handle and all fasteners.
  • 03hondaaccord03hondaaccord Member Posts: 18
    A mountain bike? What? No, this looks much more like repeatedly closing a seatbelt buck in the door.
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