Convertible roof molding repair?

[modulated]

Thanks for tips here, everyone. Just happened to me two weeks ago and it looks EXACTLY like OP's first photo. I'm not quite following the repair instructions and I don't yet understand what this part assembly even does, but I'll report any learnings.

[Bettertomorrow]

Feel your pain...
When I picked up my car, I had both left and right side middle pieces broken like OP's car. Rather than taking the car to the dealer who sold it (free fix), I wanted to replace them myself, looked like easy DIY, just needed to get the parts. Looked into finding replacement parts for many days and learned that BMW now only sells these trim pieces by the set, no more individual piece sales. It seemed that very rarely one could find the right piece on ebay but that did not happen for me for 2 weeks or so.

Impatience got the better of me, I ended up ordering the whole set and reached out to selling dealer to fix it as well. Figured if dealer can fix it quickly enough, I could always return the set, no harm done. Otherwise, I would just fix it myself. Was right about dealer fixing it quickly but was wrong about returning the set, apparently this bmw online store charges 15-20% restocking fee for an unopened part. Probably will hold on to this set, have a feeling that one of trim pieces may eventually break.

[leahbmw2001]

Any chance I can buy one of those parts from you? My right center piece is also broken and I am trying to avoid paying $500+ for the entire kit.

[leahbmw2001]

or anyone else who has center right piece!

[Bettertomorrow]

Originally Posted by leahbmw2001

Any chance I can buy one of those parts from you? My right center piece is also broken and I am trying to avoid paying $500+ for the entire kit.

Sorry, if center piece isn't the one that always seems to break, I would sell it to you. But when mine does break in the future, chances are, it will be center piece and can't spent $675 for that one piece again. I do feel your pain though. I believe that piece alone used to sell for less than $75, more like $50 before BMW changed their selling tactic.

[Ctxgal]

I have searched high and low for part #54377184048
Cover, hinge primed right. Any help in locating would be appreciated or suggestions on what options there are.

[visoiuvlad]

Originally Posted by Bettertomorrow

Sorry, if center piece isn't the one that always seems to break, I would sell it to you. But when mine does break in the future, chances are, it will be center piece and can't spent $675 for that one piece again. I do feel your pain though. I believe that piece alone used to sell for less than $75, more like $50 before BMW changed their selling tactic.

Hi,
Can you sell me the rear small piece? Passenger side

[2Slo_F83]

Does anyone have any videos how to proactively put the adhesive and double sided tapes to ensure this doesn't happen at all?

Mine hasn't popped yet, I'm hoping it will be under warranty she. It happens.

[2Slo_F83]

Does this cover under warranty?

[therealkenc]

I used scotch tape as a test solution (you can see I didn't bother removing the dirt/air bubbles), but it's worked so well that I'm just leaving this on until it starts to come off, at which point I'll just use new scotch tape.

Cheap, effective, and neat, though I'm assuming it'll come off at some point so it's not a permanent fix. Getting a new molding set isn't a permanent fix either. 😆 Been a month now and gone through 5 washes with zero issues.

[Scythe17]

This just happened to mine, ugh 400 bucks for a piece of plastic they don't sell on it's own anymore... never change BMW. Bout to head to the scrapyard and see if I can find a jet black anything with this Piece. If not, already I busted out the tape underneath and superglued it to the tape and it held at "highway speeds" for at 2.5 hour drive... I think using the painters tape I used is sketchy af though so I will be scotch taping it at some point so I can go back to dropping the top while I try to get a permanent solution.

On the plus side it "seems" like this is used on the All E93, F33, and F83 models. Same piece of silly breakable, movable, plastic from the 3 series, 4 series, M3, and M4. If I go with the scrapyard method I will let you guys know how it turns out. I know they have one "black" (not sure if jarez or jet black tho) 328i vert at my local yard and may try to see what they sell that piece for.

[modulated]

Someone had asked why you can't just buy the ~$15 roof rail mounting kit clips (the clips that hold the ends of the springs) instead of replacing the whole molding piece. This was the answer:

Originally Posted by SMB F83

It's a bit hard to explain verbally, but there are two tabs molded into the molding that are what the clips "clip" over. The molding being loose is almost always because those tabs have been broken off the back side of the molding, so the clips have nothing to grab onto to capture the spring that provides the force to hold it down.

New clips would have nowhere to go. The link is to a picture in my gallery that shows these tabs intact. 4 sets of tabs, 2 little tab legs each. A clip goes over each pair.

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/al...ictureid=77546

I'll try and find a break later today to go out to the garage and take some pics of intact clips/springs on mine.

I'm going to try supergluing one of the mounting kit clips onto my existing molding instead of replacing the whole molding. 3 of my 4 clips are intact, so I'm hoping to just find a way to hold the one spring end down. If that doesn't work I'm going to try to duct tape the spring flat against the molding using multiple small pieces of duct tape, wish me luck.

[tmtucker1]

I had the spring pop up out of the channel and began to start scratching the roof. I was able to get the thing off easily enough without breaking anything, but when I got the spring back where it needed to be and started attaching the springs, all of those clips broke off.

I'm ordering a full set painted the stock black sapphire pearl color. I'd be willing to sell and ship any of the pieces I don't need when I get them. I only need the driver's side and only the center section.

Right now, I'm driving it around without moving the top and without the molding in place.

[simonjo]

Originally Posted by tmtucker1

I had the spring pop up out of the channel and began to start scratching the roof. I was able to get the thing off easily enough without breaking anything, but when I got the spring back where it needed to be and started attaching the springs, all of those clips broke off.

I'm ordering a full set painted the stock black sapphire pearl color. I'd be willing to sell and ship any of the pieces I don't need when I get them. I only need the driver's side and only the center section.

Right now, I'm driving it around without moving the top and without the molding in place.

Hi mate, I’m from down under and need a left side trim (my passenger side your drivers side). Any chance you have one spare left?

[Bburk21]

Originally Posted by tmtucker1

I had the spring pop up out of the channel and began to start scratching the roof. I was able to get the thing off easily enough without breaking anything, but when I got the spring back where it needed to be and started attaching the springs, all of those clips broke off.

I'm ordering a full set painted the stock black sapphire pearl color. I'd be willing to sell and ship any of the pieces I don't need when I get them. I only need the driver's side and only the center section.

Right now, I'm driving it around without moving the top and without the molding in place.

I am in need of the passenger side. Do you still have that additional hardware available for sale?

[Packard42]

Last year I replaced the right side molding after the tabs broke off and the spring bent and scratched the paint. I bought the one piece I needed off eBay and I bought a used hinge. Had the dealer bodyshop paint it to match and had them install. Put the roof down maybe three times and the tabs broke and the spring was bent again. Needless to say I'm not happy.
So I bought another new piece and another hinge part. I was wondering if the springs being able to move right to left on the shaft too much has anything to do with the failure. Already guessing the tabs break off because of the weak plastic and exposure to the sun over time.
I was thinking of using epoxy to glue in a small "L" shaped metal piece between the tabs as well as placing some nylon 3/8" washers on either side of each spring. Any thoughts?