Brand new apron covers...cowl covers...whatever you wanna call them.

Lets see if this keeps these flimsy plastic clips and doors from breaking off as easily.

Flimsy JUNK from BMW....plastic loving bastards.

 

Been there, done that on both my battery and brake fluid reservoir access covers. They seem to have a lifespan of about 10 open/close cycles.

 

Let us pray...

 

Are these from BMW/MINI?

 

ya.

Forget the hot glue...it doesnt adhere to this ABS plastic. The Shore Goo does.

 

I have some things I am trying but need warmer weather to do so. I will post pics when complete.

 

Those clips are so flimsy. The rubber that touches the windshield also degrades after 10 years.

 

I used black silicone adhesive and it has held up for years now. Put some painter's tape about 1/4" on either side of the hinge for a neat line and let it cure for a day.

 

Which black silicon adhesive?

 

I used Black RTV silicone instant gasket I had laying around, Pro Seal brand.

 

I popped off the hot glue and used shoe goo. This entire endeavor is pretty ridiculous.

 

I took the molding (drip molding?) under the cowl cover off and cleaned it up. It was kind of of attached to the old cowl covers but I don't see how the new unit could attach. Its in rough shape but I ain't paying $40 for a new one.

I added some electrical tape to the channel that fit onto the bottom of the glass to get the molding to fit better since it was loose in some spots.




Some of the rubber came off the channel so its lose.

 

Yeah mine came missing the battery flap, and all the junkyard cars are brutalized to remove the battery, so no dice finding a used one.
I ended up paying out the *** for an OEM one from FCPeuro, so I guess at least I get the warranty with that.

 

Trim the beta link back on that bottom window, i see that people get the front window replaced all the time and that lower gasket will not fit due to safelite using too much window seal or its spread out.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ield-cowl.html





Also seen the trick where the inside of that seal has metal you you can try to crimp it along the strip to bring it back to clamping the piece.

 

Trim the drip edge thing where and why?

 

What a flimsy junk the battery cover is.
I fixed mine using window screen clip. Durable and I know this will not break.

 

ha! Nice solution.

 

I believe I got that idea from you. The only difference is I am making a hinge at the top. I have to do both sides.

 

I used duct tape to keep the battery door on....but the the issue was all the other dry rotted parts letting water and organic detritus get behind the cowl.

Mini gets the award for the most substandard plastic parts Ive experienced on a car.

 

Bottom of the front window if the bottom seal does not fit snug. The sealant when they replace the windows comes out and sometime inhibits the bottom seal to fully engage on the bottom of the window.

 

My windshield is original so i don't have that issue.

Is the cowl supposed to attach to the bottom seal? It wasn't obvious to me how that could happen.

 

Cowl back tab slides into the U slot on that seal that connects on the bottom of the windshield. Thats good yours is original, lots of MINI windshield are replaced.

 

Ya I noticed some of the old cowl's broken plastic was in the channel of the bottom seal but I the new cowl didnt seem to have the correct configuration to fit into that seal.

Its also an awkward thing to try and get both halves of the cowl onto the seal and then the seal into the windscreen...