While washing our new Clubman Saturday, I discovered that the bottom edge of the door is missing the rubber strip. There is one on the passenger side and there is one on both sides of my Cooper. I asked the MA to send me one, and today he e-mails me and says that after researching it, all Clubmans are like that, none of them have one on the drivers side! I find this just unbelievable. What are all the d@mn holes for? Would you Clubman owners look under your drivers side door and see if it has a rubber strip along the edge, or is it missing like ours? Please reply, picture attached (if not I'll put it in my gallery) Thanks!

 

If you are to search the forums you will find lot of people complaining about this.

Yes This is the way it is. and it has something to do with the noise generated by the double door setup on the passenger side.

Those people that have purchased the strip and put it on have for the most part that it does not help keep water out, it does not help keep the dirt from getting in, an does not reduce any noise.

So on those points why have it.

I find that both side of the car get just as dirty in the door opening with or with out them.

 

As schatzy62 has stated, it appears most if not all Clubmans are like this and there's a few threads on it.

After reading about it here on NAM, I notified my MA before I picked up my Clubman and they had ordered and installed before I picked it up (no extra charge). Since it's always been on my vehicle, I can't tell you if it makes any difference in noise or dust/dirt/water.

 

Thanks, it just seemed so bazaar, I didn't do a search (should have, sorry, guilty this time). I just couldn't believe they would stamp the holes and not put the piece on. Since my post, I went to the bmw/mini parts site and looked up the door. The strip is listed right side only. So the right side strip will fit on the left side too? I may get one if it's not too expensive. Looks like it might keep some of the water out when washing. This should be listed on one of those what was MINI thinking threads. Just leave the holes open?

 

Just a guess, but if it is intentionally left out, and given what shatzy62 says, I would think it has to do with allowing air to escape when the right side doors are closed and/or to create a vacuum, which would reduce rattle of the right side doors....

 

This seal was was removed mid year 2007 in the R56's as well. It was removed from both doors. The holes are still there. Some folks reported slightly less water on the sills after washing and when driving in the rain. I never bothered getting them for my Mini. The car is pretty quiet inside without them.

 

Yeah, I wonder if they found that the doors were too hard to shut with the windows and sunroof closed or something else. Leaving it off would vent the pressure? My F-150 has little black flappy things on the back of the cab for that. Whatever, sounds like an afterthought and looks unfinished. At least you have to get on your hands and knees to see it.

P.S. posted without seeing Minidrivr's response. The pressure thing doesn't sound right either because the window is down a half inch when you shut the door; maybe it's the water, or maybe bmw just saved five bucks.

 

I argued with the MA about this when I picked the car up. They refused to do anything about it since none of the other vehicles had it either.

 

Didn't know this - and in all of those other tons of posts here and on MINI2, I don't recall anyone posting this. Either that or I stopped reading about the "missing seal".

 

My MA was in Southamptons, NY. Before picking up the vehicle, I had told them to replace it if missing - didn't know if it would be a charge or not.

 

Here ya go. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=113697

 

Thanks for the replies and especially the link. I ordered the strip from Classic MINI in the vendor directory with the NAM discount. The part # is 51767146093 for either side. It's just odd to have it on one side and not the other.

 

After reading this discussion I checked my month old Clubman and found that my drivers door didn't have the rubber seal either. Contacted my dealer and he said they are all that way and didn't offer a reason. Hmmmmm.

 

Did you read Minidrivr's posts and check out that link? Apparently it's normal now for the regular MINIs not to have them on either door. Perhaps it's viral.

It would be interesting to hear from on high what the reasons for removing them from both or one are.

My '09 has one on the driver's side only.

 

Page 4 of that thread had the link.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rvBulletin.pdf

 

PLEASE let us know how that works out. I'm curious about whether there's any benefit from having it on.

 

I have a color(purty) copy of the Mini Service bulletin that indicated the elimination of the driver side weather strip.

It's in my Gallery, page 1, first pic.

 

I e-mailed the MINI folks about the missing rubber strip on my driver's door and following is the reply.....

Thanks for writing MINI. We appreciate your inquiry.

"I can tell you that the MINI Cooper Clubman is designed to have the rubber strip on the passenger door and club door, but not on the driver door. Unfortunately, I do not have any information as to why it was designed this way. I apologize if this information is disappointing to you."

So I guess that's that!!!!!