M3 frameless doors, winter and "the dip"

[Bangor Bob]

'Tis the season for ice-encased vehicles. The M3 Prototype's windows seem to be frameless. Did anyone who got a test ride in a 3 prototype happen to notice if the windows do "the dip" to clear the upper trim?

Hopefully Tesla manages to arrange things so that the doors can open and close without having to move the windows. One little area where function should probably outweigh style, IMO.

I had a Subaru for several years with frameless doors. The windows didn't have to move to get in and out of it.

 

[GoTslaGo]

I was not there, but I figured I'd check out a few Youtube vids. None of them filmed the doors as they were closing to see if the windows moved up. Interestingly, the Matte black one always had the windows slightly cracked open (presumably for ventilation, since each drive had 5 people). Here's a screen shot:



I could not see whether the silver one had the same.

 

[yesup]

Hopefully Tesla manages to arrange things so that the doors can open and close without having to move the windows. One little area where function should probably outweigh style, IMO.
I had a Subaru for several years with frameless doors. The windows didn't have to move to get in and out of it.

Moving the windows slightly on opening and closing frameless doors allow you to achieve a much better and tighter seal around the window, and less wind noise.

 

[CT200h]

I'd much rather have a full framed door. I've had many cars and much prefer the strength and seal that. A full framed door offers. One of the few things so far I do not like about the 3.

 

[jbcarioca]

I'd much rather have a full framed door. I've had many cars and much prefer the strength and seal that. A full framed door offers. One of the few things so far I do not like about the 3.

I agree, although that is becoming harder to find these days.

 

[melindav]

The three cars I've owned (since the late 80s) have all had frameless windows and I love the look. Only issue I've had is one failed breakin attempt that required a window to be adjusted to get it straight again and in my convertible there is no drip edge, so rain drips onto the inside of the door when the window is open (more an issue with the roof design than windows - the other two don't drip rain inside). The two modern cars don't whistle or have wind noise and neither automatically vent the window or need the glass to be lowered. The third car has enough creaks, rattles and noises that any air gaps are the least of its noise related issues.
An added benefit to frameless is in a tight garage, with the window down, its easier to get in/out when the door is only open a crack.

 

[alseTrick]

Do the S and X have the same type of doors? Wouldn't that be a good idea of how to expect it to function with the 3?

 

[melindav]

 

[bjelkeman]

The frameless window is really a pain in the *ss when you have snowy/rainy conditions with alternating above and below zero conditions. The door opens, without being able to pull down the window, as the window is frozen to the rubber. Then you can't close it. You have to unpick the ice with something like a credit card, without damaging the rubber. Meh.

 

[alseTrick]

That's my point. Has that been a problem? If not, why are people fussing? If yes, keep fussing.

 

[trm2]

The car we had with frameless windows and window indexing was never a problem - and we live near Cleveland where it isn't exactly nice weather year round.

 

[Matt125]

The frameless window is really a pain in the *ss when you have snowy/rainy conditions with alternating above and below zero conditions. The door opens, without being able to pull down the window, as the window is frozen to the rubber. Then you can't close it. You have to unpick the ice with something like a credit card, without damaging the rubber. Meh.

I can see from your location you must be well acquainted with this! We sometimes get snowy/ice conditions in the UK too, so i was wondering if you could go into a little more detail. Surely this problem is alleviated if you use deicer spray and use the Tesla app to warm up the car for a while?

 

[Garlan Garner]

I can see from your location you must be well acquainted with this! We sometimes get snowy/ice conditions in the UK too, so i was wondering if you could go into a little more detail. Surely this problem is alleviated if you use deicer spray and use the Tesla app to warm up the car for a while?

Yes...the Tesla app works great.

 

[Saghost]

Do the S and X have the same type of doors? Wouldn't that be a good idea of how to expect it to function with the 3?

The only doors Tesla has ever built with an upper frame are the Falcon Wings. Roadster, S, and front X doors are all frameless.

 

[nd4spd569]

I'd much rather have a full framed door. I've had many cars and much prefer the strength and seal that. A full framed door offers. One of the few things so far I do not like about the 3.

I prefer frames so I can grab the top and lift myself out of cars.

 

[Dithermaster]

I love my frameless windows on my Model S, and I'm in Wisconsin where windows freeze. I'm fortunate to have a garage though.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I love my frameless windows on my Model S, and I'm in Wisconsin where windows freeze. I'm fortunate to have a garage though.

I have a garage also here in Chicago, however I park outside at work.

 

[bjelkeman]

I can see from your location you must be well acquainted with this! We sometimes get snowy/ice conditions in the UK too, so i was wondering if you could go into a little more detail. Surely this problem is alleviated if you use deicer spray and use the Tesla app to warm up the car for a while?

Prewarming the car, not really in my experience. If the car is standing outside and it is a few below freezing as it is now, the car warming doesn't really help, if it has a thin snow cover. If it manages to melt the snow on the windows it runs down to the edge and freezes. I haven't tried de-icer spray. Now it is -17C (0F) and it is a bit of a pain.

I am getting a carport with permanent three phase charging (11 kW) built. So I can have the heating run longer and have less snow on the car. But the snowy weather has been delaying the building works. Oh well.

 

[Bangor Bob]

Yeah, the fun thing around here the past few winters has been a few days of stupidly-cold temperatures, like a high of 0F, and then a storm that goes from snow to freezing rain, rain, and back to snow, and then the temperature dives right back to 0F. That makes a mess of un-scrapeable ice. If the windows didn't have to move for the doors to operate, that would be nice.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

I'd much rather have a full framed door. I've had many cars and much prefer the strength and seal that. A full framed door offers. One of the few things so far I do not like about the 3.

Yeah that ^^ I detest the frameless windows on the MS. The doors feel cheap and fragile.