[AbnormallyAspirated]

Hi:

Newbie here. Picked up my 2016 M235i 6-speed convertible this weekend. On the drive home there was heavy rain, and then for the last few miles rain let up so I put the top down.

When I got home I noticed water in the trunk, and opening the top partway I found water pooling on the flexible vinyl liner that separates the folded top from the trunk area.

I noticed a couple things:
1) there does not seem to be a seal on the front edge of the tonneau cover. the back and sides are gasketed. This means that any water pooling on the rollover protection area cover will flow into the top storage area
2) the top storage area does not seem to be isolated from the trunk - meaning water in there has lots of places to leak into the trunk
3) the vinyl separator has no way to drain (except into the trunk) - if water gets in it will pool until it is released into the trunk.

Please don't flame me about driving in the rain or having the top down when doing so. I'm just trying to understand the conops (concept of operation) of the water handling

I used to have a VW eos, which had clearly defined (and not always operable) mechanisms to get rid of water that might get into the top storage cavities. This mechanism just strikes me as odd. It seems like a gasket across the front of the hard tonneau cover would go a long way. Normally there are 2 options:
a) keep the water out
b) give the water someplace acceptable to go

BMW does not seem to have exercised either.

Dave

[leftoverture]

I have a 2016 and have driven in the rain (top up and top down) many times and I've never had water in the trunk. Sounds like you have a specific problem with your car.

[Oltimer]

in most cases of water in the boot of a vert the culprit is the rear lights, the foam seal between the light fitting and the back panel deteriorates and lets water in.
also im sure there are holes in the floor of the roof stowage compartment which has plastic pipes that allows any water to drain through and out just by the rear wheel, this pipe could be blocked so any water can't drain away, these pipes are similar to ones they have on the A pillar on cars with sunroofs to check for a blockage just run a welding rod or similar through the pipe to check.hth

[morphomeman]

If this happened on the way home, then the simplest solution is to return the vehicle, which may or may not be a hassle, depending on the nature of the purchase.
You definitely have a problem, the scope of which is hard to determine.

[cooolone2]

Return to sender as it appears the seller dumped the problem to an unsuspecting new owner!

Good Luck!

[AbnormallyAspirated]

Originally Posted by Oltimer

in most cases of water in the boot of a vert the culprit is the rear lights, the foam seal between the light fitting and the back panel deteriorates and lets water in.
also im sure there are holes in the floor of the roof stowage compartment which has plastic pipes that allows any water to drain through and out just by the rear wheel, this pipe could be blocked so any water can't drain away, these pipes are similar to ones they have on the A pillar on cars with sunroofs to check for a blockage just run a welding rod or similar through the pipe to check.hth

definitely not the issue. 100% the water is coming in around the tonneau cover when the top was down, because it was pooling on the flexible vinyl separator in the top stowage compartment.

Dave

[jzeiler4]

Another thing, if the top is wet you should not put it down until it is dry or it can carry water into the stowage area as well.

[AbnormallyAspirated]

Originally Posted by jzeiler4

Another thing, if the top is wet you should not put it down until it is dry or it can carry water into the stowage area as well.

That is good advice that never occurred to me LOL. Could have been at least part of what happened.

I guess I just wont put the top down if there is rain. I'm 99% sure the water got there by falling on the rollover bar area and then seeping back over the edge into the roof storage zone. I just surprised me that there does not seem to be the slightest attempt in the design to prevent that.

Dave