Rimless doors vs "normal" ones

prizrak

Forum Addict
Joined
Apr 2, 2007
Messages
21,574
Location
No, sleep, till, BROOKLYN
Car(s)
11 Xterra Pro-4x, 12 'stang GT
Been thinking about it for a while, what would be the benefit if any of rimless doors vs ones that have a metal frame?

I can understand for any car that has a convertible option, since that saves the manufacturer from making multiple types of doors and door glass. But what about cars like my old Outback, there was never a convertible option and yet it had a rimless door. My understanding that a door with an actual frame is better in terms of wind noise and weather sealing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MWF
Rule of Cool.
 
Been thinking about it for a while, what would be the benefit if any of rimless doors vs ones that have a metal frame?

I can understand for any car that has a convertible option, since that saves the manufacturer from making multiple types of doors and door glass. But what about cars like my old Outback, there was never a convertible option and yet it had a rimless door. My understanding that a door with an actual frame is better in terms of wind noise and weather sealing.

You never watched Miami Vice? A rimless door you can cover behind and shoot OVER looking all cool and all, a normal door you have to shoot round from the side like a pleb.
 
You never watched Miami Vice? A rimless door you can cover behind and shoot OVER looking all cool and all, a normal door you have to shoot round from the side like a pleb.
There's these things called windows that can go up and down.
 
LOL @ most responses

Well yeah I agree they look better but if that were the only consideration all cars would have rimless doors but they don't
 
I've always preferred rimless glass, be that on car doors or spectacles.

Weirdly I've been having similar thought recently about "suicide" doors on cars. Time was when most car doors were hinged at the rear rather than the front, and when you think about it they do make access and egress easier. Given modern technology I would vote to make frameless, suicide doors mandatory on all vehicles.

Also prizrak, why not add a poll to this thread?

Yes
No
Don't give a rat's
Never really thought about it

Or something along those lines.
 
Last edited:
There are a few reasons to avoid it, mostly having to do with the seal having to be more complicated and it being marginally easier to break into the car.

Subaru does it because it's a quirky Subaru thing.
 
I've always preferred rimless glass, be that on car doors or spectacles.

Weirdly I've been having similar thought recently about "suicide" doors on cars. Time was when most car doors were hinged at the rear rather than the front, and when you think about it they do make access and egress easier. Given modern technology I would vote to make frameless, suicide doors mandatory on all vehicles.

Also prizrak, why not add a poll to this thread?

Yes
No
Don't give a rat's
Never really thought about it

Or something along those lines.

Hadn't thought of a poll, dunno how to add it :(
 
Push all the buttons and see what breaks.
 
There are a few reasons to avoid it, mostly having to do with the seal having to be more complicated and it being marginally easier to break into the car.

Subaru no longer does it because it's no longer a quirky Subaru thing.

FTFY :p
 
Been thinking about it for a while, what would be the benefit if any of rimless doors vs ones that have a metal frame?

I can understand for any car that has a convertible option, since that saves the manufacturer from making multiple types of doors and door glass. But what about cars like my old Outback, there was never a convertible option and yet it had a rimless door. My understanding that a door with an actual frame is better in terms of wind noise and weather sealing.

Challenger comes to mind. Also, it was the first car I sat in that had the "drop the window down a touch so as to not shatter the glass when closing" mechanism. Which, that alone feels like something that will fail on the 3rd owner of the car. I've got an 04 Mustang that has frameless windows and it closes just fine and seals out water.
 
Challenger comes to mind. Also, it was the first car I sat in that had the "drop the window down a touch so as to not shatter the glass when closing" mechanism. Which, that alone feels like something that will fail on the 3rd owner of the car. I've got an 04 Mustang that has frameless windows and it closes just fine and seals out water.

I had that on the Z actually and yeah window regulator failure was a common thing. My Mustang has the same thing, Subaru didn't have an auto drop but it also had way more wind noise than the Mustang so there might be something to that.
 
Top