Second Hand BMW i3 Door Hinge

The BMW i3 was produced from 2013 to 2022, with a facelift in 2017, and all versions used the same basic body structure throughout the model's life — however, whether a hinge from a pre-2017 car crosses to a post-2017 car without issue is worth confirming with the breaker against your registration before buying. What matters most is that you match the correct side (NS for nearside/passenger, OS for offside/driver) and the correct door position (front or rear). The i3's unusual rear-hinged back doors — sometimes called coach doors — mean front and rear hinges are completely different parts and must not be confused.

The i3s is a sportier trim variant of the same i3 body, and the door structure and hinges are the same as the standard i3 — trim level does not affect hinge fitment. You should still match the correct side (NS/OS) and confirm front versus rear door, as these are not interchangeable. Bear in mind that any cosmetic differences between an i3s and a standard car are on other panels, not the hinge itself, so a used hinge from either variant should serve the same function.

Yes — the BMW i3's rear doors are rear-hinged (coach-door style), which means their hinges are a different design to the front door hinges and are not interchangeable. When sourcing a used rear hinge, make sure to tell the breaker whether you need the NS (nearside/passenger side) or OS (offside/driver side) rear hinge specifically. Getting the side wrong will leave you with a part that cannot be fitted.

No — the door hinges on the BMW i3 are the same regardless of whether your car is the pure electric BEV or the range-extender REX variant, as the engine layout does not affect the door frame or hinge design. You simply need to match the correct generation (2013–2022, facelift from 2017), the correct door (front or rear), and the correct side (NS or OS). This means you have a wider pool of donor cars to source from at the breaker, which is useful given how relatively specialist the i3 is.

A 2016 car is pre-facelift (the facelift arrived in 2017) and a 2018 car is post-facelift, so you are crossing a generation boundary — the body structure is closely related but whether the hinge mounting points are identical across that change is something you should confirm with the breaker against both registrations before buying. Make sure to specify front or rear door and the correct side (NS or OS) when you ask. A good breaker will be able to check their stock against your exact registration to verify compatibility.

Colour does not affect fitment — a door hinge is a structural metal component and can be fitted regardless of what colour the donor car was painted. If the hinge itself carries any paint transfer you don't want, that is a cosmetic issue easily dealt with, not a fitment one. Focus on matching the correct side (NS or OS) and the correct door position (front or rear coach door) rather than the donor car's colour.