Used BMW i3 Side Skirt

The BMW i3 does have side sill/skirt panels as part of its body structure, so this is a genuine part you can source from a breaker. The i3 was produced from 2013 to 2022 and went through a facelift in 2017, so the generation and facelift period are the key questions when searching for a matching used skirt. Because the i3 has a distinctive CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) passenger cell with plastic outer panels, the sill cover trim is a real replaceable item and breakers will hold them.

These two cars sit either side of the 2017 facelift — the pre-facelift i3 ran from 2013 to 2017 and the facelifted model from 2017 to 2022, and the exterior panels including sill trim were revised at that point. Whether the sill skirt itself actually interchanges across that facelift boundary is something you need to confirm with the breaker against your registration, as panel fitment across a facelift can vary even when parts look similar. Do not assume a pre-2017 skirt will drop straight onto a post-2017 car without checking.

The i3s is the sportier variant introduced with the 2017 facelift and it features wider body styling and different sill/skirt trim to the standard i3, so a skirt from a standard i3 is very unlikely to be the correct fit for an i3s and vice versa. When contacting a breaker, make sure you specify i3 or i3s clearly alongside your registration number so they can match the right panel. If you are unsure which variant you have, check your V5C or registration plate lookup.

Trim level and drivetrain variant — including whether your car has the Range Extender petrol generator — do not affect the side skirt fitment, as these are all built on the same body structure. What matters is the generation (2013–2022) and which side of the 2017 facelift your car sits on, plus whether you have the standard i3 or the i3s body. Confirm your exact model year and variant with the breaker and they will be able to identify the correct panel.

Used side skirts from a breaker will almost certainly be in the original body colour of the donor car, so unless you find an exact colour match you should expect to have the panel resprayed after fitting. This is completely normal when buying used body panels and most body shops can match your car's colour from the paint code found on a sticker inside the door shut or boot area. Confirm the NS (nearside, passenger side) or OS (offside, driver side) with the breaker clearly when requesting a quote, as they are handed parts.

The BMW i3 is increasingly common at UK breakers as earlier 2013–2017 pre-facelift cars are now being broken for parts, so supply is improving. Facelifted 2017–2022 cars and i3s variants may have slightly less availability, especially for less-damaged donor cars where body panels are often still intact. Using a marketplace like Findapart to request quotes from multiple breakers at once is the most efficient way to locate the correct skirt for your year and variant.