Hi there guys, just joined the Mazda club (both in real life and here). I have a 2011 Mazda 3 hatchback. I was walking by it today what appeared to be tape caught my eye. Turns out their is electrical tape (or some kind of tape) running all around the windows of all four doors. I immediately started trying to take it off without thinking about it. It is proving to be a real pita to get off...

My question is, is this something that the manufacture does and it simply never got taken off? Or is did the previous owner do this for looks? (I assume to give it a dull-ish look all the way around the window...?). I really don't know how I didn't notice it before, lol. Anywho...thanks for any help anyone can offer.

 

It's done by the manufacturer to try and make the windows look like a single blackened unit vs. separate. It's just aesthetics and can be removed if you want. It's a super PITA.... not difficult, but expect to have sore fingers when you're done. On the 1st gen model it looked alright on the sedan, however with the 5-door the little triangular window in the back ended up sticking out as it's still trimmed in black even without the stuff removed from the doors.

Incidentally it's just vinyl.