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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

2003 - 2009, roadster, coupe, facelift
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Sidewaze Samm
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by Sidewaze Samm » Thu Jul 30, 2020 8:56 pm

So I had the front bumper off the other day, and as one of the mounting brackets was a bit broken I had already bought a new one some time ago from ebay.

When I finished the job and remounted the bumper using the brand new bracket, I couldn't get the bumper to fit properly. The N/S was fine with the old bracket, but the O/S looked no better than it had previously with the broken bracket. The two smaller lugs wouldn't stay trapped in the wing, and the bumper wouldn't push in flush with the wing. I assumed I had either been a complete numpty, or I had bought a crap copy from ebay.

Sadly, I'd made a duff electrical connection behind the bumper meaning I had to take it off again. So to be sure I bought another bracket from the dealer (£23 - weren't they dearer than that?) and replaced the questionable bracket with the genuine one.

But same result.

Comparing the old broken bracket with the newer (now broken on removal) bracket they look a little different. The outline shape is different at the bottom, but the bit that matters is nearer the top. What I'm pointing at is a plastic spur that obviously will strengthen the bracket - but as its about 5mm deep it stops the bumper from fully inserting! So out with the Dremmel and I managed to remove most of them (there's two). It would have been a lot easier to do before fitting rather than in situ! But the bumper now sits flush with the wing.
IMG_20200730_1644503.jpg
IMG_20200730_1644503.jpg (303.69 KiB) Viewed 863 times
The other failing with these new brackets, is that two of the lugs will not stay in the wing when supporting the bumper. With the bumper in place it appears impossible to reach the back of these lugs to push them forwards so they will catch on the wing. It occurred to me that if I drilled a small hole through the horizontal section of the bracket I may get something in to be able to reach the back of one of those lugs. I don't know what happened, but drilling the hole (in situ remember) must have deformed the lug sufficiently for it to catch hold. So, result - of a kind.

From these two picture you can clearly see the spur on the newer bracket and also that they are certainly not there on the older bracket.
IMG_20200730_1646211.jpg
IMG_20200730_1646211.jpg (173.44 KiB) Viewed 863 times
IMG_20200730_1646003.jpg
IMG_20200730_1646003.jpg (169.19 KiB) Viewed 863 times
So, questions...
1) Anyone else had this problem?
2) Have BMW found a new supplier to produce brackets at a lower cost?
3) Whose bright idea was it to strengthen the brackets (I'm not against that) by making changes without checking to see if it impacts the useability?
4) What do you reckon my chances are of getting money back for brackets that don't work? :rofl:
(It's OK - I'm not expecting any answers...)
2008 E85 3.0si
Space Grey, Dream Red New England heated Msports.
Xenons, MFSW, cruise, PDC, wind deflector.
ZHP, stubby, gloss black grilles, DLV box, gaptech, no CDV.

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Z4C_er
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by Z4C_er » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:44 pm

Sorry if I'm speaking out of turn, but those brackets look completely different. Are you sure they are supposed to be the same part number?
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CrazyBaptie
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by CrazyBaptie » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:26 am

I got given those new brackets under the same part number - I haven't been able to get the bumper to click in at all correctly Ill take a look and see if this works!

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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by Z4paul » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:56 am

Just in the last week a member talked about new brackets bought from a manchester based bmw dealer. Sounded as if he could clip them in place and them remove without any trouble at all - did need to remove wheel arch liner but apart from that it was a completely diff exp to yours ??? I need to replace one of mine so will read with interest how you get on :thumbsup:
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by srhutch » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:42 pm

Z4C_er wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:44 pm Sorry if I'm speaking out of turn, but those brackets look completely different. Are you sure they are supposed to be the same part number?
They also don't look very good in that the part numbering is wishy washy and some rough services.

Were they from a BMW Main Dealer?
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enuff_zed
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by enuff_zed » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:46 pm

I agree, they look like a completely different part.

Now I'll probably get shot down as I have zero knowledge on this, but is there a difference for pre- and post-facelift bumpers?
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Sidewaze Samm
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by Sidewaze Samm » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:48 pm

Z4C_er wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:44 pm Sorry if I'm speaking out of turn, but those brackets look completely different. Are you sure they are supposed to be the same part number?
Yep, quite sure. Part number used for both the ebay purchase and dealer purchase (who I got to check it) matched RealOEM.
It's clearly a different moulding but the extra bits that I cut out really shouldn't be there. Also, the plastic 'seems different' to what I'd expect, which is why I wondered if the ebay one was fake - but it's exactly the same as the main dealer bracket.
I can't remember how much I paid originally as it was a year ago, but I thought they were around the £30 mark (anyone confirm?) - but the one bought from the dealer last week was 'only' £23 inc VAT.
I can see used, undamaged ones of the original type becoming quite valuable...
2008 E85 3.0si
Space Grey, Dream Red New England heated Msports.
Xenons, MFSW, cruise, PDC, wind deflector.
ZHP, stubby, gloss black grilles, DLV box, gaptech, no CDV.

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Sidewaze Samm
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by Sidewaze Samm » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:48 pm

enuff_zed wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:46 pm I agree, they look like a completely different part.

Now I'll probably get shot down as I have zero knowledge on this, but is there a difference for pre- and post-facelift bumpers?
No. Same part.
2008 E85 3.0si
Space Grey, Dream Red New England heated Msports.
Xenons, MFSW, cruise, PDC, wind deflector.
ZHP, stubby, gloss black grilles, DLV box, gaptech, no CDV.

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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by enuff_zed » Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:53 pm

Sidewaze Samm wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:48 pm
enuff_zed wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:46 pm I agree, they look like a completely different part.

Now I'll probably get shot down as I have zero knowledge on this, but is there a difference for pre- and post-facelift bumpers?
No. Same part.
:thumbsup: OK, just bailed out :D
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spazmochad
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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by spazmochad » Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:12 am

I had the same issue with the bumper brackets and the notch. I assumed the post facelift bumper has the notches. At any rate I just Dremeled those notches out and the bumper fits fine.

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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by RKM » Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:10 pm

Is it better to notch out the bumper or grind off the tabs on the bracket?

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New bumper bracket - Aaarrgghhh!!!!

Post by spazmochad » Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:27 pm

Was safer to do the bracket imo, Dremel made short work of it. Plus new brackets are way cheaper than a new bumper.

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