E86 rear wing rust. Is this a cost effective solution?

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:24 pm

Both rear wings of my coupe have rust patches around the arches and I'm considering what the most cost effective solution is.

Buying 2 new wings from BMW is too expensive. Repairing them is an option but the affected areas would need new metal welding in and then spraying which would also be expensive.

Second hand coupe rear wings are in rocking horse poop territory and even if they did crop up they'd be expensive and unlikely to be Sapphire Black. So, again, expensive fitting and spraying needed.

So my attention is turning to roadsters. Because there are loads of roadsters, rear wings are available and are reasonably priced. I know they are different on the roadster compared to the coupe, but from my investigations I suspect they're the same apart from at the point where it mounts at the top (where the rear side window of the coupe or roof or the roadster is).

So does anyone know if that's correct? Could I modify a roadster wing? Potentially, if I could find two wings in sapphire black and good condition, and IF they could be modified in a position that wouldn't be visible after fitting then I could avoid the cost of respraying.

Anyone any clues if this might be a non-starter or a goer?

Warming · Post by **Warming** » Thu Feb 06, 2020 1:39 pm

Hi I noticed quite a few Z4s have tiny bubbles of rust on the rear wings, did you find a solution?

Maybe it is easier to cut out the rust on your existing parts?

Here is a Z4 on ebay with quite a fair bit of rust, in later stages:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-BMW-Z4- ... 0009.m1982

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Thu Feb 06, 2020 3:03 pm

Warming wrote: ↑Thu Feb 06, 2020 1:39 pm Hi I noticed quite a few Z4s have tiny bubbles of rust on the rear wings, did you find a solution?

Maybe it is easier to cut out the rust on your existing parts?

Well, since writing my OP, I've since established that E85 and E86 wings are different in more ways than just the top mount bit. So I've crossed that option off my list.

Remaining options are to buy new, buy used or repair the existing ones. As you say, option 3 is looking the most likely.

I looked at my arches yesterday and actually the rust isn't as bad as I thought. Hopefully get them repaired and sprayed in the next few months

paddy wright · Post by **paddy wright** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:18 am

Wongs are the same as far as I know.

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:00 am

paddy wright wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 10:18 am Wongs are the same as far as I know.

You're wong

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 11:13 am

Just in case anyone is searching in future...

The roadster rear wing part numbers are 41357151639 and 41357151640 as can be found here...

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=41_1452

The coupe rear wing part numbers are 41003427223 and 41003427224 as can be found here...

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpa ... Id=41_1708

andystone · Post by **andystone** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:18 pm

Mine need sorting as well, both sides bubbling. I was planning on hopefully finding A1 condition second hand and simply replacing them. I also need both doors again due to rust!

Chris_D · Post by **Chris_D** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:45 pm

Two wings don't make a wong.

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:32 pm

andystone wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:18 pm Mine need sorting as well, both sides bubbling. I was planning on hopefully finding A1 condition second hand and simply replacing them. I also need both doors again due to rust!

As you have a roadster, you shouldn't have too much trouble. Coupe wings are rarer than rocking horse poop covered in fairy dust!

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:33 pm

Chris_D wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 12:45 pm Two wings don't make a wong.

Z4M-2006 · Post by **Z4M-2006** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:36 pm

Just have a good bodyshop repair the wings correctly with metal instead of filler...

Will last forever..

JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:46 pm

Z4M-2006 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 1:36 pm Just have a good bodyshop repair the wings correctly with metal instead of filler...

Will last forever..

Perhaps forever is a little optimistic, but yes, that's the route I'll probably be going down.

MrPT · Post by **MrPT** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 2:00 pm

Roadster wing on a coupe is worth some investigation. If the mounting points and panel gaps are the same (or can be made the same), it’s possible that only a trained eye could tell the difference.

The other way round is pointless as the tops of the wings won’t be flush with the boot.

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JamieZ4C · Post by **JamieZ4C** » Sat Feb 15, 2020 3:58 pm

It's a fair shout MrPT. Something to consider if your wings are beyond repair.

chanlon1 · Post by **chanlon1** » Thu Mar 16, 2023 7:37 pm

Regurgitating those old thread. I saw a post recently, not sure if it was here or somewhere else that had people posting photos of the rust bubbles on the E86 wings.
A question and answer I have yet to read is…is it rusting from the inside, or just surface rust under the paint?
Just wondering if I sand the paint back to try to fix myself, am I likely to uncover a bloody great big hole???

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