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Heading back to my car after work yesterday and something didn't look quite right, looking closer i found this



Not aware of having hit anything on the drive to work and am positive the car wasn't like this when i parked it in the morning

My question is this; there is no easy way to get to the rear of the grill to try and fix it back till i find out what replacement parts will cost, there seems to be an area on the under skirt/spoiler which may bolt off and allow access. Do the panel bolts have spring washers or such like inside; if i undo the panel am i going to have the devils own job to fix it back securely?
The grill is forced in about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in old money, i can't pull it back in place and clip it from the front, it seems to need assistance from behind.

Are you sure it won't all snap back into place

srhutch wrote:Are you sure it won't all snap back into place

Unfortunately yes, spent quarter of an hour last night trying to pull it back but somewhere it is catching and i can't lever the top left hand side back in place. I have got 2 points clipped back on the right hand side but without damaging the grill i am stuck

Unless someone kicked it how can just the grill be pushed back... some right jealous idiots out there.

I have no idea how it comes back out.. i but i would imagine if it can be pushed in it can also be pushed back out.... maybe if you try removing a few of the undertray bolts and see if you can get your hand behind it to push it out..... they are not spring loaded on the E85.

aquazi wrote:Unless someone kicked it how can just the grill be pushed back... some right jealous idiots out there.

I have no idea how it comes back out.. i but i would imagine if it can be pushed in it can also be pushed back out.... maybe if you try removing a few of the undertray bolts and see if you can get your hand behind it to push it out..... they are not spring loaded on the E85.

That's what i intend to try, my paranoia just forces this image into my mind of not being able to re secure the tray underneath or it being loose.

It's possible something i haven't seen or felt may have hit the car but i can't see how when there is no sign of any damage anywhere else, my first thought was skateboard based on the height and limited impact point. Guess i'll never know: Perhaps the seagulls decided to join in the rioting !

Finally got some time to get under the car - sort of, not easy on gravel with no jack or ramps. 8 screws to undo and fiddle around with; to find that to properly take a panel out was going to take much longer. Managed to get a hand up behind the wheel arch panel and put some pressure on the grill, the silver plastic parts just pulled out at the front and i could realign the black grill, then clip the silver trim back on. Phew!
Most galling thing stupidly, is to think that when i was first pricing up a 23i i was going to pay how much to bmw to put in the silver grills on the front spoiler? (am i right in remembering that as an option, or was it just that the main kidney grill was in black on the 23i?)
Any way i reckon there's barely 10pence worth of plastic in those silver trim pieces - Quality at BMW my R's

roofless wrote:Finally kid
Any way i reckon there's barely 10pence worth of plastic in those silver trim pieces - Quality at BMW my R's

You now know why BMW make so much profit, up 66% on the previous year

Well done

Can't believe they cost more silver... I would have just sprayed them... Would have cost £5 worth of halfords paint