Controversial?: E86 Coupe with pre-facelift front bumper.

Meds

Meds

Active member
 Beds/Cambs
Lads, hear me out.

A few of us got chatting a while back, one mentioned how good the original Z4 front bumper looked, compared to the facelift version. I dismissed his idiotic thoughts, but quickly realised he was absolutely correct.

The big round fogs lamps, the shark nose, the way the sculpting works with the rest of the original design language displayed on the concept and pretty much replicated on the original Z4 when it was released.

BMW used the 'land shark' reference in their marketing, which the original bumper conveys very well.
The Coupe concept drawings and photos also show the original bumper.

The facelift front bumper came with a larger lower vent with an uncharacteristically angular, straight opening, the fog lights changed to thin angular rectangles. Neither compliment the rest of the car which was largely left untouched. A very lazy design and a step backwards.

The Coupe concept photos had the pre-facelift bumper, too.

We found one other on the interweb who swapped his Coupe bumper to the pre-facelift bumper. Damn, it looks good.!

I grabbed and absolute ebay bargain at the weekend. A pre-facelift front bumper, fogs and lower grill.
I have a bodyshop lined up for preparing the bumper and colour matching.

Soooooooo, let the project commence.
(along with all the other unfinished tasks)
ETA? At least 6 months!
 
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You're spot on with that, I've always thought the pre-facelift front bumper looked so much better than the facelift with those hateful leaky fog-lights!

I think it will look great. :thumbsup:
 
Yes! Much better. Note that the auto has a bigger opening in the lower grille than the manual version.
 
bigwinn said:
You could be on to something here
Click to expand...

Credit to my buddy, Nathan for the idea.

I need to cut holes for washer jets, I'll attempt that today if I get a chance.

[Edit: it wasnt Nathan, it was Russ)
 
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Meds said:
Credit to my buddy, Nathan for the idea.

I need to cut holes for washer jets, I'll attempt that today if I get a chance.
Click to expand...
Why? They leak and just make a mess.
Not a legal requirement on those I’m sure. Rip out all the pipe work too and fit a washer bottle without the extra pump.
 
I was really considering removing them. Still am.

But what if the MOT tester notices no headlight leveling dial, realises the car has xenons and fails it for no wash mechanism.?

If I unplug them, do I need to install anything in the end of the wires to stop any errors?
 
If being controversial, with or without front number plate plinth?

The forum, over the years, seems to have always leaned on the direction of no plinth.

I find removing it makes the number plate look like a woman's obviously fake eye brows.

I have always preferred the pre-facelift front and rear on a roadster but that doesn't mean I haven't found facelifts appealing on occasion. Sometimes it depends on what mods have been done to the car.
 
Usel said:
If being controversial, with or without front number plate plinth?

The forum, over the years, seems to have always leaned on the direction of no plinth.

I find removing it makes the number plate look like a woman's obviously fake eye brows.

I have always preferred the pre-facelift front and rear on a roadster but that doesn't mean I haven't found facelifts appealing on occasion. Sometimes it depends on what mods have been done to the car.
Click to expand...
This is like the thinking man’s stubby versus whippy debate and should be discussed more often
 
Usel said:
If being controversial, with or without front number plate plinth?

The forum, over the years, seems to have always leaned on the direction of no plinth.
Click to expand...

The bodyshop is filling the holes that the self tapping plinth screws left behind.
The plinth will not be returning and I will use magnetic plates (or simply some double sided tape) :thumbsup:
 
bigwinn said:
This is like the thinking man’s stubby versus whippy debate and should be discussed more often
Click to expand...
Definitely whippy for me, but if I regularly used a car cover I'd have a stubby.

I've always been 50/50 on orange hockey sticks in the headlights. I'd say mostly I have envied other Zeds with clear but then other times I have thought they look great on my cars.

A couple of photos where I think the orange hockey sticks have enhanced the car and wouldn't be as good without them:

Screenshot_20251223_093932_Gallery.jpg

20231003_091107.jpg

Going back on topic, I think you should add a pre-facelift bumper and I believe the headlight washer delete will not stop you from passing an Mot. There is a certain date when the headlight washers must be present but I think that came in after the E85/6 stopped production?
 
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Yes, a little reading found the 2009 date. That combined with the fact they wont be there, with no visible caps, I should be good for future MOT..
If need be, I can always install them again, but that would be a sad day indeed.
 
Ohh, maybe even more controversial, the fogs will be tinted yellow like I have now on my Coupe.
I have a thing for yellow lights on BMW's. :rofl:
 
I have a prefacelift bumper on my E86 (with washers, no plinth).

I think it looks better, personally. And I couldn't find a good facelift one, so I stuck with it.
 
Meds said:
Yes, a little reading found the 2009 date. That combined with the fact they wont be there, with no visible caps, I should be good for future MOT..
If need be, I can always install them again, but that would be a sad day indeed.
Click to expand...
I gave up with the leaky washers, pulled the fuse and capped off the pipe from the reservoir. My car has passed 3 MOTs like that so it shouldn't be an issue.
 
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