E85/E86: What parts cost WAY more than they should? 😄

jasecasecarr

Member
 Gloucester
Just bought a couple of hardtop side covers and managed to pick them up for £140. Which, when you actually look at what they are, is a pretty hefty premium.. 🫤

I’ve seen one chancer on eBay asking £400 for the covers, and another guy asking silly money for extended leather. It got me thinking about other E85/E86 parts that seem to cost way more than they really should.

Off the top of my head:

* Hardtop side covers
* Cruise control stalk
* Extended leather trim/pieces

Are there any others I have missed?

Basically, what are the “if you see one cheap, buy it now because you’ll kick yourself later” parts for an E85/E86?

Anything you’ve needed and thought “you’re having a laugh, it’s literally a bit of plastic/trim/switch” would be good to know
 
Its supply and demand really - an increasing number of parts are no longer available from BMW so whilst cars are still being used on the road prices will just continue to increase. I paid £150 for my cruise stalk direct from BMW about three years ago.
Try £6,300 for an unpainted bonnet...get them while you can :-)
 
Basically any little plastic trim part for the interior. I think the plastic trims for the steering wheel are north of £500 now.
Wow, I didn't realise that! :eek:

The plastic screw covers for the centre console and cup-holders are silly money from BMW, but thankfully you can get them from aliexpress now! The clips for the sides of the front bumper that always seem to break spring to mind too.

Then there are Aero sills of course!
 
lower corner bumper trim/ splash guards

some parts are getting cheaper too
and some parts are available cheaper in dealership than ebay
 
Its supply and demand really - an increasing number of parts are no longer available from BMW so whilst cars are still being used on the road prices will just continue to increase. I paid £150 for my cruise stalk direct from BMW about three years ago.
Try £6,300 for an unpainted bonnet...get them while you can :-)
And the ridiculous part is that I (and I suspect others) find that bonnets will not sell. I have three good ones here that could be stripped and sprayed the correct colour for a fraction of the cost.
 
And the ridiculous part is that I (and I suspect others) find that bonnets will not sell. I have three good ones here that could be stripped and sprayed the correct colour for a fraction of the cost.
I've sent several bonnets to scrap. Large to store, can only fit in a van so awkward to transport.
 
LCI yaw sensors, steering columns and motors, hard tops, cruise stalks, those covers that fit when the roof is down.
Most people ask for additional photos and expect parts in excess of 20 years old to be mint, and then moan at the price.
 
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