Front Chrome Kidney Grills

[Grady in Texas]

Both of mine were originally aftermarket and held in place with wire ties (slight nose bump by PO). I tried a couple of junk yard ones (old OEM and Old AM) but they haven't held up and the grill of one just fell out again. Options seem to be cheap ($30 for both but with bad reviews) and OEM ($100 per each). Anyone have a non-OEM suggestion that worked OK. Thanks

[Rokolya87]

Nothing beats the genuine. FCP has the cheapest I guess
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ht-51138125812
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...ft-51138125811

Here is also a wicked one, but I never tried 'em myself - http://www.racemeshgrilles.com/BMW-E...-01_p_244.html
However, I think they might ruin a classy look of 7-series

[shanecarmaster1]

I do have to say that I have aftermarket chrome FCP grills and they're wonderful (and that's after coming from quality ECS black grills). Nice and tight. If you're looking for chrome slats, though, these have black slats with chrome surrounds.

[Qsilver7]

Just an FYI...there's 4 different oe types:

1. pre facelift I6/V8 type (black slats behind the chrome surround)
2. pre facelift V12 type (black slats w/chrome front edges behind the chrome surround)
3. facelift I6/V8 type (black slats protruding out from the chrome surround)
4. facelift V12 type (black slats w/chrome front edges protruding out from the chrome surround)

Most facelift V8s imported to the US market came with the V12 kidney grills as part of the BMW NA 740i/iL pkg. You can see in the pic below where a V8 owner purchased a replacement kidney grill based on his VIN...which would be a grill with black slats. But due to BMW NA importing the V8s with the V12 grills...he ended up with the "snaggle-toothed" look where one grill has the "V8" all black slats and the other grill is the V12's chromed front edge grill:

Below...you can see examples of the pre facelift V8 grills that have all black slats that DO NOT protrude out from the chrome surround: