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Thread: Experiance with aftermarket OEM style bumper cover?

  1. #1
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    Experiance with aftermarket OEM style bumper cover?

    Anyone have experience using an aftermarket brand OEM style replacement bumper cover? I'd prefer buying a used one in good shape but haven't found one that wasn't beat up yet and the brand new none BMW OEM bumpers are tempting because price. I'm worried about fit and finish as well as paint adhesion.

  2. #2
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    There are no aftermarket M covers, are there non-M covers?

    Using my very untrustworthy logic...
    If aftermarket covers existed, someone would have used them and I would have seen one at some point
    I have never seen a Z3 with a "poor fitting" (sometimes they shrink a bit around the hood and dont line up perfect, or sag, but OE ones do that...) OE style bumper
    Because I have not seen a bumper with less-than-OE fitment, either aftermarket bumpers fit like OE or they do not exist

    - - - Updated - - -

    Keep in mind a good body shop can repair most anything...

  3. #3
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    A few years back a gentleman backed into my roadster and damaged the bumper cover. Farmers ins adjusted and quoted a $180 aftermarket cover. I was pissed because I didn't want some flimsy cover to replace my oe one also I already had a stock replacement purchased and awaiting install. Luckily the aftermarket ones don't exist and they had to pay for a bmw part. I got some door dings fixed since I already had the cover.

  4. #4
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    There are indeed aftermarket non-M bumper covers. Rockauto and ebay both have some listed.

  5. #5
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    I just paid for an original BMW M cover. $799 + tax ! Ouch !

  6. #6
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    Farmers thought they were listed too but when it came to it N/A. I wouldn't want to hassle with a non stock one
    Last edited by z3forlife; 01-10-2018 at 12:47 PM.

  7. #7
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    There's A LOT of sources for a non-M non-OEM cover (RockAuto, Advance, AutoZone, eBay, Amazon, O'Reily's, MOST body shops have access to them etc. etc. etc.) though I suspect they are all from the same manufacture. I've worked in a body shop before, there's a lot that can go wrong with poor replica plastic parts. Fit can be off anywhere, material can be too soft or too thin and be wavy, material can absolutely NOT let any primer or paints bond to them (go and try and paint your wife's TupperWear), the material can be thermally unstable and expand and contract excessivly with temperature changes (creating cracked paint) etc..

    And this is exactly why I'm asking for experiance.
    Last edited by RacerXTreme7; 01-10-2018 at 01:18 PM.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    There are no aftermarket M covers, are there non-M covers?

    Using my very untrustworthy logic...
    If aftermarket covers existed, someone would have used them and I would have seen one at some point
    Really?



    Fit wasn't so perfect as OEM, but nothing major. No issues with paint. Fiberglass (OEM are from ABS, which is better).
    Last edited by deni2s; 01-10-2018 at 01:55 PM.

  9. #9
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    I'm pretty sure he meant ///M OEM style.

    Yours is the ONLY aftermarket re-styled Z3 bumber I like! Who makes it?

    But I'm looking for OEM non-M Z3 styled made of ABS.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by RacerXTreme7 View Post
    Yours is the ONLY aftermarket re-styled Z3 bumber I like! Who makes it?
    Car Line Tuning. I think they are NLA.

    Quote Originally Posted by RacerXTreme7 View Post
    But I'm looking for OEM non-M Z3 styled made of ABS.
    No such thing exists AFAIK. OEM non-M shouldn't be too expensive. Only aftermarket ABS parts I know are ACS splitters and Rieger lip.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by deni2s View Post
    Car Line Tuning. I think they are NLA.



    No such thing exists AFAIK. OEM non-M shouldn't be too expensive. Only aftermarket ABS parts I know are ACS splitters and Rieger lip.
    yes, there are non-m oem style bumpers available
    Last edited by RacerXTreme7; 01-10-2018 at 02:39 PM.

  12. #12
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    I guess I'll be the Guinea pig. Just bought one, I'll report back on the quality when it arrives.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by deni2s View Post
    Really?



    Fit wasn't so perfect as OEM, but nothing major. No issues with paint. Fiberglass (OEM are from ABS, which is better).
    I always wanted one of these bumpers. When they were available it came out to something like $1200 shipped to the states. I ended up going with an OEM ///M bumper instead. OEM cost around $300 back then. Great looking car.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by dimm6 View Post
    I always wanted one of these bumpers. When they were available it came out to something like $1200 shipped to the states. I ended up going with an OEM ///M bumper instead. OEM cost around $300 back then. Great looking car.
    Thanks! Got the bumper as a mistake - I actually was trying to buy m bumper and received this. Was disappointed at first, but then I googled that it's quite rare and desirable. Switched later to m bumper to fit Hamann kit (now the car has totally different appearance), and now this CarLine bumper is waiting in the attic in Latvia next owner. Don't want to sell it for cheap, there were a lot of inquiries from USA, but packing+shipping+customs would be a killer. And local z3 owners are not ready to pay more than 50 euros for fiberglass bumper. Maybe will put it later on yellow car, if I will decide to repaint it at some point.

  15. #15
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    Bumper came in today, it actually looks pretty good so far, no waves or anything odd yet. It’ll probably be a while before it’s painted and installed. I’ll report back then.

    34026075-C237-4B02-8B63-BDE94782D9C8.jpg

    - - - Updated - - -

    By the way, it was only $180 SHIPPED (eBay).

    Cheapest new OEM I could find was around $680 plus shipping (non-M and ///M seem to be priced the same). Cheapest used I could find that didn't need work was over $450 after shipping.
    Last edited by RacerXTreme7; 01-23-2018 at 10:32 AM.

  16. #16
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    Seems overpriced to me. I can't sell similar used OEM bumper in good condition for 130$ - noone wants to buy it Fiberglass bumpers are around 50-100$ here.

  17. #17
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    Well, when BMW makes parts or aftermarket parts are made in Germany or China, they can be shipped cheaply to you in Latvia via rail or truck

    Parts to us have to come boat or plane which is very expensive. So yes, parts over there are cheaper. Can you ship a bumper to anyone in the US for $180 shipped? I don't imagine so... and in all fairness, looks like he was looking for a bumper ready to prime and shoot, never seen a used bumper in good enough shape to do this. Comparing apples and oranges here...

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  18. #18
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    ...it depands
    Screen Shot 2018-01-23 at 2.23.47 PM.png

    I've seen this version floating in a foreign z3 club.

    If anyone knows what it is, I'd love to find out who makes/made the kit. Or is it the same kit as shown above by Denis in another angle?
    Last edited by nevan; 01-23-2018 at 05:31 PM.
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  19. #19
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    Looks like someone moulded in some splitters onto a non-M bumper cover to my eyes

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  20. #20
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    ...it depands
    Screen Shot 2018-01-23 at 2.23.17 PM.png

    I'm no expert but it seems more... Another photo is attached...
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  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Well, when BMW makes parts or aftermarket parts are made in Germany or China, they can be shipped cheaply to you in Latvia via rail or truck

    Parts to us have to come boat or plane which is very expensive. So yes, parts over there are cheaper. Can you ship a bumper to anyone in the US for $180 shipped? I don't imagine so... and in all fairness, looks like he was looking for a bumper ready to prime and shoot, never seen a used bumper in good enough shape to do this. Comparing apples and oranges here...
    I'm pretty sure those fiberglass bumpers are made locally in Latvia, no need to ship from China or Germany. Americans should try to do the same, knowing how big is the market compared to Latvia with it's 65 officially registered z3 . Bumper I was trying to sell, have minor 2 cracks underneath (near wheel arch liner fitting holes), could fixed easily and no big deal IMHO.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by nevan View Post
    Screen Shot 2018-01-23 at 2.23.47 PM.pngOr is it the same kit as shown above by Denis in another angle?
    Something different.
    Last edited by deni2s; 01-24-2018 at 08:49 AM.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker View Post
    Well, when BMW makes parts or aftermarket parts are made in Germany or China, they can be shipped cheaply to you in Latvia via rail or truck

    Parts to us have to come boat or plane which is very expensive. So yes, parts over there are cheaper. Can you ship a bumper to anyone in the US for $180 shipped? I don't imagine so... and in all fairness, looks like he was looking for a bumper ready to prime and shoot, never seen a used bumper in good enough shape to do this. Comparing apples and oranges here...
    Actually waterborne freight is the cheapest way to ship most anything. Time and distance are factors. A given item will cost less if delivered 500 miles by truck than 5000 miles by ship. If you have a choice of shipping between point A to B putting it on a ship will be the cheaper.
    It's a Hybrid--Burns Gas and Rubber

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by RedRedZ View Post
    Actually waterborne freight is the cheapest way to ship most anything. Time and distance are factors. A given item will cost less if delivered 500 miles by truck than 5000 miles by ship. If you have a choice of shipping between point A to B putting it on a ship will be the cheaper.
    That is true if I live at the receiving port, but when you have to pay for boat and then truck/air to get from the port to final destination, it can be quite costly. For businesses ordering bulk, water is cheapest, for individuals that is not always the case as other costs get compounded.

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  24. #24
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    Welp, some idiot running a red light totaled my beautiful coupe before I got to put this bumper on it (my previous bumper was fine, just had the usual BMW paint chipping). So this thing is taking up a LOT of space, if someone wants it I just want what I got in it.

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