[Sladester100]

Managed to find some bargain grille's on the big ol' bay of E and changed them over today.

Pissing hell it took me forever!

So, i've changed the no-line 11 slat as standard on my ED to the M-Sport/Sportline 8 slat with the chrome surround still - the full black one is the m-performance one right? I wanted to keep the silver surround - I think all black wouldn't have fit with the ED bumper.

Anyway;

Tried to take the approach of un-clipping through the existing slats as recommended by a lot of people. Tried with my man hands, then tried some tools, even a crocheting hook! All to no avail, I managed to get to the clips themselves this way just with the bit of brute force and squeezing my hands in between the slats but the clips would just not shift!

Eventually after a good 30 mins I gave up and got the torx bits out, then took the laptop outside with the guide found here; http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=701830 and followed the OP's instructions. Managed to squeeze my hands down the front of the bumper but still found the clips just wouldn't release!

I had to use a flat head driver on one side of the clip as well as pliers to squeeze the edges together as there appears to be some notches that I couldn't see before from other pics I'd searched.

Eventually the outside edge clip gave slightly and I cheered myself and then worked the grille out but doing top and bottom from outside in and then inner side.

Have attached a close up of the centre top clip so you can see my issues, it has almost wing like things.

Also attached some other pics also.
Before, one in comparison, after and then another couple of comparison shots as I had difficulty finding some when I was considering the change and another final article pic.

Sorry about my thumb in the last one, I was trying to shield the poorly positioned sun for photo-taking.

Ta-daa! How's it look? (Other than dirty )

[Apl440i or 335d?]

It does make a difference. Nice work.

[teaston]

Definitely looks subtly better. All black MP ones wouldn't look right on a no line imo.

Btw the fingers through the slats method is for the 8 slat grilles even then it's a squeeze! The americans are out of luck because they only get the 11 slat grilles even on M Sports.

[Sladester100]

Exactly my thoughts Tea, if I replaced the whisker areas to gloss black I may consider a change to the black peformance grills but I like this for now. Quite chuffed.

[Kal101]

Looking good. As mentioned less space between the standard grilles

Glad I'm not alone in preferring a bit of frontal chrome.

Changed mine to the twin slat grilles like the m3 but retained the chrome surround.

[Soper320d]

I had to use a combo of fingers through the grill and also a flathead screwdriver down the back of the bumper to get the top clips out, once had the top three and a side down it was easy and once you get one out then the second one is simple to remove. Anyway, I went from silver frame to black.

Now just waiting on replacing the silver 'whiskers' next to the fog lights once the parts arrive.