Mmmmmm Bumperrrr..../ Build Log

[spr_bimmer]

Hey guys,

Kinda new here and I haven't Really posted much about my car yet so... I recently purchased a 2004 Roadster 3.0i and I love it! I live in Ottawa, Canada. The previous owner had butchered the audio so i replaced all the speakers, wiring and head unit. Pics to come.

I will kind of make this thread my build log so i'm not creating threads for everything I do or every problem i run into.

Heres my car, no mods, yet...

[will add the pic when i get home since i can't access picture sites from work]

[spr_bimmer]

Now for mods, just this weekend I picked up an M bumper! Paid $150, really excited about it until I got the price list back from BMW (i got just the bumper, no grills or scoops came with it) I had looked at realoem.com for prices before the purchase of the bumper and prices were ok, but the new pricing is horrible! realoem prices in brackets

51-11-8-041-503 1 Lic Plate Bracket $94.15 ($101.33)
51-11-7-895-842 1 Grid, Center {2} $101.56 ($76.45)

51-11-8-044-701 1 Front Left Brake Air Duct {18} $97.90 ($33.90)
51-11-8-044-702 1 Front Right Brake Air Duct {18} $97.90 ($33.90)

51-71-7-837-531 1 Bracket Left {19} $29.36 ($16.75)
51-71-7-837-532 1 Bracket Right {19} $29.36 ($16.75)


so i went from my estimate of about $300 in parts to closer to $500 which kind of sucks. plus i will be looking at about $500 for body work and paint to do the side marker and washer hole deletes... need paint anyways since the bumper is blue and my car is black. also getting black matte kidney grills...

sounds like too much for doing this bumper so ive been thinking of alternatives to save a bit of cash... such as filling the holes for the plate holder and going without a plate until told otherwise, then install a bracket under the bumper that pulls out (future cost). then thought about not installing the brake ducts or buying the proper lower grill and improvising but making it look as good...

any thoughts? or cheaper oem parts??

[zubydafa]

cheaper route would be to remove the sidemarkers and just paint them. very cheap that way...and it's hardly noticeable.