Bling Removal 101

My car has a trunk lip and one of those tinted plexiglass shelters over the front of the sunroof. I don't like either of them and while the sunroof tumor looks easy to remove, how tough is the lip?

The cheesy fog lights bolted to the bottom of the bumper went on day one and the window tint will be scraped off as time allows.

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Matt in Everett, WA

BMW n00b with a 1987 325e

Are you talking about a trunk spoiler? Most likely it bolts onto the trunk. If not, it would use studs and nylon inserts like front and rear rondel badge or many of the other stuff on the car that snaps into nylon receivers. Unlikely it is just stuck on using pressure sensitive stickim.

alan

I was hoping for stickum, if it's bolted I'll leave it and work toward a low-bling car instead of no-bling.

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Matt in Everett, WA

BMW n00b with a 1987 325e

Depending on the type of spoiler: screwed on with metal screw or plastic nut.

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Michiel 318iS
Depending on the type of spoiler: screwed on with metal screw or plastic nut.

If it's a stock unit it's through bolted, I feel you matt. Be glad your car didn't come with those beautiful wheelwell chrome moldings.... jesh, they're ugly!

Rick

Personally, I don't think the spoiler detracts. Coupled with the ground effects front end, makes for a handsome car IMHO.

alan

For the spoiler, see realOEM drawing: [www.realoem.com]

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alanrw
Personally, I don't think the spoiler detracts. Coupled with the ground effects front end, makes for a handsome car IMHO.

alan

I agree, very conservative wing and spoiler.

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rkj

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alanrw
Personally, I don't think the spoiler detracts. Coupled with the ground effects front end, makes for a handsome car IMHO.

alan

I agree, very conservative wing and spoiler.

Yep...the iX was perfect

Matt,
What did you do with those lights that hang below the bumper. I need a lens for one of mine. I use them on rainy nights so I can see the pavement.

Bob in Everett

I'm with the crowd on this one, I think that the rear OEM spoiler is very understated and stylish, not Blingy at all, wish my car had one.

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E30'S AREN'T BUILT, THEY'RE CAUGHT IN THE WILD!!!



When in doubt, use full throttle,
it may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspence.

I'm on the fence, my car being a no frills 325 added frills seem to go against the spirit of the thing.

Hey Bob, the lights ended up in the trash can...Sorry. Are 325s like old Guzzis: Don't throw anything away because the week after you do somebody will need it?

Were the foglights original? I assumed they were aftermarket bolt-ons with the slotted mounting bracket. Slaps forehead.

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Matt in Everett, WA

BMW n00b with a 1987 325e

A trash can... What's that? I even have trouble getting rid of broken parts, let alone good parts that I do not really want on my car.

The pre-89 "old style" fogs looked a little like a hack (at least compared to the 89-91 style), but they were an option and many have them. With parts you take off the car, rarely is throwing them away the only option. There is a VERY healthy used E30 parts market (in the US at least) for a seller. These cars don't last long in junk yards if they make it there at all. People cannibalize these cars like crazy to keep their own going, and new parts aren't cheap. Stick an E30 part on eBay or in a heavy traffic E30 forum and you'll likely sell it. I sold a read tail light, a set of headlights and seat belt buckles just last month!

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1989 - E30 - M20 - Manual. Approximately 270,000 miles
2000 - E46 - M52TUB28 - Manual. Approximately 110,000 miles




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2010 09:00PM by Earendil.

Matt.
The cars came with the lights. Or at least some lights...those you had could possibly have been aftermarket replacement but the stock ones work so well I have not seen any that were not stock on these cars. Too bad they went into the trash. If they were the stock version, would have been worth a few dollars in usable shape.

Bob

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Michiel 318iS
A trash can... What's that? I even have trouble getting rid of broken parts, let alone good parts that I do not really want on my car.

Sadly, I'm much the same. I still have the last two sets of rotors and worn out pads that I took off of my cars sitting on the garage floor. Even though I know there's no good reason at all to hold on to them, I just haven't thrown them out yet. And yes, the condition of my basement reflects this character trait of mine. ;-)

Cab
1990 325i(s)
2004 325XiT

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Cab Treadway

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Michiel 318iS
A trash can... What's that? I even have trouble getting rid of broken parts, let alone good parts that I do not really want on my car.

Sadly, I'm much the same. I still have the last two sets of rotors and worn out pads that I took off of my cars sitting on the garage floor. Even though I know there's no good reason at all to hold on to them, I just haven't thrown them out yet. And yes, the condition of my basement reflects this character trait of mine. ;-)

Old rotors make excellent bases for long (free standing) goose neck lamps. Sometimes, a very handy item!

LOL! When I moved my stuff out of my mom's garage, I had a dozen E30 brake pads to throw away.

I don't know about the States, or Canada, but here, you could not get the lower fog lamps for the e30 as an after market, sure you get something similar, that sort of kind of looked the same, but you could see straight off it was not OEM, so I would rather do without them.
But the actual Hella units used by BMW, were just not available, period, then I found out why...BMW did a deal with Hella, and that partcular lamp was not for retail to the general public, they were only to be supplied to BMW agents for resale. :-(

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E30'S AREN'T BUILT, THEY'RE CAUGHT IN THE WILD!!!



When in doubt, use full throttle,
it may not improve the situation, but it will end the suspence.