HELP. Has anyone modified their stock 530i front/rear bumpers to M-5 style?

This is a little long winded but I Finally converted my stock 2003, 530i bumpers to the M-5, actually M-Technic areo. But not without some remaining issues. I need help from anyone who has actually performed this mod on a 2003 or possibly 2001-2003 automatic 530i. Has to be automatic because the manuals have different parts and the 540's have different parts. There are plenty of threads out there on 540's and one on a '98 528i on BMWTIPS.com but it seems that there are some part differences from one engine/year to another. Here's the existing problems:

1.) Can't get the new engine cover or "screening" part to fit due to the brake ducts are in the way. I finally found the right engine screen/cover because the holes now match up to the holes on the frame. But, I think I need the brackets or intermediate ducts that attatch to the brake ducts to make this fit? Not sure. I'm told now that I have already installed the bumper I now have to disassemble the entire bumper to install these intermediate ducts or brackets but were not even sure these will make the engine cover fit.

2.) On the drivers side fog light opening there is a piece of black trim called the "Frame" that surrounds the fog light and covers the opening around the fog light and fills out the rest of the fog light opening. My car has a duct directly behind this drivers side fog light and is clearly visible and looks unfinished with the piece of trim that only covers the fog light and not the entire cavity. Maybe it's just me wanting perfection?

3.) On the rear bumper: I have a 1" gap at the bottom corner of the bumper and the inside of the wheel liner. Threads are saying the M-5 liners have to be customized to fit on the drivers side. If the M-5 liners are not bolt on and the stock ones don't fit correctly what is the right liner? I know BMW had a Canadian model 530 M package from the factory so what part would they have used?

The dealer or the BMW body shop can't seem to solve my problems and quite frankly, they really don't care. I can provide part #'s if needed but if anyone has performed this mod on this year, model please help.

Reply » HELP. Has anyone modified their stock 530i front/rear bumpers to M-5 style?

Pictures, pictures!! We need/want pictures!! Plenty of folks here have done this and should be able to help but we need pictures!!!

Reply » HELP. Has anyone modified their stock 530i front/rear bumpers to M-5 style?

I did it on the 540, but I really don't think there's any specific to the 530.

1. You'll need new underpanel engine cover that mate with the Mtech bumper, the old one won't work.

2. The M5 foglight frame should fit and fill the hole, both on left and right sides. Again, I think they gave you the wrong part.

3. M5 liners should fit well here also, the old liners are a bit too short. At first they told me they'd fit but I had to change them out later after installing the rear bumper and saw the gaps.

Tan

Reply » HELP. Has anyone modified their stock 530i front/rear bumpers to M-5 style?

[quote=TheMatrixz]I did it on the 540, but I really don't think there's any specific to the 530.

1. You'll need new underpanel engine cover that mate with the Mtech bumper, the old one won't work.

2. The M5 foglight frame should fit and fill the hole, both on left and right sides. Again, I think they gave you the wrong part.

3. M5 liners should fit well here also, the old liners are a bit too short. At first they told me they'd fit but I had to change them out later after installing the rear bumper and saw the gaps.

Tan[/QUOTE

1.) The engine cover is specific and different then the 540. I think now my problem is the stock lateral brackets or metal ducts are hindering the new engine cover to mate up. Not sure but I do know the 540 engine cover is different.

2.) I have both available fog light frames. One is an "open" version that allows air flow to the duct directly behind/beside the fog light, whixh is what I need, and there is a frame that covers the entire hole. My take is the frame that is open that allows air flow looks unfinished in my opinion and does not match up to the look on the passenger side opening.

3.) I realize the M-5 Liners will fit, but, it sounds like I may have to hot glue the heat shield on and drill a hole, or something of that nature, for the fuel overfill drain tube. Not quite sure here either just going by threads and info from bmwtips.com

Reply » HELP. Has anyone modified their stock 530i front/rear bumpers to M-5 style?

Here is the part list I got from Vaheh at Crevier when I did my '02 530IA:

It took a while but I got it! Here is the prelim list, I will double check to see if you have everything but this should be it. For the items that are more than one, I only listed the unit price so just multiply those like hardware.

--- -------------------------------- ---- ---- -------- -------- -------- -- ---

1 51-11-7-894-378 FRONT PANEL 1 340.50

2 51-11-2-494-193 BUFFER STRIP LEF 1 12.00

3 51-11-2-494-194 BUFFER STRIP RIG 1 12.00

4 51-11-2-496-284 FRAME RIGHT 1 10.28

5 51-11-7-891-421 FRAME 1 10.28

6 51-11-2-495-280 INSERT 1 24.38

7 51-11-7-893-048 WEB CENTER 1 27.94

8 51-11-7-890-013 AIR DUCT LEFT 1 14.10

9 51-11-7-890-014 AIR DUCT RIGHT 1 14.10

10 51-11-2-695-761 AIR DUCT 1 20.06

11 51-71-2-695-680 FRONT ENGINE CO 1 54.19

12 51-71-2-498-939 FRONT AIR DUCT 1 45.19

13 51-71-7-892-295 SUPPORT 1 30.00

14 51-71-7-892-296 SUPPORT 1 30.00

15 51-71-2-694-832 COVER 1 57.00

16 51-71-2-694-899 COVER 1 57.00

17 63-17-7-894-017 FOG LAMP LEFT 1 74.25

18 63-17-7-894-018 FOG LAMP RIGHT 1 74.25

19 61-13-8-364-498 PLUG HOUSING 2 1.50 3.00

20 61-13-0-007-272 CONTACT 4 1.13

21 51-12-2-498-505 PANEL 1 378.75

22 51-12-2-693-663 FLAP 1 6.45

23 51-12-2-695-498 INSERT 528 & 540 1 51.19

24 51-12-2-498-733 BUFFER STRIP LEF 1 15.19

25 51-12-2-498-734 BUFFER STRIP RIG 1 15.19

26 07-11-9-900-518 BOLT M10X110 2 0.67

27 07-11-9-916-922 SCREW 2 0.07

28 07-12-9-925-717 NUT 2 0.15

29 51-11-8-174-185 RIVET 30 0.10

30 51-11-8-191-149 GASKET 1 8.40

31 51-11-8-242-250 PHILLIPS SCREW 2 0.13

32 51-41-8-201-057 CLIP 10 0.08

Vaheh Bashikian

Crevier BMW/MINI

(714) 835-3171 ext. 393

O==00==O

Reply » HELP. Has anyone modified their stock 530i front/rear bumpers to M-5 style?

Rob530ia,

Sent you a PM. Call me at your earliest conv. A couple things I noticed are:

1.) Your fog light part #'s are different. I have for the left fog light part# 63 17 2 228 613 and the right fog light part# the same but ending in 614.

2.) I don't have support #'s you have ending in 295 and 296 but have on order what I think maybe similar parts but may be the wrong ones. I have part#'s 51 71 789 2 297 and 298 on order. I am told these are intermediate/metal ducts or a bracket of some sort that attach to the front brake ducts??? I wonder if these are the parts that attach to the front ducts that might be in the way for the new engine cover to fit?

3.) I have different "covers" or the parts that mate up with the engine cover and the front part of the wheel liners. I have part #'s 51 71 2 498 989 and 990 while you have part #'s 51 71 2 694 899 and 832. FYI-I also bought these two parts you have and the installer informed my I didn't need them. The differences from what I can tell is that the parts 899 and 832 (Yours) have an opening in them that looks to be an opening for air flow to cool the brakes? Don't know. If that's the case why didn't my installer use the parts I have like yours? Are my brakes not getting the air flow now to cool them but yet I have brake ducts?

As you can tell I'm clueless and at the mercy of the collision shop which the communication is minimal.

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