[M3_Legend]

Originally Posted by xlr88r

It took a couple of attempts - the bodyshop weren't happy with the colour match first time - but the M Performance bumper is now on.

Next on the list is an LCI bonnet, and hopefully a mint condition Le Mans one that doesn't need paint! That bumper was offensively expensive by the time it was fitted 🥲 While it wasn't that pricey in itself, shipping from Germany - with insurance - import duty, and paint, have meant this was a big investment. Still, it fits the direction I'm taking the car in perfectly. OEM+ all the way.

Here's a photo from the Ultimate BMW Meet at the British Motor Museum last Sunday, and a closer driveway shot too.

#grillgate #preLCItoLCIwoes

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Great Job!!! That bumper is so rare to find now. LCi hood and LCI LED headlight would go well.

[Tambohamilton]

Originally Posted by xlr88r

Yep, I kept the headlight washers because they work. Incredible eh?!

Nope, the front fogs haven't been coded out yet. I really need to sit down and spend some time getting whichever app starts with 'I' (STA or NPA?) installed so I can do this.

Also, there's a nice, fitting, and very complimentary couple of other bits in for paint right now too. Keep 'em peeled!

NCSexpert

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by M3_Legend

Great Job!!! That bumper is so rear to find now. LCi hood and LCI LED headlight would go well.

Cheers! 👍 It really took some finding... honestly, I'd been looking on and off for about 4 and a half years, since picking up my old E90.

I've been thinking about the LCI headlights, but adaptive xenons are so rare in the UK. They go for about £400 each so it'll be another big investment vs. the price of the car itself. Definitely keeping an eye out though...

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

NCSexpert

Ah, fab, thanks mate. Will definitely get the tools installed again sometime soon and have a (careful!) play.

[xlr88r]

They're on 🙂

A bit more M Performance stuff has entered the game, by means of these 3rd hand skirts. Yep, 3rd hand, at least. Given the amount of paint they've now been subjected to, they'll have added a couple of kg to the weight vs. the old ones 😅

Anyway, some pics:

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

NCSexpert

That's done the job - cheers!

A mate of mine actually coded the fogs out for me, but he encouraged me to take another look at coding. While he was doing the fogs he showed me what's what and explained a bit more about what actually happens. You drag a file from a module, change it, and put it back essentially. Just that simple sentence really helped things click.

Back home I hooked the cable up and clicked away. I started with something simple and really well documented - the cheesy digital speedo - which was a success. After that, the intermittent SOS Call Failure message was the next target. Also a success - excellent!

Please enjoy these pics of an error free iDrive and digital speedo 🙂

[xlr88r]

Oh, as my skills with a camera are lacking, I've decided that editing is the way forward and some time with Lightroom was needed. A bit better than the normal tripe!

This is also a good opportunity to "show off" the wireless charger. A whole £12 from eBay, and a further £19.99 for a used oddments tray. Just that small area of the car is in its 3rd iteration now: from original lidded ashtray and lighter, to lidded sunglasses tray, to an open wireless charger. As it was doing nothing, I reused the cigarette lighter LED to cast a bit of light on it. Mmm! Bask in the ambiance 😅😅

One day I'll stop fiddling but that's a way off yet.

[xlr88r]

Had a go at taking some better pics of the new front bumper 🙂 They've been edited a bit in Lightroom and have, happily, ended up a bit dark, to mask the whole pre-LCI to LCI grill nightmare going on.

Here we go:

[M-technik-3]

On the fence with the wheels but it's your ride and style not mine. How do you like the brakes/binders?

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

On the fence with the wheels but it's your ride and style not mine. How do you like the brakes/binders?

Funny you mention the wheels mate. I'm sort of toying with the idea of a change, and the 219/260's are the front runners. At the moment though they'll stay, as they've not been on too long and they're still mint.

The brakes are decent. Must have done about 45k on them now - had them on my old E90 before this - and they're still in good shape and stop well. When it was in for the blower recall they did the usual underbody checks, and the pads still had 8 and 9mm front and rear. They're lasting really well, needless to say. Also needless to say, I really don't drive hard!

[xlr88r]

After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually about a month, an LCI bonnet in Le Mans came up at a breakers/field full of old BMWs. Popped down with my tools and swapped it across. Yay!

It's not in brilliant condition but hey, it's the right colour, so that's a start, and the grille situation is now thankfully resolved. At some point I'll find a proper detailer and have the whole car seen to, as it sure needs it!

[xlr88r]

Some pics of the now resolved front end 🙂

[Tambohamilton]

For some reason that looks like the wheels suit it better now it's got the new bonnet?

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

For some reason that looks like the wheels suit it better now it's got the new bonnet?

That's a good side-effect 😅 Maybe they do actually, good spot!

[Tambohamilton]

Are you keeping the roof rails?

[M-technik-3]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

For some reason that looks like the wheels suit it better now it's got the new bonnet?

I was thinking the same thing weird how such a minor change can move your eye away from a focus point to something else.

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

Are you keeping the roof rails?

Yep. Doubt I'll ever need to use a roof rack, but as they're there they might as well stay.

Must admit I'm a bit intrigued by the question mate. Are there 'roof rail' mods I don't know about?! Can't say as I've ever really thought about them.

[Tambohamilton]

You can get rid of them; the parts exist. Search for 'railectomy'. I'm not sure if the car would look better or worse without them. I'm tempted to get rid of them on mine, but it's a way down the list that only gets longer. If nothing else it should be lighter and a touch less drag, and easier to wash.

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by Tambohamilton

You can get rid of them; the parts exist. Search for 'railectomy'. I'm not sure if the car would look better or worse without them. I'm tempted to get rid of them on mine, but it's a way down the list that only gets longer. If nothing else it should be lighter and a touch less drag, and easier to wash.

Aah, I getcha. And just like buses, two turned up in one of the Facebook groups I'm in...





I kiiiiinda like the look of the car in the first pic. From those angles, and with it having a pan roof, there's still a bit of detail and interest along the roofline.

The second pic just doesn't work for me - sorry B555 MRY if you're on here! For want of a better word it looks bald, and like it's missing something, which it obviously is.

Based on the second pic alone I'll be keeping mine, no questions asked.

I think the roof rails are a nod to what the car is: the practical choice in the line up. With the rest of mine looking the way it does, it shows it's up for some driving entertainment as well, and isn't just the 'big' 3-Series.

I'll be interested to see yours if you do scalp it mate. Keep us posted 🙂

[Tambohamilton]

Yeah, I feel the same as you regarding the visuals. To be honest I doubt I'll ever get around to it, even if I decide I do want to

[LORDD]

Originally Posted by xlr88r

This is also a good opportunity to "show off" the wireless charger. A whole £12 from eBay, and a further £19.99 for a used oddments tray. Just that small area of the car is in its 3rd iteration now: from original lidded ashtray and lighter, to lidded sunglasses tray, to an open wireless charger. As it was doing nothing, I reused the cigarette lighter LED to cast a bit of light on it. Mmm! Bask in the ambiance 😅😅

Looks good , which wireless charger did you use ? How did you power it ?

[xlr88r]

Originally Posted by LORDD

Looks good , which wireless charger did you use ? How did you power it ?

Cheers! It's this one mate. Last of the big spenders, eh?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334281460501

They're not too tricky to fit.

First up, pull up the center console trim. Go steady, and use trim removal tools - don't be tempted to jab a screwdriver under there!

With that lifted you'll see connectors for the ash tray, and where fitted, the nav controller, and auto gearbox P, R, N, D screen. It's clear how they unplug.

After that, lift the console trim out and remove the original ash tray - just 4x screws on the underside. Keep them safe, as the oddments tray doesn't come with any screws.

Next, I took the cigarette lighter itself out of the original ashtray. That was the toughest bit, as it's properly wedged in! To power the wireless mat, I plugged a USB charger into the cigarette lighter then the wireless charger into that. That saved cutting any wires

The new oddments tray has a hole under the rubber mat. It's not quite big enough to feed the wireless charger cable through, so I opened it up a bit with some pliers. Not elegant, but you never see it with the charger above.

After that, refit and enjoy