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      04-09-2014, 09:03 PM   #1
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Installed Black M Performance Grills Tonight on my MW M235i

So I installed the M Performance grills tonight. I took the easy way out by cutting one of the slats of the OEM grill. If you do this right, this is a 10 minute install and you preserve the OEM grill (although one slat has a non-noticeable cut in it).

All you need for this install is something capable of cutting through the lower border of one of the grill slats. No bumper removal necessary, and you don't even need to unbolt the bumper.

Before shots:



I made a cut here:


I then reached my hand through the hole as I bend the slat out of the way, release the 7 brackets, and the kidney pops right out:


Black pops in:


Same on the opposite side:


Completed project:

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      04-09-2014, 09:09 PM   #2
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much better over stock
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      04-09-2014, 09:27 PM   #3
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Looks great huge improvement. Since you went through the grille, do you think it would be possible to skip the cut and undo the clips with one of these tools? Otherwise could you easily fit your hand in there? Seems pretty tight.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FB...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
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      04-09-2014, 09:45 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Looks great huge improvement. Since you went through the grille, do you think it would be possible to skip the cut and undo the clips with one of these tools? Otherwise could you easily fit your hand in there? Seems pretty tight.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FB...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
I simply undid the screws on the bumper under the weather guard, pulled the bumper out a bit, and slid my arm down behind the bumper to pop them out. If your forearms are big, though, I don't see this being a possibility. My arm was just barely small enough to do this, though so YMMV.
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      04-09-2014, 10:15 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prolif1k View Post
I simply undid the screws on the bumper under the weather guard, pulled the bumper out a bit, and slid my arm down behind the bumper to pop them out. If your forearms are big, though, I don't see this being a possibility. My arm was just barely small enough to do this, though so YMMV.
Seems like a nice job for my 2 year old niece

Was getting the bumper back / aligned properly an issue? Any play in the screws?
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      04-09-2014, 10:32 PM   #6
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Once you get one of the grills out resist the urge to pop in the new one and use the opening you made on one side to remove the other grill on the other
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      04-09-2014, 11:53 PM   #7
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beautiful, this would be the first mod i do
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      04-10-2014, 04:16 AM   #8
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After looking and reading more about the procedure letting one of the OEM grills to be sacrificed for the cause is the easiest way to go here. Guess we can put the good one left after change up in the classified area for those who will need to return back to stock.
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      04-10-2014, 07:05 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Delnari
After looking and reading more about the procedure letting one of the OEM grills to be sacrificed for the cause is the easiest way to go here. Guess we can put the good one left after change up in the classified area for those who will need to return back to stock.
Yup. A 10 minute install should only take me 45 minutes, which is fine. Now I just have to see them on a MG 235 first.
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      04-10-2014, 07:13 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4
Quote:
Originally Posted by prolif1k View Post
I simply undid the screws on the bumper under the weather guard, pulled the bumper out a bit, and slid my arm down behind the bumper to pop them out. If your forearms are big, though, I don't see this being a possibility. My arm was just barely small enough to do this, though so YMMV.
Seems like a nice job for my 2 year old niece

Was getting the bumper back / aligned properly an issue? Any play in the screws?
No, the bumper was easy peasy to get back in alignment.

Honestly, it's worth a shot. The bumper can be pulled out a lot more than you initially think. I'm used to having to remove the entire bumper to swap the grills on my old car, a Volvo C30. THAT was a pain.
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      04-10-2014, 07:23 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prolif1k View Post
No, the bumper was easy peasy to get back in alignment.

Honestly, it's worth a shot. The bumper can be pulled out a lot more than you initially think. I'm used to having to remove the entire bumper to swap the grills on my old car, a Volvo C30. THAT was a pain.
There was barley a 2" gap when I undid mine. No chance of getting my arm in.
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      04-10-2014, 07:42 AM   #12
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I can't imagine this is much different then the 135i. The slots when the grill is out look exactly the same.
DIY's for grill replacement


http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210582
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      04-10-2014, 07:46 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by creepy coupe
Quote:
Originally Posted by prolif1k View Post
No, the bumper was easy peasy to get back in alignment.

Honestly, it's worth a shot. The bumper can be pulled out a lot more than you initially think. I'm used to having to remove the entire bumper to swap the grills on my old car, a Volvo C30. THAT was a pain.
There was barley a 2" gap when I undid mine. No chance of getting my arm in.
You can definitely make much more than a 2 inch gap, trust me. You have to pull the bumper up and out after you slide it out of the slot it's in. I had my friend hold it in position, but I probably could have done it by myself.
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      04-10-2014, 08:06 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
Looks great huge improvement. Since you went through the grille, do you think it would be possible to skip the cut and undo the clips with one of these tools? Otherwise could you easily fit your hand in there? Seems pretty tight.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FB...=ATVPDKIKX0DER
It might be possible, but it would take a lot of patience.

I'll also add, the picture I included of where I made the cut is after the slat has been cut. If you simply cut the bottom portion and bend the slat out of the way, you can leave the top attachment in tact. If I needed to go OEM for any reason, I could pop the chrome ones back in and nobody would be able to tell they were even cut (of course, I would know). Make a nice clean cut at the bottom only and you should be good.
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      04-10-2014, 08:07 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prolif1k View Post
You can definitely make much more than a 2 inch gap, trust me. You have to pull the bumper up and out after you slide it out of the slot it's in. I had my friend hold it in position, but I probably could have done it by myself.
I tried this method on my F30, but I ended up with two broken brackets in the bumper cover. I wanted to absolutely ensure preservation of the bumper cover brackets this time, even at the expense of a cut in the OEM grill.
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      04-10-2014, 08:52 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PigWig View Post
I tried this method on my F30, but I ended up with two broken brackets in the bumper cover. I wanted to absolutely ensure preservation of the bumper cover brackets this time, even at the expense of a cut in the OEM grill.
Same here I wasn't going to risk a new bumper for the sake of a grill I was never going to use again.
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      04-10-2014, 10:50 AM   #17
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Agree. If you have no need to keep the original grills cut them out. For us leasee people it would be nice to have a working procedure to recover the grills in order sell the black ones later.
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      04-10-2014, 12:29 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Delnari
Agree. If you have no need to keep the original grills cut them out. For us leasee people it would be nice to have a working procedure to recover the grills in order sell the black ones later.
If you decide to cut your grille PM me. If I have to do the same I'll cut the opposite side I'm going to turn mine back in with performance grilles. Can work out a deal so you have a complete set if you want.
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      04-10-2014, 12:40 PM   #19
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Sounds like we can have people put their old grills up in the classified section for us needing them down the road.
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      04-10-2014, 12:54 PM   #20
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Yes, although hopefully not everyone will destroy the same side.
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      04-10-2014, 01:37 PM   #21
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The black kidney grills completely change the look of the front. Nice work!
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      04-10-2014, 01:49 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew@IND
The black kidney grills completely change the look of the front. Nice work!
I really think black grilles, your painted reflectors and some stealth turn signal bulbs is the best look on most if not all colors. Huge impact for small dollars.
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