Removing oem rear bumper causes clips to break?!?

[Nucking Futs!]

So I'm thinking about buying an oem rear bumper from a fellow owner on here. He was informed by removing the oem rear bumper, the clips on it will break off...Can those of you that have taken off the oem rear bumper confirm this?!? Need to know regardless if I buy from him or not b/c my bodyshop still needs to take off the oem rear bumper. Pics if possible? Thx!

- Jimmy

[Nawaaz]

Hi Jimmy!

Your original bumper was damaged?

[Nucking Futs!]

Originally Posted by Nawaaz

Hi Jimmy!

Your original bumper was damaged?

What's up Nawaaz?! Ya, the other week when I was parked at Northpark mall. Was in there (1st spot closes to entrance also!) for less than 1-hour (during broad daylight!) & came out to see rear bumper scrapped!!! Trying to decide if I wanna get a used MR oem rear bumper or just get mine repainted...& no, I can't justify the price of an RD Sport or Ericsson bumper!

[Nawaaz]

Originally Posted by Nucking Futs!

What's up Nawaaz?! Ya, the other week when I was parked at Northpark mall. Was in there (1st spot closes to entrance also!) for less than 1-hour (during broad daylight!) & came out to see rear bumper scrapped!!! Trying to decide if I wanna get a used MR oem rear bumper or just get mine repainted...& no, I can't justify the price of an RD Sport or Ericsson bumper!

That sucks man.

Agreed, I would just go with the most affordable way, without compromising the original look & finish.

Wish you luck, my friend!

[Nucking Futs!]

Originally Posted by Nawaaz

That sucks man.

Agreed, I would just go with the most affordable way, without compromising the original look & finish.

Wish you luck, my friend!

Thx!

- Jimmy

[NZ_M3]

They will only if you don't know how to remove it properly.

You have to remove the rear tail lights and "slide" the full bumper back so it will unclip, rather than pull the sides of the bumper out and away from the body which will break the holding clips.

If you read up on the BMW TIS it specifically tells you to "slide the whole thing back. Very easy to do and have done it numerous times on my car, still on all original clips and hardware nothing broken.

[Nucking Futs!]

Originally Posted by NZ_M3

They will only if you don't know how to remove it properly.

You have to remove the rear tail lights and "slide" the full bumper back so it will unclip, rather than pull the sides of the bumper out and away from the body which will break the holding clips.

If you read up on the BMW TIS it specifically tells you to "slide the whole thing back. Very easy to do and have done it numerous times on my car, still on all original clips and hardware nothing broken.

Thx, I'll inform them of this just to be on the safe side!

[NZ_M3]

And just to prove that I am not talking out of my arse ... had nothing to do on Sunday, so I took the rear bumper off to take a couple of photos to show you.

It is easy if you know how - took me 10 minutes tops and that was working slow.

I didn't take photos of all the nuts and bolts - basically just the photos showing how to slide the bumper off.

Remove the rear lights (3x 8mm nuts each side) unplug and set aside

Remove all the other 8mm screws under the bumper (self explanatory when you put your head down under there)

Remove the 2 x 8mm screws in each of the wheel well (only 1 holding the bumper, but you need to remove the one below it to gain access)

Remove the torx screw under the plastic cover:



Now slide the bumper back (by first unclipping the part beneath the tail lights:



here it is unclipped




Put your hand in the wheel well and slide the full bumper backwards until it comes off the clipping rails:




What the clipping rails look like: You'll see why if you just pull out away from the body of the car it'll just break the clips on your bumper.



And voila!! bumper's off:





And to prove that nothing broke:

[aussiem3]

Bravo Kiwi

[signes]

Very cool, thanks NZ M3. You should post this in the DIY section, I don't recall seeing it there.

[longtran]

nice post. nice garage floor. LOL...wash your car now. is your car clear bra?

[jeremicium]

Can anyone confirm for me that this same method applies to removal of a non M E92 rear bumper removal?

[._.]

I used this method with a mon m e90 and it worked as advertised, pull towards the rear with force and it slides right out.

[Mike Lu]

Originally Posted by NZ_M3

Remove the torx screw under the plastic cover:

Sorry to bump up an old thread. But anyone knows where's the "Torx screw" described above ? I tried this method to remove the rear bumper with no luck, anyone care to help? TIA

[Evil_M]

Does this look normal?