Bunbun

Hey guys

I know a few of you hv successfully replaced your front grill to chromed ones yourselves. I tried to DIY it tonight but finding it next to impossible to reach those top grill clips. My car has those flaps in front, making it even harder. Did u need to take out some other parts in order to gain access? or did u just reach in from the front opening?

I wonder those who had been successful can give me some tips.

Million thx.

Ralph-NL

Another solution :

Chrome grills

Jeffs

hey bunbun. Actually for me the hardest part was taking the side grill clips. The top clips for me was the least of my problems. Basically, when you open the hood at the very front, you'll notice some rubber lining, probably for insulating the hood. If you lift that rubber lining, you can see the top grill clips. I used a screwdriver to push down on the clip in order to get it out. Good luck, hope it helps.

Bimmer06530i

If I could do it, you can do it.

There several threads that have done a better job explaining this than me.

Search on this site for these. If not here then section on parts, accessoies, and mods on this same site

Just a few comments or tips to add to more detailed posted instructions.

First they will tell you just to break off the side clips on the grill your taking out because that?s easiest and if you ever want to install the old grills you don?t need them. This true, but you can get them off with out breaking them. Your choice,

The top clips are the easiest. When you open up the hood you will see a 2 inch by the width of the section that goes across the front of the car above the grill area(maybe 40? to 48?). Lift (pinch) up from one of the ends the rubber seal across the width of the top of the where the front grills are. Under that you will see the six easy to reach clips, three each.

You need to take out the lower black grill below where the license plate is to get access to lower clips. It comes out in about three or four pieces. Again search for thread with pict or instructions.

Here?s what I did as I recall. I think I first reached in through the lower grill and popped out the four or six clips, can?t remember how many, lower grill clips. You do this by reaching up through the lower grill opening. It?s good to first look at the clips under the top hood seal to see what the clip assemblies look like so you can see what you need to do to disengage the clips. You can't entirely pop these out yet but you can disengage them and move the out about 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

I then disengaged the upper grill clips. You can?t entirely pop them out yet either but you can move them out about a ? inch so they are no longer engaged. I then went back to going after the side clips, again by reaching up through the lower grill opening. This is not so easy. Find which one to have best reach on. What I did was pull out on the outside of the grill on same side as I working on the clip. Not easy but I was able to pry it off.

Then it was easy. I pulled the grill out from that side from the front slowly and the other side just popped out. While I didn't, if you break the side clips, so what. Its the clips on the one your taking out, and if you want to put them back someday, you don't them anyway.

As to taking out the lower grill I remember having a little confusion at first. I think on the lower vertical members you heed to pinch both sides at the top and bottom of each and they just pull out. These vertical pieces support the horizontal bar.

Again look for better detailed instructions by searching this site. Then just use my tips if they will be useful.

As to putting on chrome strips on your existing grill, the factorylreplacement grill ooks best.

AC_S5

But Bunbun's car have those cold weather flaps that's in the way so basically you can't reach those bottom and side clips coming up from underneath the grill.

EBMCS03

How come Bun Bun has the flaps and you dont? none of the models in the US get the flaps so I dont know...

norham

flaps are only on petrol models in UK
On the grill excellant advice above keep at it is is possible

Bunbun

Thx guys

I'll give it a try again. The flaps came on earlier MY models. I think models post '04 MY dont hv them anymore. I dont even know what purpose the flaps serve.

AC_S5

Those flaps are design for places with extrem cold temperature like Canada or Northern Europe. The car will heat up faster with those flaps but in a place like Hong Kong, it is pointless so I guess they took it out.

lcc014

Don't get the flaps in USA version of 530i. As other owner mentioned, the top clips are the easy one to undo first. Then with a long flat head screw driver, I undid the bottom clips from the bottom of the bump and up. The 2 side clips were the difficult one to undo. Once you remove one grill, the other one is piece of cake because you can undo the side clips from the grill opening.

It took me about 30 minutes in the parking lot to remove 2 original grill. You need to be patient. Take it easy and try not to destroy the clips on the original grills.