NES

Hey everyone... I promise this is the last, well at least MY last M-Tech Aero Kit Thread... I just have a few last questions regarding this install...

--- Has anyone does this install in the US?
--- Where did you buy it from? Im aware Bekkers Imports has the kit, anyone else purchase from anywhere else?
--- Who installed the kit for you? Anyone recommended for NYC Metro/Tristate area?
--- When ordering the kit, are all the pieces required included or are there others needed to be purchased seperately?
--- Anyone experience any issues being that it is after-market? Or is it a seemless install?
--- Does the exhaust/tip chrome part show from an angled look being that the diffuser is sloped inward?

Please post any information/comments or suggestions you may have regarding the install. I am due a 530xi and am purchasing the changes I wish to do prior to delivery... no sense in wasting time. When its said too many times i think to some it may lose value, but I truly thank every one of you guys for all your help!

m630

well, first, ask away, the M-sport is very widely discussed here, just check my sig

but, to answer, there are many members in the US, including our Admin, Lomag, that have done the conversion. It is not aftermarket, it is OEM, so there will not be much of an install problem. There have been members who have actually installed it themselves, but it does take a while

the parts can be ordered right from your dealer, and you will need to have someone paint them since BMW wont ship the painted ones to the US, though a member has had this done for a premium, i would have the dealer do the whole paint/install

it appears i will be forced to take this option as well if I go with the E60 this fall, since it trully makes the car look its best

i dont know anyone who would suggest that it makes the car less valuable, in fact spending $3K should increase the worth, imho, and most of all its the look that you are paying for
take a look in the gallery and you will see how the rear looks with the new bumper, very sleek

good luck

subterFUSE

OK.... here is the deal with my M-kit:


I got my M-kit on eBay from RoverActive. He has a contact in Germany who supplies him with parts. He was able to order my M-kit painted at the BMW factory. Cost was about $2800 painted, I think. He used my VIN # so the factory would get the color right.

I had my local BMW dealer do the install. When they opened the boxes, they found that some pieces were missing. A piece called the "top air guide", and the front trim cutout for Active Cruis Control was also missing. So they installed the kit without these pieces.

My active cruise actually worked fine even when covered up by the trim piece, but I still wanted the correct parts... so I had Rover order me the missing piece. It was like $30.

poleposition

Hey Subterfuse, your car is smoking hot. It appears to be screaming for a set of 20's, no?

subterFUSE

I considered buying new rims... but I wanted 19" not 20".

However, since I have my name on the M5 list now.... and plan to get one as soon as possible... I decided to just save my money instead of putting expensive wheels on my 545.

NES

thank m630 & subter... great info.

Subter, quick question here... that one piece you mentioned, the "top air guide" is that a part needed for all e60 owners making the M-Kit mod?

Anyone else with the Cold Weather Package need any additional parts for the hookup? Thanks!

subterFUSE

The top air guide is not a necessary piece, to my knowledge.

We installed my kit without it, and it's fine.

The only issue is one that I have seen on EVERY aftermarket install m-kit so far....
and that issue is the front bumper seems to sit too low. The gap between the hood and the top edge of the bumper is a little too big. It is not bad, but is noticable.... and I have seen this on everyone's M-kit that was installed after delivery of the car.

Cars with the kit installed at the BMW factory look like they fit better.


Rody has the same car/kit I do, and he has the gap also... but he thinks he has a solution. He is going to try installing the bumper again sometime in the future, and will let us know if his idea works.

Lomag

I don't seem to have a gap problem on my install although I did have a problem with some screws they put in on the bottom of the bumper.

See my picture below, there's 5 very bright golden screws with golden washers underneath. Normally you can't see them but when walking up to the car on a sunny day they stick out pretty badly. I just replaced them today with some dull silver flat-head screws I got at home depot. I'm not sure what those screws are even there for to begin with, do you guys have them too? I see fairly rectangular holes were pre-drilled into the bumper at the factory so its not like the body shop installed them on purpose.. who knows. After putting in the flat head screws, they're now flush with the bumper and can't be seen. But i'm curious...

Old pic with those screws is below. It's supposed to be in the mid-70's this weekend so I'll be taking more pics later. I haven't had time to install the spacers yet. I've got some surgery which is going to put me out of commission later today.

subterFUSE

Your bumper fits much better than mine, and the others I've seen.

I'll stick links to some of my pics in my signature, so you can see what I'm talking about.

Who installed your kit? I'd like to know how they got the fit so good.

Lomag

Yours looks fine too.. Rody's seems a bit off but he said he caused that problem himself.

I had my local dealer do the painting + install, JMK BMW.

Any word about those screws underneath? Do you have them and/or do you know what they are holding together? I thought they held the bottom engine cover to the bumper but that's a little loose, looks like clips instead.