Randmaster

Maybe you guys can give me some advice. I just bought a set of Duraflex M5 look alike side skirts for my 04 530i. I held them up in place on the car and they are too short! Crap! They are about 3/16" too short overall length compared to the OEM rockers. Is this common? Should I have gone with some PP skirts instead of these Duraflex fiberglass ones?

Has anyone else seen this problem?

Thanks

Boost7

I hope you can return them, and just order from Trinity.

Randmaster

Have you had good luck with Trinity?

Boost7

Yup, I got my sideskirts from Trinity after finding out Umnitza's are a bit shorter. Ordered on a Thursday, and got them at my bodyshop on Monday.

PM - NeRwEEzy on here.

tonyb635

More than likely all will be just a little short except OEM. Not familiar with durafex but it sounds like more fiberglass. The PP material is what most come in, and fom China and probably from the same source. I seriously doubt there are a lot of tools running around over there as they ARE expensive. This shortness that most see could probably be corrected in the process parameters or different PP material properties and this is probably why some look better than others. What I invison there is a horrible sweat shop that uses whatever PP materal they have at the moment, blending with other PP materials etc to run parts when needed. So don't put all your money in one basket for non oem rocker pnls even if you have another member saying there's are ok. Some from umnitza and others ave also been ok, but not all. So it will be a gamble.

Randmaster

Tony, that makes perfect sense. You are absolutely correct.
I am a plastic injection molder in Illinois so I am fully aware of resin shrinkage differences. On a part like a side skirt that's 6 feet long, .001" shrinkage difference between resins can result in approx .75" difference in length.
I might go on an M5 forum and see if I can score some used OEM skirts.

Thanks much!
Randy

info@trinityautosport

good luck with the search for some used OEM ones. if you change your mind, last time I checked we did have our replica mtech side skirts (material is polypropylene) in stock also =)

Randmaster

I'll check out Trinity. Thanks all!

socale39

I think there is a guy selling OEM sides in the for sale section. I'd definitely go OEM if at all possible.

aznfujikiddd

Got mines from umnitza few weeks ago.
https://5series.net/forums/e60-parts...talled-133780/