Removing roof rails
01-11-2007, 04:47 PM
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My Ride: 535d Fully loaded
Hello to you all!
This is my first topic and post in this forum!
I?m from Portugal and i?ve just sold my previous car wich was an Audi S6 Avant ,pretty modded, and got myself an E61 535d with all the M package!
Apart from not being possible to lower it because of its rear suspension, there is another thing wich i really hate in the car!
(only two things, not bad!!)
And that is the roof rails!! <_<
I want to remove them! Does anybody have a clue how to do it?
I think the car looks too high with them...there?s just something wrong with those rails!! :thumbsdown:
This is my first topic and post in this forum!
I?m from Portugal and i?ve just sold my previous car wich was an Audi S6 Avant ,pretty modded, and got myself an E61 535d with all the M package!
Apart from not being possible to lower it because of its rear suspension, there is another thing wich i really hate in the car!
(only two things, not bad!!)
And that is the roof rails!! <_<
I want to remove them! Does anybody have a clue how to do it?
I think the car looks too high with them...there?s just something wrong with those rails!! :thumbsdown:
01-11-2007, 11:40 PM
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Ol?, HellRaiser
Portugu?s tamb?m e bem-vindo...
Congratulations on your buy ! Must be a hell of a car... Considering it myself but since mostly of my trips are urban, it just seems a waste... Probably will get the facelifted 525d Step. later on this year...
Portugu?s tamb?m e bem-vindo...
Congratulations on your buy ! Must be a hell of a car... Considering it myself but since mostly of my trips are urban, it just seems a waste... Probably will get the facelifted 525d Step. later on this year...
01-12-2007, 04:06 AM
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Boa tarde!
My car roof rails are some of the very sexiest external elements !
I would never take them out.
Sorry that I have not idea on how to get it made.
My car roof rails are some of the very sexiest external elements !
I would never take them out.
Sorry that I have not idea on how to get it made.
01-12-2007, 07:11 AM
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I had exactly the reverse situation. My car came without roof rails and I wanted them. It was a mis build for a UK car so BMW covered the cost of installation at the Dealers.
Anyway I watched them do this. There are 3 bolts per rail which can only be reached from inside the car by dropping the headlining. They did not take it out completely but did need to remove the pillar trims on the A and B pillars and next to the rear window...watch out for the airbag in the A pillar...disconnect battery first! Also removed things like interior grab handles. This allowed it to drop enough to reach the bolts. This may be more difficult if you have a sunroof.
You will then need 2 new painted roof strips to go in the roof channel on each side as obviously yours will have holes in to allow the bolts through.
Took the Dealer about 2 hours all together.
Hope this helps.
Anyway I watched them do this. There are 3 bolts per rail which can only be reached from inside the car by dropping the headlining. They did not take it out completely but did need to remove the pillar trims on the A and B pillars and next to the rear window...watch out for the airbag in the A pillar...disconnect battery first! Also removed things like interior grab handles. This allowed it to drop enough to reach the bolts. This may be more difficult if you have a sunroof.
You will then need 2 new painted roof strips to go in the roof channel on each side as obviously yours will have holes in to allow the bolts through.
Took the Dealer about 2 hours all together.
Hope this helps.
01-12-2007, 10:13 AM
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My Ride: 535d Fully loaded
Originally Posted by db545' post='377255' date='Jan 12 2007, 11:11 AM
I had exactly the reverse situation. My car came without roof rails and I wanted them. It was a mis build for a UK car so BMW covered the cost of installation at the Dealers.
Anyway I watched them do this. There are 3 bolts per rail which can only be reached from inside the car by dropping the headlining. They did not take it out completely but did need to remove the pillar trims on the A and B pillars and next to the rear window...watch out for the airbag in the A pillar...disconnect battery first! Also removed things like interior grab handles. This allowed it to drop enough to reach the bolts. This may be more difficult if you have a sunroof.
You will then need 2 new painted roof strips to go in the roof channel on each side as obviously yours will have holes in to allow the bolts through.
Took the Dealer about 2 hours all together.
Hope this helps.
Anyway I watched them do this. There are 3 bolts per rail which can only be reached from inside the car by dropping the headlining. They did not take it out completely but did need to remove the pillar trims on the A and B pillars and next to the rear window...watch out for the airbag in the A pillar...disconnect battery first! Also removed things like interior grab handles. This allowed it to drop enough to reach the bolts. This may be more difficult if you have a sunroof.
You will then need 2 new painted roof strips to go in the roof channel on each side as obviously yours will have holes in to allow the bolts through.
Took the Dealer about 2 hours all together.
Hope this helps.
Well guess i?ll be in my garage for the weekend for a DIY!
Or maybe take it to BMW on Monday!
But i have sunroof, i don?t know if all the E61 sunroofs are the same but mine is the one that covers almost all the roof of the car in glass! Are they all like that?
01-12-2007, 01:54 PM
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My Ride: F11 535i M-Sport,, Silver, Black Leather, LED Adaptive headlights
Model Year: 2015
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Originally Posted by Hellraiser' post='377302' date='Jan 12 2007, 07:13 PM
But i have sunroof, i don?t know if all the E61 sunroofs are the same but mine is the one that covers almost all the roof of the car in glass! Are they all like that?
Yep.
02-08-2007, 02:29 AM
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My Ride: BMW 525dA E61 2004-09
Wow, so it is that easy to demount the roofbars - nice!! 
I have been thinking for a long time to croome my roofbars on my 525dA, because I like the croomroofbars AUDI has on their S modells, and to make my black BMW more unique.
On Monday I will get a new headliner (antracite), and since the whole roof will be demounted, perhaps the perfect opportunity to have them croommed.
Anywone who lives here in HOLLAND, who knows were I can get things croommed????
I live in the Hague!
Kind regards JP
I have been thinking for a long time to croome my roofbars on my 525dA, because I like the croomroofbars AUDI has on their S modells, and to make my black BMW more unique.
On Monday I will get a new headliner (antracite), and since the whole roof will be demounted, perhaps the perfect opportunity to have them croommed.
Anywone who lives here in HOLLAND, who knows were I can get things croommed????
I live in the Hague!
Kind regards JP
02-08-2007, 02:37 AM
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My Ride: 07' 530d - M-Sport - Titanium Silver / Black Dakota leather
08' 120i - M-Sport - Alpine White III / Black Sensatec
Originally Posted by marineutter' post='388726' date='Feb 8 2007, 12:29 PM
Wow, so it is that easy to demount the roofbars - nice!!
I have been thinking for a long time to croome my roofbars on my 525dA, because I like the croomroofbars AUDI has on their S modells, and to make my black BMW more unique.
On Monday I will get a new headliner (antracite), and since the whole roof will be demounted, perhaps the perfect opportunity to have them croommed.
Anywone who lives here in HOLLAND, who knows were I can get things croommed????
I live in the Hague!
Kind regards JP
I have been thinking for a long time to croome my roofbars on my 525dA, because I like the croomroofbars AUDI has on their S modells, and to make my black BMW more unique.
On Monday I will get a new headliner (antracite), and since the whole roof will be demounted, perhaps the perfect opportunity to have them croommed.
Anywone who lives here in HOLLAND, who knows were I can get things croommed????
I live in the Hague!
Kind regards JP
02-09-2007, 02:43 AM
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My Ride: 535d
Model Year: E61 2006
Originally Posted by Hellraiser' post='377302' date='Jan 12 2007, 07:13 PM
Yes, it really helps!!
Well guess i?ll be in my garage for the weekend for a DIY!
Or maybe take it to BMW on Monday!
But i have sunroof, i don?t know if all the E61 sunroofs are the same but mine is the one that covers almost all the roof of the car in glass! Are they all like that?
Well guess i?ll be in my garage for the weekend for a DIY!
Or maybe take it to BMW on Monday!
But i have sunroof, i don?t know if all the E61 sunroofs are the same but mine is the one that covers almost all the roof of the car in glass! Are they all like that?
02-14-2007, 10:56 AM
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My Ride: Cars:2011 - BMW F11 535i, Alpine White, Msport version2009 - MINI COOPER, Mellow Yellow2007 - BMW E61 LCI 530i, Space Gray, Msport version - SOLD2006 - MINI COOPER, Park Lane Version - SOLD2005 - BMW E61 525i, Titan Silver, Msport version - SOLD2003
Model Year: 2012
Originally Posted by Hellraiser' post='377302' date='Jan 12 2007, 08:13 PM
Yes, it really helps!!
Well guess i?ll be in my garage for the weekend for a DIY!
Or maybe take it to BMW on Monday!
But i have sunroof, i don?t know if all the E61 sunroofs are the same but mine is the one that covers almost all the roof of the car in glass! Are they all like that?
Well guess i?ll be in my garage for the weekend for a DIY!
Or maybe take it to BMW on Monday!
But i have sunroof, i don?t know if all the E61 sunroofs are the same but mine is the one that covers almost all the roof of the car in glass! Are they all like that?
Post some pics.
I would never took away the rails, however once taken them away guess you have to replace also the plastic profiles on the roof as they should have holes to put the screws that fix the rails to the roof.