constant

Finally after 2.5 months of waiting, my Rieger E61 rear apron has arrived from Denmark. This particular one is the quad-outlet rear apron for the wagon. The apron is made from ABS plastic, but has a carbon fiber imprint on the entire outer surface.

I purchased this from Schmiedmann in Denmark. The complete process was an absolute nightmare, from lengthy wait times to exorbitant shipping fees to customs hassle. In fact, the pain is still not over as Schmiedmann did not include the mesh grill in the box, even though the website and receipt/paperwork both say "inclusiv gitter" (including grid). So I'm still waiting for a response if they will send it. :thumbsdown:
If you can live without having the carbon look, I would order from a US-based distributor like Beastpower and pay a whole lot less than what I did.

On to the pictures...

The condition of the box after picking it up from the air freight company:


Looking from above the apron:


Looking underneath the apron:


Straight on from behind:


Carbon fiber imprint finish:


As far as the quality goes, Rieger seems like it is very well made. Hardware (nuts, screws, some metal brackets) are included, as well as a tube of Sikaflex adhesive. Color installation instructions are included but written in German. A quick test fit reveals the fit and finish to be very good. I was a little surprised the lower portion of the factory rear bumper would need to be cut off to fit the apron, but I guess this makes sense in hindsight.

Hope this helps any E61 owners looking for a non-M5 quad rear apron option. Next step is to get the Umnitza M-tech front & sides and this rear apron painted and installed.

Constant

alexio

with all the difficulty that LCI E61 owners are having with the PDC sensors, and the fact that it seems that not a single person has actually completed the mod, I"m thinking this might be the easier and cheaper choice? I'd like something a little more understated, maybe a single side exhaust. Guess I'm going to start googling "rear apron" for the E61 and see what I find out there. please post pics when you have it mounted.

alexio

have this mounted yet?

constant

Sadly, no. Was involved in a rear end collision recently and has put a delay in getting everything sorted. Also, Schmiedmann is not responding to my request for the mesh grill they forgot to include.

constant

Rear bumper removed

constant

New rear bumper installed. Very easy to do-- (4) 8mm screws in each wheel liner, (2) 10mm screws inside tailgate near taillights, and (2) 8mm screws underneath bumper.

constant

Cutting into that brand new bumper!

constant

Sanding painted surfaces to prep for Sikaflex bonding adhesive.

constant

Rieger apron attached to bumper, waiting for cure. The mesh was a plastic mesh sheet bought from Mcmaster Carr, since Schmiedmann didn't follow through.

Lotus99

WOW, let's get one final installed pic! Or a few, with more light on the rear. Nice.