[Tallest]

I have to ask, because Im considering resale at some point as most of us. After small fender bender the front bumper is toast and needs to be replaced by insurance.

What do people typically do here, is Msport bumper upgrade considered a plus?

Is just the front bumper only Msport for most a pointless thing - and if you do Msport, best go all around?

What are opinions today on OEM vs nonOEM msport? I have a good body shop, and a good nonOEM kit ready (that takes stock housings and ducts) but I wonder if the faith in OEM should be kept at extra cost out of pocket.

Mind, this is an old car, a daily driver, far removed from anything Msport. It has HUD and good sound system and wide navigation screen (i dont use) but that's about it. Cloth seats, stock steering wheel, etc.

What do you guys think I should do? Go Msport or not? Front or all around? OEM or nonOEM is fine?

[shiftdnb]

If you go OEM it's a little bit more extensive than just slapping a new bumper on. There are different parts/vents configuration behind it. OEM is a little bit more slap it on albeit with the removal of a couple bits. If you purchase OEM make sure that they properly prep the bumper for paint. I've seen some that have a sticker on them to sand down the primer. Ebay products can be cheaper. GoodGo out of Taiwan seems to be the go to there for the fitment. Again, beware of the primer as that's the one thing I've seen people have issues with any of the non-OEM bumpers.

[PhizzurpF]

I'd definitely go m sport if you can. Looks 10x better than the base and sport line bumper.

[oranga]

If you are asking if you will see a return on your investment if and when you sell your car, then the answer is, as it would be for most modifications, a no. But that's not why any of us throw money at our cars is it?

Whether or not its worth it to you, only you can answer. Only you know your budget, only you know how long you are going to keep the car, etc, etc.

If you can get a good chunk of the cost offset by insurance, then yeah, that should factor pretty favorably in the "yolo" column.

** Just a footnote here for some extra math. The M-sport package from the dealer when the car was new, is about a $1k add-on...don't quote me, but we can round it up to an even $2k for illustrative purposes. If you were to buy that car now, it definitely won't be worth anywhere near that $2k more than an otherwise identical non-M-sport car. And that's OEM from the factory! So a aftermarket or even OEM upgrade done after the car has been in your hands will be worth even less. **

[Billfitz]

Go with the least expensive option, whatever that may be. As you said, it's an old daily driver. When the time comes to sell it potential buyers won't care what bumper is on it.

[jared21927]

Just keep the base. I'm being biased as I have the m-sport front bumper only and I literally scraped the crap out of it last night coming into my sister's driveway. Car is stock height and still scrapes. Keep the base.

[WDE82]

Originally Posted by Tallest

I have to ask, because Im considering resale at some point as most of us. After small fender bender the front bumper is toast and needs to be replaced by insurance.

What do people typically do here, is Msport bumper upgrade considered a plus?

Is just the front bumper only Msport for most a pointless thing - and if you do Msport, best go all around?

What are opinions today on OEM vs nonOEM msport? I have a good body shop, and a good nonOEM kit ready (that takes stock housings and ducts) but I wonder if the faith in OEM should be kept at extra cost out of pocket.

Mind, this is an old car, a daily driver, far removed from anything Msport. It has HUD and good sound system and wide navigation screen (i dont use) but that's about it. Cloth seats, stock steering wheel, etc.

What do you guys think I should do? Go Msport or not? Front or all around? OEM or nonOEM is fine?

I did this on my E82. Upgraded to the M-sport rear bumper after I got rear ended. I had my car at the dealer collision center so I just told them I wanted the upgrade. They just charged my the difference in parts. The bumper was slightly more expensive and I needed a couple new brackets that I otherwise wouldn't have needed. It was like $200 extra.

Life gives you lemons. Make lemonade. That's why I did it. Normally that upgrade would be cost prohibitive.

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by shiftdnb

If you go OEM it's a little bit more extensive than just slapping a new bumper on. There are different parts/vents configuration behind it. OEM is a little bit more slap it on albeit with the removal of a couple bits. If you purchase OEM make sure that they properly prep the bumper for paint. I've seen some that have a sticker on them to sand down the primer. Ebay products can be cheaper. GoodGo out of Taiwan seems to be the go to there for the fitment. Again, beware of the primer as that's the one thing I've seen people have issues with any of the non-OEM bumpers.

I am actually waiting on an estimate to be able to tell if this makes sense or not. I feel like by going NON OEM will be tricky with replacements. With OEM you can always get it sorted via insurance again should smth happen. This would not work so good with a replica, even a good one.

So Im waiting on 1) cost estimate to decide what's worth doing.

Originally Posted by PhizzurpF

I'd definitely go m sport if you can. Looks 10x better than the base and sport line bumper.

I think it looks good as a package - full set, plus lower ride height and rims. That upgrade would go beyond my initial plan for the car (may be best to replace the car fully for Msport in that case) but with used prices what they are, it is a little tough yet. WIll have to wait for people to start spending money on flying and hotels and cruises and stop spending so much on buying houses and cars...

Originally Posted by oranga

If you are asking if you will see a return on your investment if and when you sell your car, then the answer is, as it would be for most modifications, a no. But that's not why any of us throw money at our cars is it?

Whether or not its worth it to you, only you can answer. Only you know your budget, only you know how long you are going to keep the car, etc, etc.

If you can get a good chunk of the cost offset by insurance, then yeah, that should factor pretty favorably in the "yolo" column.

** Just a footnote here for some extra math. The M-sport package from the dealer when the car was new, is about a $1k add-on...don't quote me, but we can round it up to an even $2k for illustrative purposes. If you were to buy that car now, it definitely won't be worth anywhere near that $2k more than an otherwise identical non-M-sport car. And that's OEM from the factory! So a aftermarket or even OEM upgrade done after the car has been in your hands will be worth even less. **

I dont know where your math comes from, new MSport package is 5k EUR. If you just mean the bumpers from OEM, it is 2k EUR+ paint (700 EUR)+ install (200-400 EUR depends on labour costs). So it is about 3k EUR for me to buy and install it fresh as a set, and it is probably few hundred EUR max for just the ugprade via insurance. This is what makes it a little tricky. Im fully aware no one wants to pay for your upgrades in resale. Personally it is also a red flag for me when Im buying a car that doesnt look stock. But as the car is very depreciated anyway, perhaps now it doesnt matter on used market and the kind of people buying them will prefer better looking car than stock. Thats the logic.

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Go with the least expensive option, whatever that may be. As you said, it's an old daily driver. When the time comes to sell it potential buyers won't care what bumper is on it.

It is old and daily, but it is also in pretty great shape and with low miles. Has lots of useful life in it until the government bans ICE engines.

Originally Posted by jared21927

Just keep the base. I'm being biased as I have the m-sport front bumper only and I literally scraped the crap out of it last night coming into my sister's driveway. Car is stock height and still scrapes. Keep the base.

Does MSPORT really scrape so much? Ive never scraped with my stock bumper...

Originally Posted by WDE82

I did this on my E82. Upgraded to the M-sport rear bumper after I got rear ended. I had my car at the dealer collision center so I just told them I wanted the upgrade. They just charged my the difference in parts. The bumper was slightly more expensive and I needed a couple new brackets that I otherwise wouldn't have needed. It was like $200 extra.

Life gives you lemons. Make lemonade. That's why I did it. Normally that upgrade would be cost prohibitive.

That last expression is what I thought of exactly. As I wrote above Im waiting on estimate.

[Tallest]

Other option I thought of is while keeping stock, to upgrade the car to just LCI stock front.

Whats the thought on these, do LCI stock look better than pre-LCI or worse?

Top or bottom?

[jared21927]

Originally Posted by jared21927

Just keep the base. I'm being biased as I have the m-sport front bumper only and I literally scraped the crap out of it last night coming into my sister's driveway. Car is stock height and still scrapes. Keep the base.

Does MSPORT really scrape so much? Ive never scraped with my stock bumper...


No..... It doesn't. I'm just mad right now because I came up the same driveway a year ago problem free with the base bumper. I have the msport lip on mine and that's what actually scraped not the bumper itself. I've scraped maybe twice since I've had this setup. It's definitely lower, especially with the lip. I can't get a low profile jack up under it and again, I'm at stock ride height. It looks nice, it's just something to consider.

[Psi5]

If you like the look and it is not that much more, who cares what it'll do to resale? The big question is, how much "more" is to you. A couple of hundred? Sure, why not? A couple of thousand? Only if you really love it.

You won't get either back in resale but if it is a couple of hundred, you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of it while you still have it.

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by jared21927

Does MSPORT really scrape so much? Ive never scraped with my stock bumper...


No..... It doesn't. I'm just mad right now because I came up the same driveway a year ago problem free with the base bumper. I have the msport lip on mine and that's what actually scraped not the bumper itself. I've scraped maybe twice since I've had this setup. It's definitely lower, especially with the lip. I can't get a low profile jack up under it and again, I'm at stock ride height. It looks nice, it's just something to consider.

Thanks for the comment back. Yes, I have no plans for a lip (we have winters).
What are the yellow pipes in your car's radiator area?..

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by Psi5

If you like the look and it is not that much more, who cares what it'll do to resale? The big question is, how much "more" is to you. A couple of hundred? Sure, why not? A couple of thousand? Only if you really love it.

You won't get either back in resale but if it is a couple of hundred, you'll get a lot of enjoyment out of it while you still have it.

I think it will be 500-600 EUR extra. It is not little, but not massive. I think this enjoyment factor indeed could be good one. I drive the car in the winter all the time so for at least half the year it IS my main car. And when not - my SO drives it.

[jared21927]

Thanks for the comment back. Yes, I have no plans for a lip (we have winters).
What are the yellow pipes in your car's radiator area?


I vinyl wrapped my vbrace. Just an easy and common f30 mod. I had it silver but I wanted something a little more flashy

[Wires]

I love my m-sport front (disliked the regular look when I was buying my 3-series).

I put on a carbon fiber lip. No issues in snow (it's 1" thick, which gives me 5.75" of clearance with the x-drive) and it protects the bottom of the bumper for any scrapes or bumps into curb stops.

The protection for the painted bumper was worth the cost.

[Gen13 F36]

My take on this is just enjoy the car as-is and later sell it and buy the car that you really want the way it is stock.

Expenses like this don't add any value to the car. And sometimes actually you lose value.

Just my 2 cents

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by Gen13 F36

My take on this is just enjoy the car as-is and later sell it and buy the car that you really want the way it is stock.

Expenses like this don't add any value to the car. And sometimes actually you lose value.

Just my 2 cents

So,
The cost to retrofit turned out north of 1k USD for replica and 2k for Msport.

I decided instead to buy the SPORT LINE bumper with gloss black inserts and normal chrome/gloss black grille. This will dress up the front without paying extra and ditch the stock bumper inserts and grille which are just a bit boring. Car is silver, silver whiskers will suit it also. Think this is a best of both worlds. I dont mind the look of pre-lci stock bumper overall, as it has some of that thin-lipped BMW E30 look to my eyes.

Thanks all for chiming in! Reason won here.

[jcarv20]

I'm waiting for my M-Sport bumper to ship so ya it's worth it to me. I love everything about my car minus the front bumper.

[Tallest]

The car now has the sport line front. Pretty simple change but I like it over stock at least.