[mad_jack]

Hey guys,

It was very icy and my car slid into a concrete barrier on the freeway. Fortunately it was a slight tap but she did suffer some damage.

I was wondering if the grille on the lower bumper where the fog light is located is simply a piece that snaps on, like the kidney grille.

Also, my headlight lens is cracked and the body shop guy is telling me I have to replace the whole headlight assembly. I find that questionable, because the actual headlight is working just fine! Is there a way I can just get the lens itself replaced?

Much appreciate any input or comment, thanks!

[celsdogg]

sorry to hear this but it's good you and the car are mostly ok!

I haven't had the nose off the F30, but usually all those "grill" pieces are separate and snap in. a quick look at realoem confirms this.

headlights are also usually one piece. the lens is glued and sealed in. it can be removed but usually requires heating the sealing adhesive, not typical. again, realoem shows it as the assembly as one piece.

good luck!

[mad_jack]

Originally Posted by celsdogg

sorry to hear this but it's good you and the car are mostly ok!

I haven't had the nose off the F30, but usually all those "grill" pieces are separate and snap in. a quick look at realoem confirms this.

headlights are also usually one piece. the lens is glued and sealed in. it can be removed but usually requires heating the sealing adhesive, not typical. again, realoem shows it as the assembly as one piece.

good luck!

Thank you for the response and the kind words!

My main concern about the headlight is that it's sort of out of alignment and now there's this "gap" (see picture). Will this be a problem when I wash the car? As in, will there be important components down there that can be damaged by water?

[BMWILUVU]

I would replace the lense cover only its a large piece of cheap molded plastic and get the part number from realoem.com for the foglight area. When you disassemble the light area you can fix any dislocations. Looks very minor and it'll be an easy patchup.

[mad_jack]

Originally Posted by BMWILUVU

I would replace the lense cover only its a large piece of cheap molded plastic and get the part number from realoem.com for the foglight area. When you disassemble the light area you can fix any dislocations. Looks very minor and it'll be an easy patchup.

Thanks for chiming in. I found after-market replacement lenses for around $100 and it sounds like it would just need to be heat sealed onto the housing. I assume most body shops should be able to work on that but the one I called just flat out said "we have to replace the whole headlight" which I think is wasteful.

Anyone think I should be concerned about water intrusion via the headlight area (see gap)? I'm worried the area beneath it would start collecting water and potentially damage some wiring or other componentry

[celsdogg]

Originally Posted by mad_jack

Thanks for chiming in. I found after-market replacement lenses for around $100 and it sounds like it would just need to be heat sealed onto the housing. I assume most body shops should be able to work on that but the one I called just flat out said "we have to replace the whole headlight" which I think is wasteful.

Anyone think I should be concerned about water intrusion via the headlight area (see gap)? I'm worried the area beneath it would start collecting water and potentially damage some wiring or other componentry

I wouldn't worry about water getting behind the bumper cover. it can get wet there under normal conditions anyway and all the wiring is weather sealed. gap wise I'd just be worried about it aesthetically.

shops probably won't touch changing the lens since it's sealed and comes as an assembly. don't want to be on the hook for moisture inside the headlight. plus it's super easy to swap in a new one.

[DFarhat]

What about depo headlights? They're a little more pricy but you get the upgraded look with halos for around 500 dollars, this way you could take this opportunity to upgrade your headlights and get a little more visibility and better looks.

If you wanna go the repair route the halogen headlight assembly is cheap. A quick google search shows they're around 140 per side which is hands down way less hassle compared to trying to replace your lenses.

[mad_jack]

Originally Posted by celsdogg

I wouldn't worry about water getting behind the bumper cover. it can get wet there under normal conditions anyway and all the wiring is weather sealed. gap wise I'd just be worried about it aesthetically.

shops probably won't touch changing the lens since it's sealed and comes as an assembly. don't want to be on the hook for moisture inside the headlight. plus it's super easy to swap in a new one.

Thanks again for your input. That's what I thought about underneath the bumper because I shined my light through the gap and didn't really see anything there.

I think maybe the cracked headlight might be a problem when exposed to rain and the car wash? The headlight still works, I'm just not sure if water getting through the cracked opening could cause other problems down the line. I will eventually get it replaced, but how urgent do I need to get this fixed?

[mad_jack]

Originally Posted by DFarhat

What about depo headlights? They're a little more pricy but you get the upgraded look with halos for around 500 dollars, this way you could take this opportunity to upgrade your headlights and get a little more visibility and better looks.

If you wanna go the repair route the halogen headlight assembly is cheap. A quick google search shows they're around 140 per side which is hands down way less hassle compared to trying to replace your lenses.

You just gave me some great ideas! I'm shocked to see the whole headlight assembly only cost $20 more than what the replacement lenses are selling. And yes, not to mention way less hassle!

However, if I don't have to replace my headlight because of the broken lenses, then I might just leave it alone for now. Sure, it looks kinda janky, but the headlights still work. Unless NOT replacing can cause other problems, I'll just let it be for the time being.