Plastic front fenders?!

[FunfDreisig]

Originally Posted by JCL

Pedestrian safety was a factor, but so was assembly cost. BMW outsourced the entire assembled fender. Good article on the Automotive Engineering website.

BMW X5 Plastic Fender Module

Thanks for posting this link. While I was impatiently waiting for our 2009 X5 35d to be built I noticed that the Paint Shop at the SC factory only painted the metal parts. The front clip shows up later intact during Assembly. One of my questions was how they were able to match the paint. And now we know

Funf Dreisg

[Fastbuck]

16,000 variations of the fender module is insane. There must be a cost disadvantage there compared to a more rigid standardisation approach.

[Bozz]

So looking at this it should or would be easier to remove the headlight fitting by taking off the front side panel or not?

[JCL]

Originally Posted by Bozz

So looking at this it should or would be easier to remove the headlight fitting by taking off the front side panel or not?

It appears it would be easier to remove the headlight once you had the entire front fender off (as in the photo) but that presumes you are taking the fender off anyway. I can't imagine that you would want to take the fender off just to remove the headlight, especially considering the potential for body and paint damage, and the time to disconnect the coolers. Also, the fender isn't the last thing installed; from the photo it appears that the bumpers and other items are installed after the fender, and so would have to come off first.

[FunfDreisig]

FWIW here is what the factory site says about the front clip...

"Like the drive train, a BMW’s front end is intricate and its assembly is choreographed down to the last detail. By the time it arrives at the main assembly line, it is a single unit, consisting of fender, headlamps, bumper cover, front grill, and radiator supports. The individual pieces arrive from suppliers and are assembled mechanically before the doors are added. Associates mount the now unified front end assembly to the vehicle, fill the AC lines with air, mount the vehicle’s wheels and tires and a new BMW touches ground for the first time. Approximately 36 hours after beginning its journey."

Funf Dreisig

[meruyailir]

The bad thing about the plastic fender (and extending to the upper front bumper part) is it doesn't seem to be molded well. It's very difficult to achieve a perfect symmetrical between the left and the right. If you notice the meet between the fenders and the hood between the left and the right, they aren't exactly identical. I notice that on new X5 in the showrooms.

[rbryantaz]

My newly discovered issue with the E70 plastic fenders is that the mount piece breaks and isn't replaceable.... They look like they are originally attached with a tab but that can break free and also break off so they get lost.

My x5 had one missing so now I am out of luck unless someone has one or I can beg one off from someone selling a bumper on ebay...

If the plastic piece here breaks then there is no BMW part for it...





It comes only with a full fender (original picture shown with the part circled below:



Very annoying... Has anyone else encountered this?

I am tempted to have some of these made in aluminum if anyone else needs one let me know...

-Rich