Running boards OEM vs. EBAY

[JCL]

Originally Posted by EuroTra$H

just to play devils advocate... Why do you have such a strong opinion against aftermarket? There are some great aftermarket products available for BMW's
Exhausts, wheels, body kits etc.... Don't get me wrong I think OEM quality is great, just not sure why you can't expect as good or better from tuners / aftermarket companies.

There are aftermarket products that work fine. But on average, aftermarket products are of inferior quality, and have undergone much less testing. That is because they are competing on price most of the time. That doesn't mean there aren't good aftermarket products that are worth purchasing, but people do get burned by the law of averages.

[brian5]

Originally Posted by JCL

There are aftermarket products that work fine. But on average, aftermarket products are of inferior quality, and have undergone much less testing. That is because they are competing on price most of the time. That doesn't mean there aren't good aftermarket products that are worth purchasing, but people do get burned by the law of averages.

Yes, for those reasons

And it wasn't a general comment about aftermarket products that I was making; I was referring to the running boards that the OP was asking about.

If I can, I buy BMW OEM parts. That doesn't mean I won't consider aftermarket...

[1naztyx5]

Originally Posted by JCL

At 6'4" I find them a royal pain. I have only had them on E53 and E70 loaners and rentals, not on my own X5. I would take them off if I had the misfortune to own them. I do understand the looks thing - but IMO form follows function, and they are disfunctional.

I could not agree more, at 6"3 myself I hate them! My X came with them and I have been trying to swap with someone local for a while now. they are just in the way and serve no purpose IMO.

Am in PA if anyone wants to swap PM me if you want them for "looks" cause thats all they are good for, but not for me I think the X looks cleaner without them.

[twizzleraddict]

If anyone's in the Bay Area, CA and want to swap them for standard running boards, let me know. I'll take the aluminum ones off your hands.

[jeremym]

Originally Posted by EuroTra$H

Dang... Rough crowd around here...

No, that's just ard.

[Alan Smithee]

Personally I hate them due to the step-over, and I think they look a bit silly, so I didn't order mine with them - but could see them being useful for washing the roof, or loading a roof rack (which I don't have, either).

[4MoJoe]

My buddy bought a set from eBay and couldn't get them to fit, took it to a auto shop he deals extensively with and they couldn't get them on either. So he will going to OEM.

I have them now and wanted them as I had them on the 2004 E53. I use them to get in and out and also for a place to stand when I load skis into the ski rack and also washing the car. For each person it's individual from responses. I like the looks, think it finishes it off nicely.

Agree on OEM tho on this particular part. I tried eBay knock offs on my 2001 E53 and they sucked - you'd never want to take them off for what it took to get them attached.