New (Stronger) lower grille
 

I need to remove the bumper cover soon. While doing that job I have been thinking I would replace the lower (not Kidney) grilles.

They can be found pretty easily, but most of them seem to be OEM - which are weak and easily broken by stones.

Anyone know of a source for better grilles (lower)?

They actually seem cheap enough to buy a few, but I don't want new breaks before the car has a couple miles on it...

https://www.discountbodyparts.com/ca...d&gclsrc=3p.ds

Since the mounting via the frames is so specific, I considered using a dremel to cut out the plastic mesh and use JBWeld to mount new alloy mesh... I even have the the three grills and the alloy mesh to do it - but my replacement grills have lasted well so I never got around to doing it.

Thanks
 

That sounds like a really good idea.

I made a new one (intake section only) from expanded metal (aluminum) and painted it black and it works great but it has since been sandblasted back to bare metal due to life in the Middle East. I will try to remember to get a picture when it's light enough and not scorching hot yet.

PS. I probably screwed up by not preparing it for paint with TSP but now I am wondering about doing all the under grill and coating it with plier handle dip...[emoji848]

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Plati-dip comes in spray cans now and should work well.

I think depending on the car if you used aluminum expanded metal that would look good. You can clear enamel paint to keep the shine.

For buying a replacement... again the prices are low, but there is confusion out on the web as to which is the right part. The part number I find is: 51-11-7-111-767

But some sites say this will not fit a 4.4i, that it is only for a 3.0 or 4.8. I am thinking this is an error and that the grilles for all these engines is the same. Can anyone comment?

RealOEM indicates that the parts fits the 3.0i, 3.0d, 4.4i and 4,8is...

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...767&series=E53

Here's my intake replacement grill after it shed its paint faster a cheerleader on prom night...https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d5d856fa80.jpg

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The last 3 times I used realOEM to cross reference parts it was wrong.

Don't trust it 100% to be correct.

Interesting. I've not yet had any issues with RealOEM data in about 12 years of relying on it.

There's certainly a good number of superceded parts on our cars now, due to their age - and that can be confusing, with part numbers chnaging or being updated. :rolleyes: