running boards
 

how much would it cost me to get the dealer to install these on my 02 4.6? Ive never done any work on a car and I dont want to screw things up.

Depends on the dealer. Anywhere between $900-$1200. Most of us on this board have done it ourself. I bought it for $540+tax. There are instructions on main page.
http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/BM...structions.pdf
http://www.xoutpost.com/articles.php?...icle&artid=185

please excuse my lack of mechanical ability. Ive read the instructions and i notice the car is on a jack. would i be able to do this without a jack and with simple tools...it says i might need a rail gun (which im embarrassed to say i have not a clue what one is) Id love to do this myself and save the cash, plus I like to do things myself anyway. I just need a bit more information about how difficult this may be...Thanks in advance

I am like you and can do the easy stuff. But, I would prefer to have the dealer do this for me (if/when I get the running boards) and not worry about the install details to do it right. Unless anyone here is personally going to help you, you may have better piece of mind with a professional.

You don't need a jack to install the running boards, but you WILL need a rivet gun. The rivet gun fastens the running boards into the body frame or wheel wells. On a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the hardest, I'd rate this DYI project a 3. The bulk of time that you will spend on is to remove the rivets at the bottom of the underframe and to line up the new fender flares with the body and fasten the rivets. The rest is a piece of cake.

It should take you approx. 45 mins to do the first side, then about 30 mins to do the other side.

so uncletito, like i said im mechanically stupid, however im an abled bodied person willing to learn, is this doable for someone like me without messing up my car? or could i perhaps order the boards and then take the instructions to a local garage and see if they could do it? Anyone live in the boston area want to help??

I did mine by myself, didn't even jack my car.
it was pretty easy DIY by following the instructions as LeMansX5 listed,
if you done with first side, then other side will be a piece of cake.

just make sure you get the right rivet gun - i got mine from Napa
http://www.napaonline.com/cgi-bin/nc...6&usrcommgrpid
and check if you have enough plastic rivets with your kit and get some extra rivets from your local dealershop if you need.

d you have to get them from the dealer, i my experience dealers have always been very slow. and do i just call up the part dept with my vin and tell them what i want?

BLIND RIVET # 51717002953 $0.39 each.
ask your local dealer if they have them in stock before you go - I mean if you need it. don't just buy before you check if you have enough or not.

Having the dealer install it does NOT guarantee that it will be done right. I had to take my car back at least 3 times for them to correct problems after the initial install. It was either missing or incorrectly installed rivets, flares were misaligned, and finally, missing rivets again (a few kept falling out, etc...). And this is from a dealer that claimed to be #1 in the US (hint hint...the one in Santa Ana, California). I don't think the dealers had install enough of these to get proficient at it. In my opinion, you are much better off trying to tackle these on your own if you have the time. I would, if I had to do it all over again.