[MWPos]

Please note that this is for a RWD car. If you have an XDrive, there may be some differences in the under-body panels.

As evident in the before and after photos, the conversion is complete. I'm placing this post to be able to show the parts list it took to get from base-model to M-Sport front bumper in case anyone wants to shop for the parts themselves. I'm very happy with the change. Enjoy!

Here's the list of OEM parts I used in the conversion project:

TRIM COVER, BUMPER, PRIMERED, FRONT
51118048670 (THIS IS NON-PDC, NON CAMERA)
COVER, TOW FITTING, FRONT, PRIMERED
51118048681 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
FLAP PRIME COATED LEFT
51118048679 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
FLAP PRIME COATED RIGHT
51118048680 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
HOLDING STRAP
51111973721 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
DUMMY PLUG LEFT
51118050115 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
DUMMY PLUG RIGHT
51118050116 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
FRAME M
51748049347
SIDE REFLECTOR LEFT
63147842959 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
SIDE REFLECTOR RIGHT
63147842960 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
GRILL, AIR INTAKE, CENTER
51117903894
GRILL, AIR INTAKE, LEFT
51117906197
GRILL, AIR INTAKE, RIGHT
51117906198
COVER, BOTTOM LEFT
51758045195
COVER, BOTTOM RIGHT
51758045196
M ENGINE COMPARTMENT ENCAPSULATION FRONT 2WD
51758035971
M ADAPTER FOR ENGINE ENCAPSULATION
51757905276
AIR DUCTING FOR AMOeK, LEFT
51747903889
AIR DUCTING FOR AMOeK, RIGHT
51747903890
AIR DUCT FRONT BOTTOM
51748049708
MOUNT, BUMPER, FRONT, LOWER
51118037631
FOG LIGHTS, LEFT
63177839865
FOG LIGHTS, RIGHT
63177839866
LONGLIFE BULB H11 55W
63217160784 (TWO OF THESE)
FRONT TRIM GRILL, BLACK, RIGHT "M-PERFORMANCE"
51712165528 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)
FRONT TRIM GRILL, BLACK, LEFT "M-PERFORMANCE"
51712165539 (YOU CAN REUSE CURRENT PART)

[Losco]

nicely done. time for rear+M-sport wheels?

[MWPos]

Thank you.

I have to give my wife a few weeks to get over this four-month effort...but I do have my sites set on the rear-end next

Wheels will have to wait another 30K miles (when the original tires should be too worn to keep).

[Die Wolfe]

Originally Posted by MWPos

Thank you.

I have to give my wife a few weeks to get over this four-month effort...but I do have my sites set on the rear-end next

Wheels will have to wait another 30K miles (when the original tires should be too worn to keep).

How much did this conversion cost? Looks great!

[MWPos]

Thank you. (BTW, sorry to hear that the Eibach springs didn't happen...not to rub it in, but I'm still happy with the Eibach ride)

All parts are OEM. The only place I saved big bucks by doing my own shopping is with the bumper cover. Everything else was about 25% below OTC retail.

The bumper cover $300, plus $70 shipping (Greyhound lost it, then found it and finally got it to me) on eBay (unused, but painted, badly, the wrong color)
M sport grilles $125 from a fellow forum member
Roundel $0, re-used
all of the other parts ($400) are either from getBMWparts.com or my local BMW parts shop which gave to me the same price as getBMWparts.com
Wasted money shipping some parts I ordered that I did not need back to getBMWparts.com ($100)
Prep, paint and install at West Coast Specialties about $780. The next customer at WCS for this project will save some money because of mistakes I made with some parts that were not needed that they tried to use and one part I had not provided which stopped work. I wasted 1.5 hours of their time, and I paid for it.

With my parts list, go to any online BMW parts site, fill the shopping cart, print it, and take it to your local BMW parts department and ask them to beat the price. You may be surprised. That's how I got a reduced price from my local dealer.

I lost $100 on shipping $200 of wrong parts back for a refund. That shipping cost was an unexpected downside to shopping online. My local BMW guy took back any parts I did not end up using, for nothing more than the gas and time to get there.

The final cost will be unknown until I have sold my original bumper. Only then will I be able to close out the "books" on this project.

Regards,
MWPos

[MWPos]

Here's the listing for my original bumper:
http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=805634

[Die Wolfe]

Originally Posted by MWPos

Thank you. (BTW, sorry to hear that the Eibach springs didn't happen...not to rub it in, but I'm still happy with the Eibach ride)

All parts are OEM. The only place I saved big bucks by doing my own shopping is with the bumper cover. Everything else was about 25% below OTC retail.

The bumper cover $300, plus $70 shipping (Greyhound lost it, then found it and finally got it to me) on eBay (unused, but painted, badly, the wrong color)
M sport grilles $125 from a fellow forum member
Roundel $0, re-used
all of the other parts ($400) are either from getBMWparts.com or my local BMW parts shop which gave to me the same price as getBMWparts.com
Wasted money shipping some parts I ordered that I did not need back to getBMWparts.com ($100)
Prep, paint and install at West Coast Specialties about $780. The next customer at WCS for this project will save some money because of mistakes I made with some parts that were not needed that they tried to use and one part I had not provided which stopped work. I wasted 1.5 hours of their time, and I paid for it.

With my parts list, go to any online BMW parts site, fill the shopping cart, print it, and take it to your local BMW parts department and ask them to beat the price. You may be surprised. That's how I got a reduced price from my local dealer.

I lost $100 on shipping $200 of wrong parts back for a refund. That shipping cost was an unexpected downside to shopping online. My local BMW guy took back any parts I did not end up using, for nothing more than the gas and time to get there.

The final cost will be unknown until I have sold my original bumper. Only then will I be able to close out the "books" on this project.

Regards,
MWPos

Wow, all relatively small expenses but they add up. Looks great though, I hope you can recoup some money by selling that bumper too. As for the Eibachs, I'm still bummed about it too. Hopefully we either get those eventually or go straight for the KWs!

[MWPos]

Front bumper sold for $200. I now have the OEM M rear bumper ($200 from an auto salvage place in Houston)
http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthre...hlight=part%3F

and the diffuser from a forum member. $100 more in parts and pieces and then $500 for prep, prime, paint and install and the rear and front will be a complete set. This is more for resale value and my overly-needy desire to have the same trim level on front and rear than it is for looks.

[Zaman]

nice job man. it really worth the time. BMW dealers charge you hell more than that.

[MWPos]

I got VERY lucky finding the front bumper cover for $300 and now the rear for $200...it was almost an accident but I was looking so maybe I can take a little credit
The cost for prep, prime and paint, and instalaltion, seems to run at about $500 at normal collision repair centers or about $800 at BMW dealership body shops and high-end collision repair centers. I had the front bumper done at a high end place because the front end has so many seams that matter. For the rear end, I may go to a normal place because I don't really check out my car's ass all that much and in this case $300 extra may just feel like $300 wasted. Have you any thoughts on whether it's risky to go to a standard collison repair center for the rear bumper retrofit?

[ManiacGT]

Looks great, well done.

[Screamin]

Good job.

[MWPos]

Now I know why the salvage yard in Houston was willing to sell the rear M bumper to me and ship it for $200. It was badly banged up. Even after $500 of rehab, prep, prime and paint it is clearly damaged goods when seen in person. Everyone who told me to just buy new OEM, you were right!!!!

[BigDeep1]

Don't sweat it buddy. It looks great. Very impressive job and project.

Btw, if you were to have bought the front M-Sport skin new, how much do you think the cost difference would have been to get an M5 front bumper conversion? I know you wouldn't have the fogs to worry about

[MWPos]

I read some threads that mentioned that the M5 bumper flares outward at the wheel fenders and would require new fenders, so I stopped looking for that reason and one other. The other reason is that I prefer the M sport bumper because of the shape of its "mouth". The f"r"og lights I do not like, but the shape of the center mesh area I do.
Thanks for the reassurance on the rear bumper. You know how it is when you know that something is flawed; either you get over it, or you beg your wife to allow you to throw more money into a project which she already thinks cost too much

[MWPos]

damaged rear bumper replaced by new OEM rear bumper, the seller will give me a full refund for the damaged goods that he sold to me. And, yes, the valance (diffuser?) is painted a slightly gloss black.

[BigDeep1]

Originally Posted by MWPos

damaged rear bumper replaced by new OEM rear bumper, the seller will give me a full refund for the damaged goods that he sold to me. And, yes, the valance (diffuser?) is painted a slightly gloss black.

Looks excellent. Great work! Very clean

[Grover432]

Now you just need the trunk lip. Do the sides need different rocker panel pieces or are M Sport and non M Sport cars the same? I can't tell by looking at my car.

[MWPos]

Sides are the same. The only really major change was the bumper cover. No change to any side-facing components at all. The M5 bumper conversion is a bigger deal than the M-Sport conversion.

[Livefour2day]

Can I ask a question does the under tray have to be replaced I'm going to upgrade my SE to the M Sport.
Just a bit worried I'm ordering parts that I may not need to change in particular the engine encapsulation parts why do these have to be changed.
Also what is the air duct for AMOek can't find a picture and don't know what the AMOek means.
I've done this upgrade my old E60 but never had as many parts to change.
Would be grateful for any advice before I order the parts in the list.
I will do a DIY guide on this for future members that want to do the same.
Thanks for any advice in advance.

[jdmfrogg]

Originally Posted by Livefour2day

Can I ask a question does the under tray have to be replaced I'm going to upgrade my SE to the M Sport.
Just a bit worried I'm ordering parts that I may not need to change in particular the engine encapsulation parts why do these have to be changed.
Also what is the air duct for AMOek can't find a picture and don't know what the AMOek means.
I've done this upgrade my old E60 but never had as many parts to change.
Would be grateful for any advice before I order the parts in the list.
I will do a DIY guide on this for future members that want to do the same.
Thanks for any advice in advance.

I was able to cut down my stock engine encapsulation foamboard
The AMOek air ducts are the inside air guides that go behind the fog light grills

Here is my complete list. I'm posting my chassis and trim info since there are so many part variances so triple check and cross reference your own part #s before you order

2011 535i USA region, production 07/2010 N55 left hand drive, + PDC, no headlight washers

FRONT BUMPER
Purchased and installed
51118048671 Bumper cover w pdc, comes with tow hook cover
51748049347 inner frame for center grill
51748049708 air duct that goes behind center grill
51117903894 center grill, piece that is visible from the front
51117906197 left side grill
51747903889 inner ducting for left grill
51117906198 right side grill
51747903890 inner ducting for right grill
51757905276 bottom encapsulation (plastic cover) from bumper to oil pan encapsulation
51118037631 lower metal bar that replaces non m sport brace
51117903993 foam impact absorber (you cannot reuse you stock one, it is too thick)
63177839865 left fog light, comes with bulb, do not purchase separate bulb
63177839866 right fog light, comes with bulb, do not purchase separate bulb
51118048679 left headlight washer flap (you can try to reuse your stock one, but you have to dremel the bottom to get it to sit flush in the plug found below, see pic)
51118050115 left plug that holds in flap (unsure if you can reuse the stock one, I didn’t try)
51118048680 right headlight washer flap (you can try to reuse your stock one, but you have to dremel the bottom to get it to sit flush in the plug found below, see pic)
51118050116 right plug that holds in flap (unsure if you can reuse the stock one, I didn’t try)

Parts listed in real OEM but I did not use
51758045195 left bottom cover, I did not use this part, instead I used my stock one, there is just a small gap and misaligned hole (see pic)
51758045196 right bottom cover, I did not use this part, instead I used my stock one, there is just a small gap and misaligned hole (see pic)

Modified my stock part
51758035971 bottom encapsulation that goes from bumper to oil pan, my stock non sport one was exact fit, just longer, all I needed to do was to cut it down, reuse same body clips (see pic)


REAR BUMPER
Purchased and installed
51128048594 bumper cover w PDC, comes with tow hook cover
Insert your rear diffuser #.... I used the M performance, my part # was 51192291328
51127906845 bottom plastic guide, goes from bumper to undercarriage, no trailer hitch option
51127904979 vehicle trim, goes from the center plastic support and extends down to the bottom of the diffuser, allows the plastic guide (51127906845) to have a mounting point for the bottom body clips
63147842955 left reflector
63147842956 right reflector

Parts listed in real OEM but i did not use, my stock part was 100% compatible
51127906292 center support that goes under the bumper cover… my non m sport was exactly the same, I used my stock m sport. I still have this brand new part (could not return) if you think you need it, PM me and I’ll give it to you dirt cheap

hope this aids others with the same year/trim as mine looking to make this conversion.

[Livefour2day]

A massive thank you to you Jdmfrogg, that's exactly the advice I was hoping for. Thank you for taking the time to reply, your a top man you just saved me some wasted money also...
Let the M sport conversation begin.
Thanks again