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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 F10 Technical Topics DIY Guides & Discussions DIY: BMW Performance Black F10 Grille Install & Removing Bumper Silver Trim
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      04-28-2014, 03:58 PM   #155
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Answer to my own question. It was a simple job of pulling at each corner to get the grill out No damages
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      05-13-2014, 11:58 PM   #156
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Indeed! That worked for me too. Pulled on the corners, and make sure do it when car is warm... no damage and literally took me 30 sec per grill
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      05-17-2014, 09:07 PM   #157
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Hey everyone, I just installed the grills using Lacster's original method but I feel like there is too much space between the bumper-hood-headlights now....

Am I just being paranoid or have others experienced this too? The corners that connect to the headlights are out of alignment now and the space between the hood and top of the bumper seems to be slightly bigger than before. I can actually see the rubber from the weather liner underneath... I'm guessing it's from yanking on the front bumper. Does anyone have suggestions how to fix this alignment issue?
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      07-09-2014, 10:12 AM   #158
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Thanks all for sharing your experience of exchanging the F10 grill.
I bought the BMW Performance original black grills for my Alphine White 520i LCI. Ecentually I went for the direct yank pull method, attempted twice and it worked. It requires a little more force, a pair of glove to protect your hands and some wiggling.

But I regret not using masking tape on the front bumper around the grill, as I pulled the grills out, the clips on the original grills slighting touched and scratched, chipped off a few spots of the white paint on the bumper. So, if you decide to go for the yanking, remember to use masking tape.

At least the result is good. The glossy black grills on Alpine White look so cool. I don't regret changing them.
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      07-16-2014, 11:56 AM   #159
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Step 1... remove expensive watch before DIY. lol

Thanks for the photos, I'll be doing this until I get my M Sport bumper!
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      10-08-2014, 04:37 AM   #160
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Excuse my dirty F10.... but I blacked out the slats on my kidneys using Black electrical tape. Decided to go this route so I could make sure I liked the effect before doing anything permanent.

You can see the left-hand kidney has blackened slats, whereas the right has the original chromed ones.

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      10-19-2014, 12:49 PM   #161
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One more perspective (on the pull)

Hi Guys,

I know this thread might be done to death but FYI one last perspective:
- I had the new grills on hand so I could see where the tabs are which hold it in place (though of course we've got the photos on this thread as well)
- I suppose anyone who's worked with exterior trims would probably already know, but indeed heat always is an advantage. Both with increased flex in the trim, but also plastic not being as brittle, which *might* ever so marginally help you with not breaking plastic trims.
- so for me being in the UK, warm days or even parking out in the sun, isn't always a guarantee that it's as warm as US side, or Australia side, I did do this after a good run and on as warm enough day as I was going to get (if need be one could consider hair drying the area too to artificially get it warm)
- I was curious to know if it's possible to feel the retaining tabs from outside the car / without having to go in behind the bumper, but it's true you can't. However what I did do, was put index fingers through the grill and pull down/in, in the areas of each grill where I knew the tabs where, and hey presto the click of them disengaging.
- did that for all the top and the sides, which came away almost immediately. Then started the bottoms, though by this stage, you could tell just a pull and they'd come out , which is what I did and the grill came out.

I should add I did mask up around the grill for the first one, but after seeing how controlled you can pull the grill out, I didn't bother with the second one.

This was on a 2011 M Sport 535d.

It was so easy I've retained the original grills since it seems a simple process for swap over!
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      12-05-2014, 01:19 PM   #162
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Hi All, great thread. I think I have a few details that can really help and build on the already great advice (thanks to all who helped me get to the point of willing to try this myself!)

1. 550i xDrive, M Sport body package
2. Agree a warmer env or car is better, but I did the grill removal and install in a 40degree garage, Michigan winter!
3. Remove the bolts and plugs as shown above, you can get your hand directly to the top 3 clips with one hand to release and the other to pull on the grill from the front
4. after releasing the top 3 clips, go after the outsides first. you should be able to come from the corner, near the headlight to get your hand squeezed inside to release both the top outside and bottom outside clips.
5. once you have those clips released, you should be able to pull the grill out without getting your hands down to the bottom clips. it requires a confident pull, but i did it without breaking the clips or the front fender, it's super tough plastic

I do have some cut knuckles but nothing not worth it!!
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      02-14-2015, 10:37 PM   #163
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LANCASTER YOUR MY Hero.... Secret Agent camera on the front.
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      02-22-2015, 05:01 PM   #164
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Swapped mine out today with the grab and pull method. Super easy- just need to pull.

Thanks guys-
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      03-15-2015, 12:34 PM   #165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kyheang12 View Post
I followed Sylon's instruction and it works perfectly on my 535i. You don't have to remove the rubber seal on the bumper, just have to use a flathead screwdriver to push on the plastic clips and pull the grill out.
Question, when I look through the grills, the clips are covered and I don't have access using a screwdriver to push down on either clip..

Can someone clarify where and how u pushing down on the clips through the grills??
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      04-11-2015, 06:18 PM   #166
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Hey guys----thanks for all the write-ups. I am considering doing this also. But I have night vision, so my grill slats are different in that it has the permanent block in between two slats.

Has anyone with night vision done this mod? I have having the M5 (or M Sport bumper) installed in a few weeks, so I figured I would just take the easy route and buy the black grill and get the body shop to install everything at the same time.

Wondering if night vision cars have the same grill, and where (aside from the dealership) you guys bought your black grills?
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      04-12-2015, 07:24 AM   #167
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The kidney grills are the same size for all F10s (I do not think that the night vision grills would be any different). It does not matter if you have the regular or M bumper. There are a bunch of different places where you can get them besides the dealer. I got mine from www.bimmian.com, but I know others have been happy with ones that they got off of eBay.
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      04-13-2015, 08:35 PM   #168
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alcenos View Post
The kidney grills are the same size for all F10s (I do not think that the night vision grills would be any different). It does not matter if you have the regular or M bumper. There are a bunch of different places where you can get them besides the dealer. I got mine from www.bimmian.com, but I know others have been happy with ones that they got off of eBay.
So are you saying that, even though the Night Vision grill is visibly/physically different from a regular grill, that it is the same exact grill? Is the permanent block in between two if the slats (where the infrared am is housed) not part of the plastic grill, is it part of the car?
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      04-14-2015, 05:21 AM   #169
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tresean1 View Post
So are you saying that, even though the Night Vision grill is visibly/physically different from a regular grill, that it is the same exact grill? Is the permanent block in between two if the slats (where the infrared am is housed) not part of the plastic grill, is it part of the car?
yes, but I would still recommend to call or send an email to someone at Bimmian to confirm. It is my understanding that all of the F10 grills (outside dimensions) are the same and will fit into any F10.
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      04-24-2015, 09:05 PM   #170
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just did it last week using less than 60s
The gist is:
Hot engine
Labour gloves
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Last edited by fung0001; 04-24-2015 at 09:14 PM..
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      05-29-2015, 05:01 PM   #171
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Thanks for the DIY Lacster! The only difference is that I needed to use a Torx-25 to remove the screws.

I finally got around to installing my LCI M Jet Black kidney grills today. Next step is a good washing.
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Last edited by Alcenos; 05-29-2015 at 07:20 PM..
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      06-13-2015, 06:29 AM   #172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by srs_bsns View Post
Hey everyone, I just installed the grills using Lacster's original method but I feel like there is too much space between the bumper-hood-headlights now....

Am I just being paranoid or have others experienced this too? The corners that connect to the headlights are out of alignment now and the space between the hood and top of the bumper seems to be slightly bigger than before. I can actually see the rubber from the weather liner underneath... I'm guessing it's from yanking on the front bumper. Does anyone have suggestions how to fix this alignment issue?
I feel the same way, but I think that it is just being paranoid. I marked off where the bumper lined up before I removed the top screws. However, I still feel like there is a slightly larger space now in the middle. I wish that I would have taken some measurements before. Have you had any success? I may just do to a dealer and measure a another M sport 5 that they have on the lot.
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      06-24-2015, 12:00 AM   #173
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Awesome! Btw, nice watch you got there!
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      07-02-2015, 12:52 AM   #174
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bought my f10 last month and loving every second driving it! i just got my hands on the double slate gloss black grills. looks great and will post pics of it on the car soon!
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      07-07-2015, 12:47 PM   #175
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I did mine last night and it wasn’t an easy 20-min job.
At first, I tried the simpler method (pulling the grille without removing the bolts, etc), but the grilles didn’t pop out completely due to a couple of stubborn clips.
So I had to remove the bolts and pulled the bumper cover as the OP instructed.
But even then, the stubborn clips wouldn’t come off without a fight, I had to apply quite a bit of force on each of them to set them free.
It took close to an hour and a lot of effort.
However, when it was all done, it was totally worth it!!!

A big THANK-YOU to LACSTER!
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      07-10-2015, 10:40 AM   #176
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kooltechie View Post
I did mine last night and it wasn’t an easy 20-min job.
At first, I tried the simpler method (pulling the grille without removing the bolts, etc), but the grilles didn’t pop out completely due to a couple of stubborn clips.
So I had to remove the bolts and pulled the bumper cover as the OP instructed.
But even then, the stubborn clips wouldn’t come off without a fight, I had to apply quite a bit of force on each of them to set them free.
It took close to an hour and a lot of effort.
However, when it was all done, it was totally worth it!!!

A big THANK-YOU to LACSTER!
I had exactly the same experience this morning, it didn't matter how hard I pulled they wouldn't budge so I resorted to the disassembly method, but even then it was a pig of a job. I managed with a great deal of effort to unclip the top of the first one but finished up A over T on the garage floor when the bottom clips eventually released. The second grill was even harder & I resorted to bending the bottom clips away from the grill so I could get access & undo them. The finished result is well worth the effort though
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