XSeries-forum

It seems its badge season in my car ownership. I replaced the rear very recently as the actual roundal section had blistered for some reason. Wind on a few weeks and bu@@er me if the bonnet badge mysteriously did the same

Anyway, I thought I'd save a few £s and buy a replica, it's only a badge after all. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The rep was 82 mm but after that it was crap. I got a refund for it and bought a kosher one on line which arrived today. Thank you RM for delaying it by ten days! As we know, you gets what you pays for yes £40 is ludicrous but the silver edge finish is perfectly smooth not crinkled where its been folded badly, and it fitted the grommets like a hot knife through butter, the replica didn't fit at all well and could be rocked up and down when in place.

Moral, if there is one, buy a premium product and forever pay more than seems sensible to keep it in good shape

Useful to know. I changed the E46 grilles for non-genuine M-Performance black versions as OEM are no longer available now. The fit was poor and the design is for the E90 version but resized for the E46. I’ve had to use a hot glue gun to help lock them into place. The look good, but rattle.

Lesson learned and OEM it is, I just won’t leave it until 15 years after the car was in production

Yes, agreed. When I blacked out the front of the car I didn't consider non OEM kidneys. They were over a ton as I recall, lots more than aftermarket offerings but fitted perfectly and don't move when washing etc.

I paid the monies for a genuine bonnet badge after the top disappeared on a stormy day after having non genuine centre caps which corroded after about 3 months. The genuine ones I bought at £40 for 4 are still good a few years after. but as a badge is roughly the same size as a centre cap it does make the badge look expensive

The reason the replica rocked is theyre flat, genuine have a slight curve in them, you can hardly notice it,but its there

In my case I suspect the pins where too tight in the OE grommets and didnt seat properly. The back of the rep one I bought is very slightly concave. Having had a no quibble refund without a return its unimportant now. It will go in my box of miscellaneous BMW bits n bobs

sapphireblack wrote: ↑Tue Dec 20, 2022 4:23 pm In my case I suspect the pins where too tight in the OE grommets and didnt seat properly. The back of the rep one I bought is very slightly concave. Having had a no quibble refund without a return its unimportant now. It will go in my box of miscellaneous BMW bits n bobs

Box ....Half my garage is full

I'm less hands on then yourself, but you haven't seen the size of the box I use! Three sets of wheels occupies a substantial space, but it's not a competition

Crikey!...must be a big box

marti wrote: ↑Sat Dec 24, 2022 9:13 am Crikey!...must be a big box

I think its called a shed