A Piece of my E92 M3 flew off today while driving, WTF???

MFLTPRZ · 06-13-2010, 04:41 PM

Has this happend to anyone???

Excuse pic quality, my cheap digital camera sucks. Yes, I was driving about 600 Kilometers to Hamburg, Germany today on the A7. In the no speed limit/unrestricted zones, pretty much half of the trip, I was averaging about 180km/h or 110mp/h. Then on a stretch where it opened up to three lanes and I hit about 240km/h or 150mp/h, it happened!!!

I heard 2 thumps/thuds. When I heard the first, I thought something got wrapped in my wheel well, but knew for sure it couldn't be due to me having both eyes on the road in front of me at that speed. I let off the gas, slowed down a bit, then heard another thump. Car was driving fine, checked my I-drive menu, checked controls, (everything was fine), slowed down to 130km/h or 80mp/h and then at the next parkplatz pulled over. Looked around the front of the car, then the passenger side, BAM! The entire CF Fender Grill/Side Marker on that side was gone! The black plastic quad circular peice, the turnsignal and the housing. I was like holy crap!!! I knew they were secure cause they have been on since March of this year and I have been on the autobahn on trips since then. So, if you look at the pics below, here is what was left when I got out of the car! Just the wire! Who knows where the assembly is, on A7 somewhere. I will check with BMW dealer here in town tommorrow about chrome replacement one for now with turn signal and black plastic quad circular piece, that way I ain't looking too funny when I go back home next week. Thought I would share, crazy hungh? I wonder if it is due to it being CF instead of the chrome stockone? I was lucky, no damage to the side of my car, it must of went airborn and launched off the side of the car. A few scuffs were on the side panel, but it buffed out with Meguiar's spray and mist and microfiber cloth, whew!

Hans

BMW269 · 06-13-2010, 05:02 PM

Sorry to hear that. Were these OEM or after market side gills?

MFLTPRZ · 06-13-2010, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Levi

Sorry to hear that. Were these OEM or after market side gills?

After Market Carbon Fiber ones, they had been on there since March, just a freak thing I guess...

Small Yellow · 06-13-2010, 05:16 PM

I bet if they were real vents this wouldn't of happened.

richardbb85 · 06-13-2010, 07:02 PM

dam, that kind of sucked

Fupa92 · 06-13-2010, 07:04 PM

Bring it in for warranty and tell them they were OEM pieces

GOLFFRR · 06-13-2010, 07:10 PM

wow i wonder if something hit it and knocked it off

Krozi · 06-13-2010, 07:16 PM

Sucks bro haha

M3Alpine · 06-13-2010, 07:18 PM

dam i have cf ones too... i would be very mad lol

ooowowizstev · 06-13-2010, 07:36 PM

Must've been bad fitment.

EJ_92606 · 06-13-2010, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fupa92

Bring it in for warranty and tell them they were OEM pieces

edcvin · 06-13-2010, 07:45 PM

That sucks! Definitely had to be a fitment issue

-Vin

Genro757 · 06-13-2010, 07:47 PM

Sorry to hear that Hans...hope everything works out!

FStop7 · 06-13-2010, 07:50 PM

Sounds like Positive air pressure inside of the fender was enough to pop one out. Sorry to hear that.

mfeltiii · 06-13-2010, 08:04 PM

This happened to someone else too. Also aftermarket....

vtm3 · 06-13-2010, 08:10 PM

Please post this on DIY for side grill removal.

JCtx · 06-13-2010, 08:15 PM

Aftermarket ones are crap. Compare them to stock and you'd see they're flimsy as hell. Not the car's fault at all. If you don't like the chrome stockers, just let a bodyshop paint them for you, like I did.

vtm3 · 06-13-2010, 08:19 PM

I got aftermarket and love them. I will say removing them was a PITA. Despite all the help from the forum. Yes, I would agree OEM is better and I will probably paint them down the road, but the Matte blacks I have hold up pretty well under 150mph!

bavarian19 · 06-13-2010, 08:44 PM

Sorry to hear.

Sleeper519 · 06-13-2010, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtm3

Please post this on DIY for side grill removal.

^

classic!

Finnegan · 06-13-2010, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Aftermarket ones are crap. Compare them to stock and you'd see they're flimsy as hell. Not the car's fault at all. If you don't like the chrome stockers, just let a bodyshop paint them for you, like I did.

Yep, aftermarket don't fit right, are flimsy, and no way I'd run past stateside highway speeds with them. Even then they're "loose" and I didn't trust 'em. The painted solution (using OEMs) is the best--especially if the car is going to see any autobahn like speed! Like someone said, this isn't the first case of aftermarket gills blowing off in the wind....

JC, you painted ones are sweet! Nice. Wheels came out well too!

OP, sucks though that you bought some nice and pricey CF bits only to have them blow off. The dangling eye look of the power cable is a sad sight too.

Res Ipsa · 06-13-2010, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_bro_t

After Market Carbon Fiber ones, they had been on there since March, just a freak thing I guess...

I figured as much. I wouldn't think OEM pieces would fly off. I'm guessing it was either 1) a crappy aftermarket product or 2) poor installation or 3) a combination of the two.

06-13-2010, 04:41 PM	#1
MFLTPRZ ///M FLIGHT LEAD 156 Rep 202 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 M3 & 2006 E60 M5 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pyeongtaek, Osan AB iTrader: (0)	A Piece of my E92 M3 flew off today while driving, WTF??? Has this happend to anyone??? Excuse pic quality, my cheap digital camera sucks. Yes, I was driving about 600 Kilometers to Hamburg, Germany today on the A7. In the no speed limit/unrestricted zones, pretty much half of the trip, I was averaging about 180km/h or 110mp/h. Then on a stretch where it opened up to three lanes and I hit about 240km/h or 150mp/h, it happened!!! I heard 2 thumps/thuds. When I heard the first, I thought something got wrapped in my wheel well, but knew for sure it couldn't be due to me having both eyes on the road in front of me at that speed. I let off the gas, slowed down a bit, then heard another thump. Car was driving fine, checked my I-drive menu, checked controls, (everything was fine), slowed down to 130km/h or 80mp/h and then at the next parkplatz pulled over. Looked around the front of the car, then the passenger side, BAM! The entire CF Fender Grill/Side Marker on that side was gone! The black plastic quad circular peice, the turnsignal and the housing. I was like holy crap!!! I knew they were secure cause they have been on since March of this year and I have been on the autobahn on trips since then. So, if you look at the pics below, here is what was left when I got out of the car! Just the wire! Who knows where the assembly is, on A7 somewhere. I will check with BMW dealer here in town tommorrow about chrome replacement one for now with turn signal and black plastic quad circular piece, that way I ain't looking too funny when I go back home next week. Thought I would share, crazy hungh? I wonder if it is due to it being CF instead of the chrome stockone? I was lucky, no damage to the side of my car, it must of went airborn and launched off the side of the car. A few scuffs were on the side panel, but it buffed out with Meguiar's spray and mist and microfiber cloth, whew! Hans Attached Images __________________ Hans Trower ///M Flight Founder and President ///M Flight For Life
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06-13-2010, 05:02 PM	#2
BMW269 Brigadier General 435 Rep 3,888 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Germany iTrader: (0)	Sorry to hear that. Were these OEM or after market side gills?
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06-13-2010, 05:16 PM	#4
Small Yellow Track Addict 110 Rep 813 Posts Drives: 2010 BMW M3 E92 \| 2008 Z4M E86 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Orange County, California iTrader: (0)	I bet if they were real vents this wouldn't of happened. __________________ BMW ///M3 Coupe Completed November 16, 2009 Received December 29,2009
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06-13-2010, 07:02 PM	#5
richardbb85 Lieutenant Colonel 104 Rep 1,653 Posts Drives: e92 m3 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: annandale, va iTrader: (0)	dam, that kind of sucked __________________ 2011 E92 Space Grey/black + Tech + Premi + Heated Seats
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06-13-2010, 07:04 PM	#6
Fupa92 Do you FUPA? 15 Rep 148 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Honolulu iTrader: (0)	Bring it in for warranty and tell them they were OEM pieces
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06-13-2010, 07:10 PM	#7
GOLFFRR 10849 Rep 27,625 Posts Drives: GOLFFRR cart Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: we sell BMWs to "ALL" US states iTrader: (4)	wow i wonder if something hit it and knocked it off __________________ BEFORE YOU BUY YOUR NEXT BMW, EMAIL OUR GUY KOTE FIRST! Kote M Sales:Kotem@bmwofcamarillo.com Cell:805-368-9101 vipfinance@bmwofcamarillo.com for warranties!
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06-13-2010, 07:16 PM	#8
Krozi Colonel 168 Rep 2,736 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 ///M3 Alpine White Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: SoFla - Bonita Springs iTrader: (24)	Sucks bro haha __________________ 2008 E92 ///M3 Alpine White//Fox Red//6MT// Florida Bimmer - Join us on FaceBook!
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06-13-2010, 07:18 PM	#9
M3Alpine Lieutenant Colonel 52 Rep 1,512 Posts Drives: M4 AW/SO Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central NJ iTrader: (11)	dam i have cf ones too... i would be very mad lol __________________ 2002 AW/IR : Sold 2004 AW/BLK : Sold 2009 AW/FR : Sold 2015 AW/SO
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06-13-2010, 07:36 PM	#10
ooowowizstev Brigadier General 141 Rep 4,903 Posts Drives: '08 E92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Los Angeles, Irvine iTrader: (4) Garage List 2008 BMW E92 M3 [10.00]	Must've been bad fitment. __________________ '08 E92 ///M3 - AW/BLK/CF, M-DCT, 19's H&R, Vorsteiner, Eisenmann, BMC, BBS More to come...
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06-13-2010, 07:45 PM	#12
edcvin Captain 126 Rep 880 Posts Drives: 2006 M5 \| 2011 M3 \| 2020 X3M Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New York iTrader: (1)	That sucks! Definitely had to be a fitment issue -Vin
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06-13-2010, 07:47 PM	#13
Genro757 ///M-Flight VP 77 Rep 669 Posts Drives: '13 Frozen Red Edition E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NOVA/Virginia Beach, VA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2013 E92 M3 [0.00]	Sorry to hear that Hans...hope everything works out! __________________ 2013 "Frozen Red Edition" E92 M3, M-DCT with all the 'fixin's, Akrapovic Evolution w/CF Tips, BPM Stage 2 Tune, BPM DCT Software
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06-13-2010, 07:50 PM	#14
FStop7 I like cars 331 Rep 5,052 Posts Drives: M6 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Newbury Park, CA iTrader: (3)	Sounds like Positive air pressure inside of the fender was enough to pop one out. Sorry to hear that.
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06-13-2010, 08:04 PM	#15
mfeltiii Second Lieutenant 8 Rep 262 Posts Drives: '10 AW E92 6mt Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: S. FLA iTrader: (1)	This happened to someone else too. Also aftermarket....
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06-13-2010, 08:10 PM	#16
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	Please post this on DIY for side grill removal.
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06-13-2010, 08:15 PM	#17
JCtx Major General 258 Rep 5,012 Posts Drives: No BMW yet Join Date: May 2008 Location: El Paso TX iTrader: (0)	Aftermarket ones are crap. Compare them to stock and you'd see they're flimsy as hell. Not the car's fault at all. If you don't like the chrome stockers, just let a bodyshop paint them for you, like I did. Attached Images
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06-13-2010, 08:19 PM	#18
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	I got aftermarket and love them. I will say removing them was a PITA. Despite all the help from the forum. Yes, I would agree OEM is better and I will probably paint them down the road, but the Matte blacks I have hold up pretty well under 150mph!
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06-13-2010, 08:44 PM	#19
bavarian19 General 519 Rep 18,858 Posts Drives: Car Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: VA iTrader: (23)	Sorry to hear.
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