E39 M5 front bumper swap

[Teh Prof]

For those of you who have done the E39 M5 front bumper swap, roughly how much did it run you?

[DSkeet]

Has anyone tried the Extreme Dimensions duraflex M5 kit? It looks legit, I have used them to order kits for customers for about 5 years now, just wondering how good the M5 kit they make looks...

[sp0rky]

It costs roughly $1200.

I'm pretty sure the Duraflex kits are going to look fine and need minimal (if any) sanding, etc - BUT

The problem is that it IS IN FACT fiberglass. And regardless of what anybody says, flex agents do NOTHING for fiberglass. Unless the kit is seriously beefed up on the lower portions and areas that are prone to being hit, a rock or a curb can potentially crack the entire bumper.

You still should buy the proper fender liners and brake ducts and have it painted, so in the end, your only saving a couple hundred on a bumper that will probably get cracked easily.

Stick with polyeurathane / polypropylene.

[Teh Prof]

Originally Posted by sp0rky

It costs roughly $1200.

Honestly that number is a bit surprising to me. Is that a quote for both front and rear?

[sp0rky]

Front only...

Yo uhave to remember the bumper alone is 400+ a decent paint job will run 300 - 500 and then you have to replace the scrape-plate behind the bumper, the brake duct peices, fog lights, and fender liners.

[Eric S.]

Originally Posted by sp0rky

Front only...

Yo uhave to remember the bumper alone is 400+ a decent paint job will run 300 - 500 and then you have to replace the scrape-plate behind the bumper, the brake duct peices, fog lights, and fender liners.

Sounds like strut replacement, where the cost of the Konis is only part of the total cost....

[sp0rky]

Originally Posted by Eric S.

Sounds like strut replacement, where the cost of the Konis is only part of the total cost....

konis as bumper shocks? thats a new one.
hahah.

seriously though, how'd that happen? lol

[///M Power]

He's simply talking about how doing one thing also requires many more modifications. Thats why bilsteins rock. None of that inserts-only bullshit.

[Eric S.]

Originally Posted by ///M Power

He's simply talking about how doing one thing also requires many more modifications. Thats why bilsteins rock. None of that inserts-only bullshit.

I was referring to how one little innocuous mod can lead to a lot of other "while you're at it" costs.

I'm confused by the Bilstein comment. Konis (at least on the E39) are complete units - no inserts. I was referring to other crap, like bushings, ball joints, strut bearings, spring cushions, bump stops, etc, etc that is involved in strut changes. And that parallels the front bumper replacement - in addition to the bumper itself, there's all that other stuff Spork pointed out...

[sp0rky]

mmmmmm Konis
I miss my konis - but im happy with the eibachs, too.