DIY: Replace Side Gills (easy method) on E92 M3

Did it today in less than 20 minutes for both sides. THANK YOU. Gills from IND fit perfectly.

Just did this as well. Perfect and really easy!!

Great stuff! I damaged my paint a bit trying another method. I wish this was sooner.

Worked like a charm!

bsd damon wrote

Did it today in less than 20 minutes for both sides. THANK YOU. Gills from IND fit perfectly.

What gills did you get? I ordered some gloss black one and the 37 dollar BMW emblems and the BMW stickers are 1-2MM larger than the cut out in the gills allows for. So the sticker blocks the blinker from installing correctly without lifting the sticker.


https://imageshack.us/a/img836/5654/img2871bj.jpg

https://imageshack.us/a/img22/6526/img2868g.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img37/8091/img2869bv.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img4/2962/img2870jf.jpg

ILSMKU wrote

What gills did you get? I ordered some gloss black one and the 37 dollar BMW emblems and the BMW stickers are 1-2MM larger than the cut out in the gills allows for. So the sticker blocks the blinker from installing correctly without lifting the sticker.


https://imageshack.us/a/img836/5654/img2871bj.jpg

https://imageshack.us/a/img22/6526/img2868g.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img37/8091/img2869bv.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img4/2962/img2870jf.jpg

You should buy the OEM BMW Black Chrome from GetBMWParts or Turner, as well as the Kidney grills in black chrome.

AlexTek wrote  

ILSMKU wrote

What gills did you get? I ordered some gloss black one and the 37 dollar BMW emblems and the BMW stickers are 1-2MM larger than the cut out in the gills allows for. So the sticker blocks the blinker from installing correctly without lifting the sticker.


https://imageshack.us/a/img836/5654/img2871bj.jpg

https://imageshack.us/a/img22/6526/img2868g.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img37/8091/img2869bv.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img4/2962/img2870jf.jpg

You should buy the OEM BMW Black Chrome from GetBMWParts or Turner, as well as the Kidney grills in black chrome.

I prefer gloss black ones though.

I just took a look at mine - the stickers do overhang into the blinker opening by about 1-2mm's but there is still another 2mm's gap to the actual lens so everything fits perfectly.

Thanks for this DIY. I used gaffer's tape and they pulled out easily. Took me less than 5 minutes to swap them out.

How hard did you guys have to pull? I tried yesterday and couldn't get either side out... I can't imagine assembly being any different on E93, but I'm a bit scared to pull stronger as the whole fender is moving around when I do... I also feel that I do not really achieve anything squeezing on the top and bottom, doesn't feel like there's any give...

N1tr0gen wrote

How hard did you guys have to pull? I tried yesterday and couldn't get either side out... I can't imagine assembly being any different on E93, but I'm a bit scared to pull stronger as the whole fender is moving around when I do... I also feel that I do not really achieve anything squeezing on the top and bottom, doesn't feel like there's any give...

It wasn't that hard. Just get a good drip with the tape and that's it. Pull!!

AlexTek wrote

It wasn't that hard. Just get a good drip with the tape and that's it. Pull!!

Man that was an unpleasant sound!!! Good tip on painters tape around the gill as I rebounded back and scratched the tape in few places, but paint remained untouched. All replaced and looking good! I found it sort of hard to get the inner black piece separated from the originall gill btw. I had to carve away some of the locking bump with my knife in order to get it free without damaging it.

N1tr0gen wrote

Man that was an unpleasant sound!!! Good tip on painters tape around the gill as I rebounded back and scratched the tape in few places, but paint remained untouched. All replaced and looking good! I found it sort of hard to get the inner black piece separated from the originall gill btw. I had to carve away some of the locking bump with my knife in order to get it free without damaging it.

I bought original Gills, BMW Performance Black Chrome so I didn't have to rove any of that.

What I like about the OEM black chrome is that matches our windows black chrome accents. So it matches perfectly.

Fantastic write-up! The packing tape trick is pure brilliance. The hardest part of the entire install shifted to getting the electrical connector out, LOL.

Needless to say, this write-up and a pair of needle nose pliers for the connectors and I'm swapped out damage and frustration free in 10 minutes.

tried this for hours, unfortunately I cant even budge it.

Also tried using plies to get more of a pinch going but still nothing. Looks like I will need to raise my car.

this worked perfectly! i found the trick to be a little bit of up and down wiggling while pulling outwards. aside from that it was just a bit tricky to get the end cap part off the original gills.

Update,

I managed to get this done using Gorilla Tape! Made this so easy, 1 quick swift pull both come off first try.

this worked great!!!!! took me a lill time to figure out the amount of force needed but the other side was a breeze.......installed the black chrome gills ..had to use tape in 2 places....one near the door end as the OP mentions and one in the midsection to get some leverage for the wiggling...... came off easy after that......

the only thing....there appears to be a very slight gap running along the bottom border between the gills and the slots where they go in..... they are in place tight with no wiggling and/or shaking after install but the ever so slight gap is persistent....even after reinstalling them a second time......but nothing major.....thanks a bunch to OP for posting this!!!!!

I really wish the sedan was this easy...sigh.

It was a breeze, thank you very much.

Nice write up! It was a pita. But, got it done!

Thank you for the tip. It really worked.