Weird genuine euro M3 front bumper?

[E46 M3]

I got my car back from painter, didn't have any fitment issues and I don't believe they cut the tabs off.

[Casa de Mesa]

Yeah that's significantly different than the inside of the carbon carrier bumper cover.

[DJAM3]

Here's the backside of the early bumper cover. The aluminum carrier snaps into the plastic strip. There are push pins that secure it too. The plastic strip is mounted by plastic tabs that fit through slots then melted to keep it in place. I accidentally broke those too.

[Brokenline]

Is there a part number for these foam bumper pieces that go above the kevlar support? I'm starting to see some gapping between my headlights and bumper and noticed I did not have any of these foam pieces on my support bar.

Thank you for posting this thread by the way. I'm doing a re-work on my front end and this helps a ton.

[Tbonem3]

09/2001

[Grke46m3]

What year did they switch from aluminum to Kevlar? I have a 03.5


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[E46 M3]

I checked my new euro bumper and it has the tabs as described, depending how lazy I am this weekend I will try remove my original stock euro bumper and see if it has them... really curious now.

[Casa de Mesa]

I think you could if you are able to transfer the foam from the later bumper to the early bumper. I've never seen the foam removed so I don't know what's involved with that. The early bumper doesn't use the ball-and socket. I'll take pictures of the early bumper cover when I get a chance.

That answers it. 99.9% certain they are not interchangeable.

On the carbon bumper cover, the foam is plastic welded to the inner surface of the bumper cover. You can't remove it unless you can plastic weld it back in. My old bumper cover unwelded itself in certain parts when I gorilla'd mine out too. It would be a pretty tricky weld job given how far in you'd need to weld. The foam has some fairly deep grooves, it would be a challenge. You could glue it with the right glue I'm sure, but we're talking about hacking into a new bumper cover to save $100. Makes absolutely no sense.

[DJAM3]

I think you could if you are able to transfer the foam from the later bumper to the early bumper. I've never seen the foam removed so I don't know what's involved with that. The early bumper doesn't use the ball-and socket. I'll take pictures of the early bumper cover when I get a chance.

[Casa de Mesa]

So can people with kevlar supports buy the earlier version to save $100?

Good question, not sure. Would need to see what the inner structure of the aluminum-specific bumper cover looks like. Those ball-and-scoket connections on the carbon equivalent might be in different locations, or not even exist. Just not sure.

Need some aluminum bumper peeps to weigh in, I have never had my hands on one.

[Tbonem3]

So can people with kevlar supports buy the earlier version to save $100?

[Casa de Mesa]

Shawn I didn't read the whole thread, but you know there are 2 euro bumpers, one for alu and one for kevlar?

The one for alu carrier is $100 cheaper.

Correct. Parts numbers are detailed in post #11 above. But even the Euro bumper cover made for the carbon carrier (part #: 51117894989) needs to have the tabs cut off.

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/e46-2001-2006/144903-weird-genuine-euro-m3-front-bumper?p=144989#post144989

[DJAM3]

so to clarify are you on a kevlar carrier or aluminum carrier now?

it sounds confusing because at one point you said you pulled off the original and sheered off the push pins from the aluminum carrier but then cut them off on the new one.

did you upgrade from a aluminum to kevlar carrier at the same time you also upgraded your bumper cover?

trying to figure out if my buddy with an aluminum carrier car can purchase and use the euro bumper for the kevlar carrier since it comes with these tabs

I have a '01 with the aluminum carrier. I didn't switch to kevlar. It was just my observation that the tabs are only needed for the aluminum carrier so I recommended cutting them off for the kevlar carrier.

As far as using the kevlar version on an aluminum carrier, there is a plastic piece that is plastic welded inside the bumper that the aluminum carrier snaps into. It serves to center the carrier. If the kevlar version doesn't have this behind the foam, I believe you can get one from another 3 series or bond the aluminum carrier to the bumper. Much easier to buy the aluminum version and yes, it is a little cheaper.

[VitalkaM3]

I had the same issue with mine. Ended up cutting the tabs off flush and it fits perfectly now thanks to this thread

[Tbonem3]

Shawn I didn't read the whole thread, but you know there are 2 euro bumpers, one for alu and one for kevlar?

The one for alu carrier is $100 cheaper.