Mile-End CSL Bumper... Not Pleased

[e46IX]

So i just bought one of these pre-owned for a kevlar carrier and honestly I'm not happy with it. You need to re-use those suction cups that are screwed in to the foam part of the stock bumper... problem is you cant buy those suction cups separately. And I dont have my stock bumper anymore.
So basically you have to sacrifice a stock bumper to make this CSL bumper fit properly? Thats stupid AF considering the price I paid for this thing. So now I need a whole ass other stock bumper with everything intact just so I can pillage parts off it to make my new fancy bumper work.

This is why you dont buy into forum hype.

[/endrant]

[Slideways]

With almost all body panels, whether they are OE or aftermarket, you usually have to transfer components from the original part.

Since you don't have your original bumper, you can buy a cheap, cosmetically damaged used bumper and pull those parts off.

I'd be more concerned about fitment and overall build quality, which I expect are very good given it is a MEC part.

[Gt4]

Imagine if you bought a brand new bumper, not a used one at lower price!

If you don't want to transfer suction cups, buy any other CSL bumper on the market. Oh wait, you will need to buy 2001 style shock mounts and a windshield washer reservoir...

Instead of blaming Mile End, why don't you blame BMW for not selling those suction cups separately??

[jayjaya29]

Seems like a perfect part to 3d scan and make an .stl so they can be reproduced.

[Avedis]

I mean this with zero sarcasm; are you new to modifying cars? I don’t know of any body panel I’ve ever purchased for any of my BMWs that came with all the hardware necessary for install. Generally, you reuse the factory hardware or purchase replacements from the manufacturer (BMW).

A more legitimate complaint would be, “I wish this was disclosed to me prior to purchase.” A constructive criticism would be to ask for this to be disclosed in the product description, which I agree would help everyone.

If you were looking for empathy here, I don’t think you’re going to get much of it. There is nothing “forum hype” about GT4 / Mile-End products.

[Gt4]

I mean this with zero sarcasm; are you new to modifying cars? I don’t know of any body panel I’ve ever purchased for any of my BMWs that came with all the hardware necessary for install. Generally, you reuse the factory hardware or purchase replacements from the manufacturer (BMW).

A more legitimate complaint would be, “I wish this was disclosed to me prior to purchase.” A constructive criticism would be to ask for this to be disclosed in the product description, which I agree would help everyone.

If you were looking for empathy here, I don’t think you’re going to get much of it. There is nothing “forum hype” about GT4 / Mile-End products.

This is true. I was supposed to do a thread about bumper install/fitment, difference between our kevlar vs aluminum rebar version, ... We never had problem so far or people would send me PM and I would replied. But we sold like 10 parts in 2025 for the E46 M3 platform (bumper, diffuser, rear deck shelf, ...) so prefer to spend time working on my own stuff honestly. I never asked a single penny to JC to do the sales and devellop the new parts. I just like the E46 M3 platform and trying to get new/quality parts to the market, for other members who appreciate craftmanship.


Avedis - Love your build and attention to details!

[e46IX]

No I'm not new to modifying cars, and this is a valid gripe for what should be a "premium" product.

OE CSL bumper has its own built in rebar, and only requires the bumper shocks from an aluminum rebar car (01 M3 or non-M e46) to make it fit. This would have been preferred cause at least you can buy those bumper shocks new or easily source them off any junkyard e46. So off the bat, this isn't a 1:1 copy of the CSL like it was advertised.

Now, because you can't buy those suction cups separately from BMW, the expectation then becomes you either sacrifice your perfectly good existing bumper to make this bumper work, or in my situation I don't even have that anymore so now I have to go and find another used bumper to buy that's fully intact (not as easy as it sounds these days, clean bumpers are becoming scarce on the used market).

Not sure what me buying a "used bumper" has anything to do with it, I was looking at the pictures of the new ones that GT4 was selling and they're the same thing, the suction cups are not accounted for.

So for anyone thinking about buying this bumper, don't sell your stock bumper before trying to fit this one like I did.

[ugaexploder]

I guess that makes an OE CSL trunk a piece of shit since you gotta transfer over taillights, trunk latch, emblem, etc.

[kwan_1104]

Just my personal experience, so YMMV:

I recently had a body shop paint and install the mile end composite CSL front bumper I bought a year or so ago and I was told that the bumper fits just like stock. No modifications required aside from transferring some items over from the stock bumper, which I was aware of already.

I don't know of any companies that offer the CSL bumper with the little suction cups.

[CrisSilberGrau]

No I'm not new to modifying cars, and this is a valid gripe for what should be a "premium" product.

OE CSL bumper has its own built in rebar, and only requires the bumper shocks from an aluminum rebar car (01 M3 or non-M e46) to make it fit. This would have been preferred cause at least you can buy those bumper shocks new or easily source them off any junkyard e46. So off the bat, this isn't a 1:1 copy of the CSL like it was advertised.

Now, because you can't buy those suction cups separately from BMW, the expectation then becomes you either sacrifice your perfectly good existing bumper to make this bumper work, or in my situation I don't even have that anymore so now I have to go and find another used bumper to buy that's fully intact (not as easy as it sounds these days, clean bumpers are becoming scarce on the used market).

Not sure what me buying a "used bumper" has anything to do with it, I was looking at the pictures of the new ones that GT4 was selling and they're the same thing, the suction cups are not accounted for.

So for anyone thinking about buying this bumper, don't sell your stock bumper before trying to fit this one like I did.

I think its plain to see you're the odd one out here, and despite you saying you're not new to modifying cars you may be new to modifying this platform. You sold your OEM bumper with the suction cups, the buyer got a wicked deal , lesson learned.

[Gt4]

No I'm not new to modifying cars, and this is a valid gripe for what should be a "premium" product.

OE CSL bumper has its own built in rebar, and only requires the bumper shocks from an aluminum rebar car (01 M3 or non-M e46) to make it fit. This would have been preferred cause at least you can buy those bumper shocks new or easily source them off any junkyard e46. So off the bat, this isn't a 1:1 copy of the CSL like it was advertised.

Now, because you can't buy those suction cups separately from BMW, the expectation then becomes you either sacrifice your perfectly good existing bumper to make this bumper work, or in my situation I don't even have that anymore so now I have to go and find another used bumper to buy that's fully intact (not as easy as it sounds these days, clean bumpers are becoming scarce on the used market).

Not sure what me buying a "used bumper" has anything to do with it, I was looking at the pictures of the new ones that GT4 was selling and they're the same thing, the suction cups are not accounted for.

So for anyone thinking about buying this bumper, don't sell your stock bumper before trying to fit this one like I did.

Our alu or kevlar bumpers also have our own built-in rebar...

You can source OEM M3 bumper used at junkyard too. Suction cups can also be found online.

And if you buy a kevlar version, how it's supposed to be a 1:1 copy of an OEM CSL that always been made for alu rebar? Don't remember mentionning 1:1 as a selling pitch. Maybe you are thinking about 1x1 or maybe EuroConnex bumpers...

[e46IX]

Forget it, this community is clearly a hive-mind.

If you guys are too dense to understand the difference between buying an OEM body panel, where the missing parts can be purchased individually

vs

the difference between buying a 3k bumper, and having to transfer over a part that cannot be purchased indivudually, and can only be obtained by buying a complete bumper assembly... I dont know what to tell you.

There's a stark contrast here.

[nextelbuddy]

Forget it, this community is clearly a hive-mind.

If you guys are too dense to understand the difference between buying an OEM body panel, where the missing parts can be purchased individually

vs

the difference between buying a 3k bumper, and having to transfer over a part that cannot be purchased indivudually, and can only be obtained by buying a complete bumper assembly... I dont know what to tell you.

There's a stark contrast here.

Go ahead and purchase the genuine BMW CSL bumper kit. You're going to be out about $6,000 or more. Much more than if you bought a used bumper to harvest the parts you need for yours.

Or sell the bumper you have and buy the miles and composite bumper shock version... That will just bolt on if you just buy the shocks that you can get on eBay for about 30 bucks.

Your options are limited. There is no one else that has what Miles end has even after taking into consideration. Harvesting additional parts from a existing stock bumper.

It's not a hive mind. I understand your frustration but this is how it is.

[sbay]

The same ones you’re saying have a “hive-mind” are the same ones that probably would have sent over those bumper suction cups to help you out.

[Gt4]

In Toronto. Try to make him an offer, no way his beat up bumper will ever sell for 500$...

Otherwise I have a CF bumper alu rebar version I can sell and I have shock mounts. 3200$ pick up in Mtl