AWhite M340 | Cerium Grill Center Gloss Black Outer | Bumper Plugs

chenry · 06-07-2020, 03:24 PM

For reference from my Alpine White M340

OEM M340 Grill with outer bezel painted black - stock center
Bumper Plugs from eBay
IND Hood Roundel with black edges

Note:
While bumperplugs.com sells matching plugs for $29.95 for two - eBay seller troydcav sells a color matched set of four for about $15.00. I am not affiliated with either seller - just passing along info for the benefit of the forum.

VipinLJ · 06-07-2020, 03:26 PM

Which seller from eBay did you get the bumper plugs from?

Burrcold · 06-07-2020, 04:52 PM

Looks great! I can't believe they drilled bumper holes if your state doesn't require a front plate!

Edit...never mind just realized you're in Cali.

chenry · 06-07-2020, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Looks great! I can't believe they drilled bumper holes if your state doesn't require a front plate!

Edit...never mind just realized you're in Cali.

yeah so been in cali my whole life - drilled front bumper has been a deal breaker for me in the past - but with new laws requiring temp rear plates (something new here) - and front - dealers are abiding by the law and putting them on

worst part was to make plugs fit i had to make the holes bigger which goes against every bone in my body :-)

VipinLJ · 06-07-2020, 06:16 PM

Mine has holes on the front bumper too. Though luckily, I only have two instead of four. Triggers my OCD though because the holes aren’t centralised on the bumper.

chenry · 06-08-2020, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VipinLJ

Mine has holes on the front bumper too. Though luckily, I only have two instead of four. Triggers my OCD though because the holes aren’t centralised on the bumper.

I get that 100%

chenry · 06-08-2020, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VipinLJ

Which seller from eBay did you get the bumper plugs from?

edited my original post and added the seller name :-)

VipinLJ · 06-08-2020, 02:39 PM

Btw what did you use to make the holes bigger? A drill? If so, what size bit did you use?

PersonaNonGrata · 06-08-2020, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chenry

yeah so been in cali my whole life - drilled front bumper has been a deal breaker for me in the past - but with new laws requiring temp rear plates (something new here) - and front - dealers are abiding by the law and putting them on

worst part was to make plugs fit i had to make the holes bigger which goes against every bone in my body :-)

Not necessarily. My BMW dealer in SoCal doesn’t drill the front bumpers. There is a DMV form that they have people (me) sign that declines installation and acknowledges that CA law requires it. I just got my M340i in April and signed said form and no holes. For your next car, you should be able to avoid holes with this form. (I tried googling for it and found a DMV link for dealers that references this form but the link was broken.)

chenry · 06-08-2020, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PersonaNonGrata

Not necessarily. My BMW dealer in SoCal doesn’t drill the front bumpers. There is a DMV form that they have people (me) sign that declines installation and acknowledges that CA law requires it. I just got my M340i in April and signed said form and no holes. For your next car, you should be able to avoid holes with this form. (I tried googling for it and found a DMV link for dealers that references this form but the link was broken.)

Good to know and thanks for the share - this is my first BMW in 25 or so years that came with the bumper drilled. Always been able to avoid it in the past but in that my car had been on a lot for a while I don't think it stood a snowballs chance in hell of avoiding the dreaded front plate.

When I asked the fleet guy - he gave me the response I shared. Anyhoo glad you were able to avoid it - I'm jealous :-)

chenry · 06-08-2020, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VipinLJ

Btw what did you use to make the holes bigger? A drill? If so, what size bit did you use?

yes I used a drill, and my soul cried a little as I took it to the bumper. I slowly stepped up the size in that I didn't know what I was after - I think I eventually ended up with 1/4" or 17/64" maybe 9/32" but I don't think so. Those are the increments my drill bits step in order of size

VipinLJ · 06-08-2020, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chenry

yes I used a drill, and my soul cried a little as I took it to the bumper. I slowly stepped up the size in that I didn't know what I was after - I think I eventually ended up with 1/4" or 17/64" maybe 9/32" but I don't think so. Those are the increments my drill bits step in order of size

Thank you. Mine are 2/16 right now. I saw white hole plugs that are 3/16 at a store here. I thought I'd buy those first and see how bad the color is and if it is unbearable, I'll buy the ones you got from eBay.

chenry · 06-09-2020, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VipinLJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by chenry

yes I used a drill, and my soul cried a little as I took it to the bumper. I slowly stepped up the size in that I didn't know what I was after - I think I eventually ended up with 1/4" or 17/64" maybe 9/32" but I don't think so. Those are the increments my drill bits step in order of size

Thank you. Mine are 2/16 right now. I saw white hole plugs that are 3/16 at a store here. I thought I'd buy those first and see how bad the color is and if it is unbearable, I'll buy the ones you got from eBay.

let us know how it goes :-)

Rocket455 · 06-10-2020, 02:12 PM

Good job thinking outside the box! That actually looks pretty good!

06-07-2020, 03:24 PM	#1
chenry Colonel 2356 Rep 2,964 Posts Drives: BMWs Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoCal Huntington Beach iTrader: (8)	AWhite M340 \| Cerium Grill Center Gloss Black Outer \| Bumper Plugs \| IND Hood Roundel For reference from my Alpine White M340 OEM M340 Grill with outer bezel painted black - stock center Bumper Plugs from eBay IND Hood Roundel with black edges Note: While bumperplugs.com sells matching plugs for $29.95 for two - eBay seller troydcav sells a color matched set of four for about $15.00. I am not affiliated with either seller - just passing along info for the benefit of the forum. Attached Images Last edited by chenry; 06-07-2020 at 03:33 PM..
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06-07-2020, 03:26 PM	#2
VipinLJ Petrolhead 1942 Rep 3,521 Posts Drives: ‘20 330i,‘16 X3,‘18 SQ5,‘17 A7 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Illinois iTrader: (2)	Which seller from eBay did you get the bumper plugs from? __________________ Current: 2020 BMW 330i xDrive 2018 Audi SQ5 Prestige 2017 Audi A7 Prestige
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06-07-2020, 04:52 PM	#3
Burrcold Brigadier General 5219 Rep 3,932 Posts Drives: 2024 M3 Comp xDrive Join Date: Oct 2019 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0)	Looks great! I can't believe they drilled bumper holes if your state doesn't require a front plate! Edit...never mind just realized you're in Cali. __________________ Current: 2024 BMW M3 Competition xDrive \| 2022 Audi Q7 Gone: 2022 Audi RS5 \| 2020 BMW M340i \| 2019 Audi RS5
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06-07-2020, 06:16 PM	#5
VipinLJ Petrolhead 1942 Rep 3,521 Posts Drives: ‘20 330i,‘16 X3,‘18 SQ5,‘17 A7 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Illinois iTrader: (2)	Mine has holes on the front bumper too. Though luckily, I only have two instead of four. Triggers my OCD though because the holes aren’t centralised on the bumper. __________________ Current: 2020 BMW 330i xDrive 2018 Audi SQ5 Prestige 2017 Audi A7 Prestige
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06-08-2020, 02:39 PM	#8
VipinLJ Petrolhead 1942 Rep 3,521 Posts Drives: ‘20 330i,‘16 X3,‘18 SQ5,‘17 A7 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Illinois iTrader: (2)	Btw what did you use to make the holes bigger? A drill? If so, what size bit did you use? __________________ Current: 2020 BMW 330i xDrive 2018 Audi SQ5 Prestige 2017 Audi A7 Prestige
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06-10-2020, 02:12 PM	#14
Rocket455 Grumpysaurus Rex 483 Rep 423 Posts Drives: 2022 M550i Join Date: Jan 2020 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 1972 Firechicken [0.00] 1969 Toronado [0.00] 1970 Camaro [0.00]	Good job thinking outside the box! That actually looks pretty good! __________________ “Science has made us gods even before we are worthy of being men.”
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