[stefan]

Didn't find this too bad on my lci. the bumper has plenty of flex. Watch out for two bumper retaining clips near the middle bolts that can fall off easily.

I pushed the tabs in on the upper most clips will maintaining a pull on the front grille slats. I pulled my arm out and then realigned to push the side clips. from there the grille was nearly out so the bottom two were no problem.

I went black chrome. I find the finish to be perfect.

[JB330Ci]

Originally Posted by BimBimma

Just installed these tonight. Used the method where you dont have to take off the top trim or anything.

You must have long fingers to reach the clips. I tried but my short fingers won't reach any clips... Could you please elaborate how did you do that? TIA.

[Mosely]

Originally Posted by JB330Ci

You must have long fingers to reach the clips. I tried but my short fingers won't reach any clips... Could you please elaborate how did you do that? TIA.

Hmm I was able to feel almost all the clips without too much pain, it was really just figuring out how to unlatch them. Admittedly I do have long skinny fingers so that probably helped. Maybe find a tall buddy to give you some help. It's really just one side that you need to get off.

[akkando]

Tried just putting my fingers through the grill but couldn't really make any progress. I have exceptionally small hands which always amuses people when I point it out because I'm not short.

Had to go in under the bumper and that was a lot easier. Wore some rubber gloves to protect my hand and fingers so that helped. The bumper was pinching my arm a bit though so that doesn't feel so nice but oh well, everything got installed.

While the grilles were out I took the opportunity to clean the area inside that was filled with crud. Maybe from ppf application I don't know but it was pretty dirty.

[OGM2]

Originally Posted by akkando

Tried just putting my fingers through the grill but couldn't really make any progress. I have exceptionally small hands which always amuses people when I point it out because I'm not short.

Had to go in under the bumper and that was a lot easier. Wore some rubber gloves to protect my hand and fingers so that helped. The bumper was pinching my arm a bit though so that doesn't feel so nice but oh well, everything got installed.

While the grilles were out I took the opportunity to clean the area inside that was filled with crud. Maybe from ppf application I don't know but it was pretty dirty.

Were you able to go under without loosening the bumper from the top without unscrewing anything? Thanks in advance

[akkando]

Originally Posted by BMWMTWO

Were you able to go under without loosening the bumper from the top without unscrewing anything? Thanks in advance

No, just like the directions I took off the rubber weather strip and removed the bolts with torx and then pulled the bumper back with one hand and reached under with the other, flashlight in my mouth so I could see. Be careful when you align the bumper on the car that it looks correct. Mine was off just a little so I needed to loosen it up a little bit after and shift it slightly.

I wanted to avoid doing it this way but trying to just put my hands through the front of the grille was a waste of time. Pulling the bumper back I was able to make immediate progress.

[linjaron]

Quick question, is there any difference between the IND grill surrounds and the BMW 240i Black Kidney Grills (Part #51712336816 and #51712336815)?

From what I have gathered, these should fit in the M2 as well and are only $110 USD and available for local pickup vs. the IND ones which are $130 + shipping.

[ags28]

I just finished this installation. First, a big THANK YOU to Ryan at IND for the great DIY tutorial. I would not have attempted this without it! Having said that, the first grille was a BITCH!! I used my entire glossary of profanity and must have lost a pint of blood! Its all done now though, and it looks great!!

[OGM2]

Originally Posted by BimBimma

Just installed these tonight. Used the method where you dont have to take off the top trim or anything. Took about 30 minutes and as others have alluded to, once you get the first one off it's easy because you can just reach behind for the other one. Biggest piece of advice I can give is understand that you need to push on the small tab, NOT pull on the larger piece. See the pics in the post two above mine? When you stick your finger through the slats and are trying to release each tab, make sure you're pushing on that inner piece and not just trying to lift the whole bracket. Spent a few minutes pushing and pulling before I got that part!

Thank you for bringing attention to this method. I couldn't get my hands in there far enough (I have average size hands) but due to your post I was determined not to have to loosen the bumper so I had my nephew help and within 10 minutes had it off. So my additional advice for anyone attempting to do this is if your hands don't fit find some smaller ones, have them unclip 1 tab starting on a corner, pull on the grill so it doesn't pop back in, and move across. Be careful not to break the slats when you shove your (or their) hands through them but they are pretty flexible. And as BimBimma mentioned but I will try to clarify, pushing on the center tab can actually also be defined as pulling towards the center of the grill as your going from the inside out so your finger acts like a hook almost. The bottom clips are the most difficult IMO which was why I needed to find skinnier hands, I was able to reach all the other ones myself. Play with the tabs on the replacement and you will know what we're talking about. The goal is to unlatch the catch point which the center tab basically is.

[43%burnt]

Anyone have body color matched surrounds with black centers (preferably LBB and not just black)? Or anyone care to photoshop a picture? Thanks

[///Pip]

How do one remove the M2 Competition front grille? Similar procedure as OG M2?

[jbsf3]

Curious on this as well, searched for videos on youtube with no luck. Does the grille just pull out from the front?

Originally Posted by ///Pip

How do one remove the M2 Competition front grille? Similar procedure as OG M2?

[LuNguyen]

I managed to do this on the competition model today. With my small skinny hands I was able to unclip it from the front by sneaking my hands in the gaps between the slats. I didn't have to reach behind the bumper at all.

[jbsf3]

Any chance you can provide more details on what you did? I am able to get my hands behind the grill as well, but unsure which directions the clips need to go to remove the grill, thanks!

Originally Posted by LuNguyen

I managed to do this on the competition model today. With my small skinny hands I was able to unclip it from the front by sneaking my hands in the gaps between the slats. I didn't have to reach behind the bumper at all.

[3t3p]

Guy in the IND video must have terminator hands.

I shall tell you how I did it in the end, followed a YT video where a guy ingeniously used a coat hanger.

Ones with the 'ball' at the end are preferable. You can hook it round, feel it fall into the cleft of the clip and exert good pressure on it.

[vrooooom]

I’m interested in getting the black chrome, what’s my option？ can I get just get the outside trim for this or I have to purchase the whole kidney?

I read about buying the M235 grill from ECS and moving the gloss black from there but I would rather have the BC. IND has a trim only but the BC finish is not even an option.

[M Fifty]

I bent a stainless steel coffee stirrer into a u-shape so that I could unclip the grills without having go through the process described in this thread. Mind where you park if you have the black grills, as I'm unlikely the only person to realise this.

Oh, and it's possible to unclip the horizontal bar from the side gills without any tools too.

HTH

[vrooooom]

Awesome way to pop them out.

What’s wrong with the black grills? I’m leaning towards the black chrome myself. Is IND the only way to get this and I have to get the whole kidney?