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Thread: For all the questions about OEM M3 diffuser on non M

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
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    Boring E36

    For all the questions about OEM M3 diffuser on non M

    Here I just got the OEM M3 diffuser and put it on my 328is that has a Non M bumper. I got it for only 60 bucks and even though it doesnt fit cleanly I dont care it looks good.

    OEM M3 diffuser on a Non M bumper painted cosmos black.





    Fitment wasnt the best but made my Gen 3 not stick out as much...

    This is what it looked like before.



    like I said it didnt fit as good except for a little trimming but for $60 you cant go wrong with that
    U MAD?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    97' M3
    You gotta give us more details on the trimming. How bad it is?
    97 M3/4

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Boring E36
    Top left edge just notch it a little bit. There will be openings on each side as it is not made for the bumper.
    U MAD?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    Toronto, ON
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    S54 MZ3, E46 M3, R6
    Anyway you can be more specific? Im going to try to do this in the next few days

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Dallas, TX (Oaklawn)
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    89 M3, 98 M3, 11 328i
    I need to do this to my car. I think it looks quite good.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Missouri
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    2007 335i Coupe
    Looks a lot better than I thought it would... I might have to do this to my 325
    2007 335i Space Grey Coupe
    2009 128i Alpine Weiss

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
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    E46 M3
    looks pretty nice i wonder if the bavauto diffuser may fit better

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    madison, WI
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    89 325ix, 85 eta
    Quote Originally Posted by 95325is
    looks pretty nice i wonder if the bavauto diffuser may fit better
    yeah it would fit better but hard to find the bavauto diffuser for $60.....
    Hold on let me get my laptop and read this on the toilet.
    --DrDub

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Lawrenceville, GA
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    it looks good, but the bav auto one is more easily available and fits better.
    2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
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  10. #10
    Join Date
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    BART
    Quote Originally Posted by amancuso
    it looks good, but the bav auto one is more easily available and fits better.
    As well as twice that of $60. Seen in person, good mod and I'll probably have this done soon.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
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    41
    My Cars
    1992 BMW 325is
    I bought this last week for $80. They say it's made out of ABS platic, but it's really more like lexan/polycarbonate. It's strong enough. It's not held on as secure as the factory cover, but it's so light, that it shouldn't really go anywhere. Highly recommend. $80, or $60 will go a long way with this thing. Takes around 5 to 10 minutes to remove the old one, clean up a bit, then install the diffuser.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    South Hill, Puyallup
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    15 M235i 97 SC 328is

    M3 Diffuser for E36

    I purchased the aftermarket diffuser that Bav Auto sells for $129. It is made out of the standard ABS plastic and fits excellent. It is ready for paint with very little to no prep work needed or you can choose to leave it as it is unpainted. I would say for the cost it looks and fits very well for a pretty reasonable amount of money.


  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    1994 325is --> S50
    ^^Nice picture F1W. This illustrates perfectly the "issue" with the aftermarket M style diffuser for non-M bumpers. It fits great and no trimming was necessary, making install a breeze.

    But, as you can see in the picture, the top of the diffuser kind of sticks out a bit in relation to the bumper cover itself. Mine does this too. I bought it off of a forum member last year for $60.

    With the oem/stock M diffusers, this won't happen. But as Lawrence pointed out, trimming is necessary and you may see some gaps/fit issues when looking up close.

    To me, either one is a huge improvement. Especially when you have an aftermarket exhaust. The tips just don't look right with our stock diffusers.
    --Will


    TMS Stage 3 - S50 ZF Tranny UUC Stage 2 Clutch Kit RE SSK Stromung Exhaust
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  14. #14
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    looks good.

  15. #15
    Join Date
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    BMW & Lotus
    Looks good, you really can't tell if the fit is off unless you know.

    If it were me, I would want the M3 bumper too though, but if you like it that's all that matters.
    '14 Evora S - Chrome Orange/Ebony
    '02 M5 - Carbon Black/Silverstone
    '15 M235i xDrive - Mineral Grey/Black

  16. #16
    Join Date
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    South Hill, Puyallup
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    15 M235i 97 SC 328is

    M3 Diffuser for E36

    Hey,
    That is one of the drawbacks that there is a small lip across the top. But besides that it fits great any only takes 30min tops to install. Like you said I have the Ansa exhaust system and with the stock 328 diffuser the tips stuck out just a little too much. Now with the M3 diffuser the tips are perfectly aligned with the lip of the diffuser.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    New Zealand
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    67
    My Cars
    1987 325i
    I have a BavAuto diffuser and have made it sit flush with the bumper by cutting small notches out of the top edge. (You can see when you take the diffuser off that there are about 5 or 6 pillar-type reinforcements. If you measure where those are in relation to the diffuser then cut triangular notches out of the diffuser's top edge you can get it to sit flush).

    I'll post some pics up later.

  18. #18
    Join Date
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    15 M235i 97 SC 328is

    Thumbs up M3 Diffuser for E36

    Quote Originally Posted by gannetboy View Post
    I have a BavAuto diffuser and have made it sit flush with the bumper by cutting small notches out of the top edge. (You can see when you take the diffuser off that there are about 5 or 6 pillar-type reinforcements. If you measure where those are in relation to the diffuser then cut triangular notches out of the diffuser's top edge you can get it to sit flush).

    I'll post some pics up later.
    I looked at exactly what you are talking about and was goig to cut mine like you did but I decided that the amount that it does stick out was something that I could live with. Did you have to turn the bolt upsidedown on the passenger side?? I ask because the ones that they supplied sits directly below your gas tank and over time could rub a hole in it. I changed to a different bolt with Nylock nut and turned it around with the top part of the bolt towards the tank. This way it ends up with about 1/8 inch clearance and thus no worry about rubbing a hole in my tank.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Dublin, CA
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    462
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    E90 M3
    I did the same thing, put oem m3 diffuser on my 328is and trim the top left cornor
    the fitment was horrible so I couldn't fit the screws at all so I used strings and tied some parts, I'm scared it'll fall off.

    How did you guys make sure it didn't fall off? By doing what?
    Thanks

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    NY
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    awesomecar
    guys. dont get the OEM, get the aftermarket that is MADE for the non-M cars.

    looks great. CHEAP as well on ebay.

    looks even better now that i colormatched the skirts and bumpers, dont have pix tho.


  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    WOW talk about reviving a thread.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
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    Dublin, CA
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    My Cars
    E90 M3
    Haha
    but I already have an oem m3 diffuser lying around.
    I just want to know how others mounted their m3 diffuser on their 328i bumper.

    Anyone want to let me know how they did it?

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
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    1996 BMW 328IS
    Anyone got a link for the "m3 style diffuser" for non-m? I want to get it from the same seller as others have.

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