[00 Agent]

Hi folks,

Has anyone ever lost their front splitter from simply driving at pace?

I was on a motorway and at the limit when the front splitter was seemingly torn from it's own mountings. No bump or crash to initiate the incident. Luckily I did not lose control of the vehicle and no one else was involved with the debris.

Are there good alternative copies of the BMW MOTORSPORT front splitter or do I need to buy quality replacement.

I'll try and attach pics.

Thanks in advance.

[kevracs]

The same thing happened to me a couple of months back. The bottom lip completely tore off leaving the two splitters on either side of the bumper when I was going at about 70mph on the motorway.

Thankfully it didn't hit the car that was behind me. They overtook me and gave me a dirty look.

Where did you buy yours from?

[visionaut]

There’s major differences in both the engineering and quality of materials/manufacture between the BMW part and knock-offs. And key differences in installation mounting.

There is a LOT of aerodynamic force acting on a splitter, which increases with speed. At speed the BMW part generates significant downward lift from its inverted wing profile.

Many aftermarket splitters are more air-dam than wings...providing their downforce via drag.

[00 Agent]

Originally Posted by kevracs

The same thing happened to me a couple of months back. The bottom lip completely tore off leaving the two splitters on either side of the bumper when I was going at about 70mph on the motorway.

Thankfully it didn't hit the car that was behind me. They overtook me and gave me a dirty look.

Where did you buy yours from?

Interesting. I got mine from a 2nd hand specialist in North Manchester. Sound familiar?

[BEM-S4]

Check out Lightweight if they make one for your vehicle. I have one on my F23 the thing is indestructible.

[00 Agent]

Originally Posted by BEM-S4

Check out Lightweight if they make one for your vehicle. I have one on my F23 the thing is indestructible.

cheers.

Do they have their own website? quite a generic title to google.

[BEM-S4]

Originally Posted by 00 Agent

cheers.

Do they have their own website? quite a generic title to google.

https://www.lightweight-performance.de/en/

If they make one for your car I know Cat at IND can source it for you. They may be the only US reseller I'm not sure.

[Rebound]

I bought the BMW part at the dealer for only $25 or $50. Check your dealer.

[exE36M3]

How was your splitter mounted?
If you used self-taping screws there's the issue.

The urethane front bumper is REALLY soft stuff. So imagine wind forces pulling your splitter tray downward. It'll rip the screw right through the bumper.

I've had 3 splitters get destroyed in the last 2 years, but from parking blocks and road debris. All the mounting points stayed intact.

Instead of the supplied screws, I drilled holes and used an 8mm nyloc nut, 1/2" fender washer, 1/2" fender washer, and 10mm hex head bolt (1"). The nyloc nut/bolt are vibration resistant (so won''t loosen) and fender washers strengthen the surface area.


You will destroy the splitter before it ever separates from the body.

Quality of the splitter doesn't really matter. Given where they sit, they will get hit by everything... rocks, debris, uneven roads, driveways. Think of it as a consumable item. The one pictured is an ebay one for $145. Made of polypropylene.

This was from a 6x8 steel tie down buckle that hit me at 70+mph on the freeway (looks like a H).
I didn't see it in the roadway and BANG!
Yes it made a LOUD sound and tore up all the underbody panels.
But the splitter held. 8 nut and bolts took this hit.

[Gen13 F36]

Originally Posted by 00 Agent

Hi folks,

Has anyone ever lost their front splitter from simply driving at pace?

I was on a motorway and at the limit when the front splitter was seemingly torn from it's own mountings. No bump or crash to initiate the incident. Luckily I did not lose control of the vehicle and no one else was involved with the debris.

Are there good alternative copies of the BMW MOTORSPORT front splitter or do I need to buy quality replacement.

I'll try and attach pics.

Thanks in advance.

According to what I can see on the photo...yours have only few amount of screws and it could have been a simple tire rubber that you hit...took off your front lip.

[2000Z3M]

happened to me with my zhp, cost me, well the dealership as it happened on my why home after buying it almost 3k to fix. needed a new cf lip, bumper and paint