[DSTR]

Originally Posted by Tag

It's crazy how common this shit is, start watching @2m13s.

Utterly common and is cheap SHIT engineering. No other reason. Bean counting at its BMW finest.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by Tag

It's crazy how common this shit is, start watching @2m13s.

My wife's X3MC has pretty exposed radiators. I've installed Zunsport screens on the fronts, but it has the same horizontal oil cooler. Her oil cooler has several areas where it's obviously been hit by rocks/debris. Nobody makes a screen for it yet.

[KC87ZB]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Find me a car that doesn’t have exposed radiators, from any make. Then it’ll be news…

Most new EV's

[two_three_two]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Find me a car that doesn’t have exposed radiators, from any make. Then it’ll be news…

as i walk around my work lot, i notice the VAG cars tend to have better protection on the radiators/intercoolers than BMW or MINIs. Ive noticed the MINIs basically have zero from what i can tell. subaru of course has been putting them under the hood for a long long time..

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by KC87ZB

Most new EV's

Although many (including Teslas) have a front mounted radiator for battery cooling, although more sized like an oil cooler.

[Drowsy]

Wow, I just binged this entire thread and let me tell you. I went through 7 phases of "oh shit, ok good news, damn wtf, ahh hes fucked, ooh some hope, and then He beat the case". Congrats on your new vehicle and hopefully you got paid for the free advertisement cause I just ordered my skid plate. Especially with my car being lowered now I am more wary from driving home.

[anthemavm]

Originally Posted by turnsignalslol

Had a close call with a rogue piece of wood drifting over to my lane on the highway and me running over it because I didn't see it. If I didn't have my Mishimoto skidplate it could have cooked the oil cooler and potentially the engine as well. If you haven't already, I'd 100% recommend going for one of the various options on the market. I chose Mishimoto and have absolutely zero regrets and am glad I got it before anything bad could happen.

Sucks how much junk we have on the socal freeways. They are just finishing a big five year project on the 405 and hope maybe we see less debris on the road.

[davidmct-M3]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

This is not meant to reduce the empathy for the OP or anyone else who may face these issues (whether oil cooler or radiator damage) however its not like BMW didn't do any R&D on this car, the G Series M cars or any other cars you want to throw into the mix.

Plenty of research was done in multiple locations and under multiple conditions. Unfortunately, shit happens. Its not like 90% of these cars are coming in with damage. These are truly isolated incidents (considering the number of cars in circulation around the world). I am not blaming any driver but its not always an unavoidable situation. Some people pay no attention and some dont care (I see people launch over speed bumps at 30-40mph as they have no care in the world), they just drive along like driver and the car are invincible (or they want/hope to be). Its Murphys Law at play here, it is what it is.

Those screens are not going to prevent damage causing rocks/debris from doing their damage. Will they stop certain smaller debris, yes, but that smaller debris is not really the killer here. How often do you encounter bouncing rocks? Why you ask, cause unless its a damn huge rocks, how is it going to hit the cooler (how many inches from ground to cooler face? That is a more than decent size rock that everyone should avoid, no matter what car they drive.) If you have lowered your car so much that small rocks will not pass through, well that is on the car owner, not BMW. The CFS heat exchanger I have comes with a "rock guard" which will do nothing to stop a debris/prevent damage from anything other [...]

Only once in 40 years have I experienced multiple bouncing bricks. They fell off a big lorry, bounced under a transit in front of me then went through my front grill. No time to avoid. Protection helps against small stuff at the loss of some airflow (can be 50% or more - there are online mesh airflow calculators). I use the zunsport which is quite robust and expect this to cope with gravel. Anything larger is much rarer but will be catastrophic.

[davidmct-M3]

[QUOTE=Trogster;30748535]Perhaps a marginal safety improvement. However you can just add a rubber flap extension and enjoy the same benefit.

One of the bmw videos on aero mentions this as part of the underbody airflow design

[TacoProfit]

Originally Posted by forcefed

Here's another option, message Paul Riccio on Facebook
Someone posted it halfway in this thread, I ordered mine already.
Video here of it https://www.facebook.com/groups/6857...40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

Can someone vouch for Legendary Track Experience. I want to buy one from him but before I Zelle I just wanted to make sure im good to go.

[forcefed]

Originally Posted by TacoProfit

Can someone vouch for Legendary Track Experience. I want to buy one from him but before I Zelle I just wanted to make sure im good to go.

I got it straight from Paul, but I think lte is somewhat connected to Paul but not sure.

[GT3M2]

Originally Posted by TacoProfit

Can someone vouch for Legendary Track Experience. I want to buy one from him but before I Zelle I just wanted to make sure im good to go.

He is legit, haven't bought but have spoken with him

TBH after seeing the Verus screen shots of the underside and the issue the outlet already causes with airflow on the bottom of the nose, I don't like this solution.

Hoping Verus integrates something nice into their splitter/undertray offering for us.

-GT3M2

[TacoProfit]

Originally Posted by GT3M2

He is legit, haven't bought but have spoken with him

TBH after seeing the Verus screen shots of the underside and the issue the outlet already causes with airflow on the bottom of the nose, I don't like this solution.

Hoping Verus integrates something nice into their splitter/undertray offering for us.

-GT3M2

Can you link me to those screen shots?

[GT3M2]

Originally Posted by TacoProfit

Can you link me to those screen shots?

Don’t have them saved but watch the phd aero video.

-GT3M2

[Mr. Hankey]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Got’er done in a couple of minutes though!

Bonus shot of the lowered air dam under the bumper for those who were asking about ground clearance. That’s sticking out a good inch or two.

These pics are helpful, thanks for posting. Seems the Mishimoto has an aluminum tab that runs in front and you remove the stock rubber spoiler and put it on the Mishimoto itself?

Appears to me that the Mishimoto is maybe 1/2 inch lower than the bumper cover lip? And the stock rubber spoiler is a little closer to the ground than its native position?

Now some ramblings and appreciate people's input: I'm wondering if the stock rubber spoiler was BMW's "protection" for the oil cooler, or more likely to create a vortex of low pressure over the surface of the oil cooler to help draw air through from up front (likely both)...Looking at the AutoID oil cooler protector that front spoiler is removed completely but their drop doesn't look like it hangs lower than the front bumper cover lip so maybe more protected from bottoming out. Which makes me then think the Zunsport doesn't mess with that spoiler at all, doesn't hang down and might stop a catastrophic impact from puncturing the oil cooler core, but I'm concerned that the mounting tabs will corrode after a couple winters and need replacing vs the "plate" options. will definitely be doing one of these...

[xps]

If someone is interested to know what happened to the car, i just searched my vin and looks like the car sold off at insurance auction as engine damage, then it is now on sale/auction with the engine probably fixed? Looks like it is idling and has 10miles more than what I put. It is also missing the front strut bar.

Insurance Auction-

https://bid.cars/en/lot/0-38460443/2...13DM06R8E09696

https://bid.cars/en/lot/1-49415934/2...13DM06R8E09696

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by xps

If someone is interested to know what happened to the car, i just searched my vin and looks like the car sold off at insurance auction as engine damage, then it is now on sale/auction with the engine probably fixed? Looks like it is idling and has 10miles more than what I put. It is also missing the front strut bar.

Insurance Auction-

https://bid.cars/en/lot/0-38460443/2...13DM06R8E09696

https://bid.cars/en/lot/1-49415934/2...13DM06R8E09696

This basically proves that a G? chassis vehicle with a catastrophic engine failure that requires the replacement of the S58 long block and both turbos is worth almost next to nothing because of the cost of a S58 long block and both turbos.

Final price without a working engine ~$2,313.
Final price with an engine that runs: ~$39,814.

[ACTX]

Originally Posted by robopp

Would you expect BMW to step up if a rock went through your headlight?

Considering the placement of that radiator, you have to be really unlucky for a rock to bounce up exactly at the right time AND be big enough to cause some real damage. Sucks this happened to you, but I don’t think I’d call it a design flaw.

No offense that’s complete bullshit. I have a 23 M340i at the dealer with 28k worth of engine damage right now. I am strongly encouraging the insurance company to demand BMW replace the engine at their cost. I don’t know what hit the cooler but I was driving in the center lane of a six lane freeway when the alarm message came up. I pulled over as safely as possible but it was too late.

This is a complete design fiasco and there is no way - ZERO POSSIBILITY - that BMW was not aware of this risk. It is completely incompetent design.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by ACTX

No offense that’s complete bullshit. I have a 23 M340i at the dealer with 28k worth of engine damage right now. I am strongly encouraging the insurance company to demand BMW replace the engine at their cost. I don’t know what hit the cooler but I was driving in the center lane of a six lane freeway when the alarm message came up. I pulled over as safely as possible but it was too late.

This is a complete design fiasco and there is no way - ZERO POSSIBILITY - that BMW was not aware of this risk. It is completely incompetent design.

Sorry that happened to you, but this design has been around since the F8x. The probability of occurrence seems low enough that no one cares.

[DSTR]

Originally Posted by chris719

Sorry that happened to you, but this design has been around since the F8x. The probability of occurrence seems low enough that no one cares.

No one cares?? Daft.

Look at the amount of posts surrounding the subject! AMG offered protection at a price as an option. Clearly my dealer here in Germany would educate you on the experience they have with this issue and the problems created by it with respect to their customers. The absurdity of this post cannot be overstated.

In simple terms BMW have offloaded their liability on you and your insurance company. I hope you do not endure this. It doesnt matter when it 'existed' first. It continues to be an issue and well known, talked about with SIGNIFICANT impact to those affected.

[M_Power Rob]

It's really ridiculous the whining about this (I don't mean any disrespect to anyone). This "defect" which it's not, has been like this for many midels over numerous years of production. It's known and people should make their purchase decisions accordingly. It's also well known, no matter how much one complains, BMW is not going to do anything about it.

The same applies to the radiator protection. Just so you know, I have had to replace my radiator...not from frontal damage but something kicked up off my front tires and pierced the back side of the radiator. I tried to get BMW to cover it but no dice...

[two_three_two]

just stick one of the various shields on it and be done... its not ideal, and i wasnt thrilled about the idea of spending $750 right off the bat for a skid and front cooling protection, but i literally dont even have to think about it anymore

its very well documented at this point. if it worries you take action!