[Bungus]

Believe this has been brought up a few times on here, but I still haven't had a clear answer for how concerned we should be...

Is anyone else heavily concerned about the utter lack of protection for the radiator and oil cooler? I believe carwow's M2 video mentioned it, and the buildup of rocks that collect in the lower portion of the front end is extremely concerning. Maybe I'm not the most knowledgeable, but I have NEVER seen a radiator and oil cooler so exposed on a stock vehicle before.

I'm aware there is a guard of some sort there (but on automatics there is literally zero protection on the two side inlets????), but im not convinced that is enough. I would have expected a more robust mesh across all critical parts.

More importantly, what happens if (or when..) debris large enough to cause a significant amount of damage pokes through? I am not convinced that BMW will cover that under warranty, I would expect them to try and claim it was wear and tear, or just trying to back out because it wasn't technically a mechanical failure of the part, it was damaged from an outside source.

Perhaps im missing something or overreacting?

[RockCrusher]

Think you are over reacting.

There is a good amount of frontal area of the car exposed. With a number of cars I have had the bumper cover, front trunk lid (Boxster and Porsche Turbo), glass (every car...) hit by stuff. With a few exceptions -- really only one -- with no real damage. The exception was a rock chipped my Boxster's windshield and some time later the chip widened into a crack that required windshield replacement.

Oh, and that time a mule deer tried to sit on my Porsche Turbo's front trunk lid at 50mph....

But no radiator or oil/transmission cooler or turbo charger inter cooler damage.

What I do and this came from I guess my before driving cars driving motorcycles is to just simply avoid following other vehicles too close.

[1stM]

It didn't bother this guy.

[JustinHEMI]

Mine ate a bird and was ok. I know a bird isn't that substantial but I was moving at a good clip.

That said, I'm watching to see what the aftermarket comes up with.

[GregW / Oregon]

My F82 has a mesh, but it's not removable so a pain to clean out behind it. Oh, and, don't follow hay trucks!

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

My F82 has a mesh, but it's not removable so a pain to clean out behind it. Oh, and, don't follow hay trucks!

That's a good point. The way it is now I can shop vac in there.

[InspectorSeb]

The part that bothers me is the complete oil cooler exposure on the underside of the car; less concerned about the frontal area.

Mishimoto's undertray is pretty back ordered at the moment, otherwise I'd likely have picked one up by now

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by InspectorSeb

The part that bothers me is the complete oil cooler exposure on the underside of the car; less concerned about the frontal area.

Mishimoto's undertray is pretty back ordered at the moment, otherwise I'd likely have picked one up by now

The oil cooler is vulnerable to driving over parking stops or large road debris such as a tyre tread from a transport truck, but shouldn’t see any significant impact from stones off the road or thrown from other vehicles, as it is parallel to the ground so would be very difficult to get a high energy stone hitting it at anything other than a slight angle.

[GregW / Oregon]

Originally Posted by aerobod

The oil cooler is vulnerable to driving over parking stops or large road debris such as a tyre tread from a transport truck, but shouldn’t see any significant impact from stones off the road or thrown from other vehicles, as it is parallel to the ground so would be very difficult to get a high energy stone hitting it at anything other than a slight angle.

Plenty of aftermarket options for oil cooler protection.

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

Plenty of aftermarket options for oil cooler protection.

I also agree with its position and angle/location, as long as you don't run over something (which if large enough to damage the cooler, it would also damage the front lip on back), rocks and itmes arent bouncing like a basketball all the way back under your car. Hell, how many have had commonplace to replace tranny pans due to everyday road debris?

I would not want to place any protective cover over it as that would cause air restriction and unwanted heat.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

My F82 has a mesh, but it's not removable so a pain to clean out behind it. Oh, and, don't follow hay trucks!

Hay trucks. But just following cars too close in town in the fall can have the openings to the various coolers loaded with trash if the coolers are backed by a fan. Oh, and those damn cottonwood tree seed pods the tuffs of cotton on them were the worse. The air being pulled through the condenser and radiator was able to flow around parts of the condenser -- in case the condenser got plastered over with say a plastic bag -- and this air would pull the cottonwood seed pods in behind the condenser and up against the radiator.

It was a "thing" to every once in a while to clean out the radiator ducts of my Boxster and Turbo. Besides the trash in the ducts and up against the condenser the area between the condenser and radiator also collected its share of trash so the condenser would have to be unbolted and swung away a bit from the radiator.

Give you an idea of how much stuff the Boxster radiator ducts could collect see attached pics. Will keep an eye on my M2 air intakes for signs of trash build up and clean them out as I believe is necessary.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by aerobod

The oil cooler is vulnerable to driving over parking stops or large road debris such as a tyre tread from a transport truck, but shouldn’t see any significant impact from stones off the road or thrown from other vehicles, as it is parallel to the ground so would be very difficult to get a high energy stone hitting it at anything other than a slight angle.

The first thing I do with a new car is develop a method to gauge how far I can pull the car in and be "close" to the parking space stop/curb but not even touch it. I use the outside mirrors and where the curb line is.

Used this technique with my Turbo one day at a convenience store. As I was getting out of my car a guy walking out of the store pointed down at the front of the Turbo. Fearing a leak or something I checked the front of the car. I had come within 1" of the curb.

With cars with backup cameras I usually back in as with the camera I can better judge how far to back in and yet avoid any contact with the car to whatever might be behind the car.

Oh, might mention one time with my Turbo late at night in a strange hotel parking lot I pulled too far in and the low curb cleared the nose of the car -- and that $400 fragile air dam -- but the front tires bumped up against the low curb. Edge of the sidewalk actually.

Long story short on the road the next day the car felt fine. But after about 500 miles and at speed I heard a howl. Feared a wheel bearing or a noisy front diff (Turbo was AWD). Managed to get the car into the Oklahoma City Porsche dealer. Tech found the noise due to tire alignment. Tire wear which one could see and feel was "proof". Dealer too booked to align my car. Tech said I'd be fine to drive the car home -- to Livermore, CA, 1585 miles distant. Drove the car home and got it aligned. Front toe out but not bad. After alignment and some few hundred miles for the tires to adapt tire noise was gone and tire life was back to normal.

Was less fortunate with a tire carcass (Detroit Alligator...). Late one night hit one in my Boxster west of Strong City KS on 50 highway.

Busted the lower part of the driver side radiator. A nearly 90 mile ride on the back of a flat bed tow truck to Wichita KS Porsche dealer and $1600 and several days later had the car fixed.

Got off easy. I've seen big rigs sidelined after hitting a tire carcass.

[m2ss]

Originally Posted by GregW / Oregon

My F82 has a mesh, but it's not removable so a pain to clean out behind it. Oh, and, don't follow hay trucks!

This is what I got for hay trucks...lol

[xps]

Please cover the radiators before you lose an engine like me on the next day after delivery.

https://g87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=2069318

[albertM3]

I ordered the Radiator Grill website front grill for $70 and questioned at that time ordering a grill from Amazon but did not have the car delivered yet to measure myself.
Now that I have the car, I was able to order the same grill from Amazon that would allow for 4 front grills at $33 total. This website is making a killer return on their investment.
I was able to cover the side radiators and for now the under oil cooler and still have left enough to cover 2 front grills. Looking at other options for the oil cooler.

[Searay55555]

Originally Posted by albertM3

I ordered the Radiator Grill website front grill for $70 and questioned at that time ordering a grill from Amazon but did not have the car delivered yet to measure myself.
Now that I have the car, I was able to order the same grill from Amazon that would allow for 4 front grills at $33 total. This website is making a killer return on their investment.
I was able to cover the side radiators and for now the under oil cooler and still have left enough to cover 2 front grills. Looking at other options for the oil cooler.

Very nice! What is the source for these?

[albertM3]

AggAuto 47"x16" ABS Plastic Universal Car Grill Mesh, Automotive Grille Insert Bumper Honeycomb Hole 7x15mm Hex Grids Black https://a.co/d/ilGDnHn

[1slowspec3]

Here’s my attempt at adding a grill

[albertM3]

That is a more profesional job than mine 👏🏼

[MMMGuy60]

Originally Posted by albertM3

I ordered the Radiator Grill website front grill for $70 and questioned at that time ordering a grill from Amazon but did not have the car delivered yet to measure myself.
Now that I have the car, I was able to order the same grill from Amazon that would allow for 4 front grills at $33 total. This website is making a killer return on their investment.
I was able to cover the side radiators and for now the under oil cooler and still have left enough to cover 2 front grills. Looking at other options for the oil cooler.

Who did your PPF? It looks terrible, especially the 2nd photo.

[fangelov]

Did you have to remove the bumper to install the mesh? Trying to see if I can handle the install myself. Thanks!

[JABCAT]

ZunSport grilles.