Newbie to 650i Convertible

[New 650i]

Good morning BMW family,

I recently purchased a 2008 650i Convertible w/ 19" Factory Rims;

- Im interested in purchasing a Bra for it; sporty like. Can someone recommend a website or where to buy in the USA, and price efficient?

- I'm also having trouble finding the correct windshield wipers for this car, any site for that as well?

- My windshield washer squirter works but is pushing very little fluid to my windshild to wipe off; can someone tell me how to fix this?

- Finally, are there any general tips and tricks, maintenance and care or issues to look out for on these model cars?

Thank you all in advance for the assistance in these matters.

Regards,
New 650i

[robbiefeld]

I cringe every time a see a car with one of those "bras."

[New 650i]

thanks for the response Robbiefeld, but my car is all black and the front bumper will look alot worse after pebbles from the road hits it and it starts looking like pok-a-dots?

[quitethesnapper]

Originally Posted by New 650i

thanks for the response Robbiefeld, but my car is all black and the front bumper will look alot worse after pebbles from the road hits it and it starts looking like pok-a-dots?

3M clear bra. Get your car wrapped.

[New 650i]

Originally Posted by quitethesnapper

3M clear bra. Get your car wrapped.

Thank you so much for the suggestion @quitethesnapper; I'm about to purchase it as I'm typing this..pretty cheap too Thanks again,

Regards,
New 650i

[quitethesnapper]

Originally Posted by New 650i

Thank you so much for the suggestion @quitethesnapper; I'm about to purchase it as I'm typing this..pretty cheap too Thanks again,

Regards,
New 650i

can you tell my truck is wrapped?

[New 650i]

@quitethesnapper; Your ride looks great; did you do it yourself or did someone do it for you? and did u wrap your entire ride or just the front?

[neversummer78]

Clear bra is great, I have tried doing it myself on 3 cars and they were disasters. It is best to get it done professionally, and it lasts for years.

[quitethesnapper]

Originally Posted by New 650i

@quitethesnapper; Your ride looks great; did you do it yourself or did someone do it for you? and did u wrap your entire ride or just the front?

I had it done. Same guys that do my tints. I wrapped every surface that would potentially get chipped. Entire front bumper, entire side skirts, flared lower portion of rear doors, front portion of hood, mirrors, wheel wells and rear quarters of rear bumper. My new m6 will get the same but i might do the entire hood. Can't go wrong for $1500.

[zoltans4]

you can't find a black bra for the same reason you can't find a carpet dash cover, the 90's are long gone

[quitethesnapper]

Originally Posted by zoltans4

you can't find a black bra for the same reason you can't find a carpet dash cover, the 90's are long gone

BOOM!

[neversummer78]

You can also try 3M Paint defender, http://3mauto.com/paint-defender-spray-film.html. However, there is a learning curve which is well worth it IMO. I have it on my station wagon and countryman since I don't want to spend too much on those two cars which I use them for commuting and ski trips. $25 a can, $50 to do half hood and bumper is well worth it. I redo it three times on my station wagon before getting satisfying result. Make sure it isn't too cold when applying, 70+ is recommended.

[New 650i]

Originally Posted by neversummer78

You can also try 3M Paint defender, http://3mauto.com/paint-defender-spray-film.html. However, there is a learning curve which is well worth it IMO. I have it on my station wagon and countryman since I don't want to spend too much on those two cars which I use them for commuting and ski trips. $25 a can, $50 to do half hood and bumper is well worth it. I redo it three times on my station wagon before getting satisfying result. Make sure it isn't too cold when applying, 70+ is recommended.

@neversummer78, thanks so much for the reply and recommendation, i just received a roll of 3M Paint Defender in the mail, im just waiting for the scraper and i am going to attempt applying on the bumper and half or hood, for practice :-)

I got an estimate and they wanted $700USD, just to apply this on my car; so i said 1st let me give it a try (Thanks to youtube vids) and then if bad , i may consider shelling out that cash to get it done..

Thanks again,
New 650i

[mbovino]

Regarding your replacement wipers, you might try the Bosch Icon series. They are a direct fit provided you get the ones with the "E" suffix (not A or any other series). The Icons are top-shelf quality, but believe it or not you can find them at Walmart. I have also purchased them at FCP Euro in CT. Shipping is fast and free. http://www.fcpeuro.com

Your squirter nozzles may be clogged with some solids and hopefully not just frozen closed. Try very carefully cleaning them out with a fine pin, but be careful not to widen the spray hole. Another method is to disconnect the hoses near each jet and gently apply some compressed air. Regarding direction, the spray nozzles typically have a range of motion (ball and socket). Using that small pin described earlier, redirect the nozzle to your liking. It may take some trial and error. Just remember to set them lower than you think because when driving wind currents tend to push the spray up before hitting the windshield.

[New 650i]

Originally Posted by mbovino

Regarding your replacement wipers, you might try the Bosch Icon series. They are a direct fit provided you get the ones with the "E" suffix (not A or any other series). The Icons are top-shelf quality, but believe it or not you can find them at Walmart. I have also purchased them at FCP Euro in CT. Shipping is fast and free. http://www.fcpeuro.com

Your squirter nozzles may be clogged with some solids and hopefully not just frozen closed. Try very carefully cleaning them out with a fine pin, but be careful not to widen the spray hole. Another method is to disconnect the hoses near each jet and gently apply some compressed air. Regarding direction, the spray nozzles typically have a range of motion (ball and socket). Using that small pin described earlier, redirect the nozzle to your liking. It may take some trial and error. Just remember to set them lower than you think because when driving wind currents tend to push the spray up before hitting the windshield.

@mbovino; thank you for the suggestions and links; i had my mechanic blow out the squirters; it worked fine for awhile but started to do it again :-(

One question on that subject; is there a filter of some kind mounted on the car between the pump and squirters?

Thanks again
New 650i

[neversummer78]

Originally Posted by New 650i

@neversummer78, thanks so much for the reply and recommendation, i just received a roll of 3M Paint Defender in the mail, im just waiting for the scraper and i am going to attempt applying on the bumper and half or hood, for practice :-)

I got an estimate and they wanted $700USD, just to apply this on my car; so i said 1st let me give it a try (Thanks to youtube vids) and then if bad , i may consider shelling out that cash to get it done..

Thanks again,
New 650i

It should be about $500 (Venture Shield) for partial hood, fenders, mirrors, and front bumper. Headlights and fog lights are about $90 more. That's what I paid to get it installed professionally on my 6er. Shop took five hours to install mine. You can always get a precut kit for about $40 and do it yourself on headlights and fog lights which are relatively easy to get some savings.

I used to have a good friend that owns an auto body shop, and his shop used to service a lot of celebrities in LA. I rather pay him every 2-3 years to redo my bumper and touch up, but one day he got heart attacked so clear bra suddenly makes sense.

When installing clear bra, two people is better than one. Heat gun is a worth while investment instead of using hair dryer. Prepare to buy your buddy a nice dinner.