[Aktivemac2]

After having both the front and rear tow-eye covers stolen from the bumpers of my E90 over the 6yrs of ownership (and never actually needing to be towed anywhere) - I've just got my new F30 (320i m-sport) and I have taken the step of supergluing both the front and back covers into place!!

I wouldn't have taken such drastic measures if they weren't so expensive to replace (you can get primed unpainted ones for £10-15, but then will cost around £80-100 to get painted!!)

I'm happy with my decision, but just keen to see what anyone else thinks. Am I going to regret this..? Can recovery vehicles hook onto solid bits of the chassis to at least get it onto a tow truck?

On the same theme, someone also stole the mirror out of my E90's wing-mirror enclosure! Cost me £50 to replace. Think someone was using my car for spares...

[teaston]

Man i'm glad we don't have to worry about stuff like that in Norwich! Pretty sure it will be much cheaper than that to get sprayed though, i got a whole rear bumper sprayed recently for £120!

Maybe you should keep a plastic trim tool in the car in case you need to remove one to get the car towed, as any metal tool would damage the paintwork.

[Aktivemac2]

Originally Posted by teaston

Man i'm glad we don't have to worry about stuff like that in Norwich! Pretty sure it will be much cheaper than that to get sprayed though, i got a whole rear bumper sprayed recently for £120!

Maybe you should keep a plastic trim tool in the car in case you need to remove one to get the car towed, as any metal tool would damage the paintwork.

Yes, maybe this is more of a London problem I was just sick of being used for parts!

You're right it probably is cheaper to spray, but thought it might be one of those things where its almost as cheap to paint a big item like a bumper as it is a small part - setup time, prep etc. But maybe not.

[RaceTruk]

My mentality is they are still going to try and steal them and probably fuck up your bumper using a
Flat head screw driver
To pry off more aggressively.

[Spoonhead]

I'd be pissed if someone did that to my car. Super gluing is a bit drastic isn't it?

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by RaceTruk

My mentality is they are still going to try and steal them and probably fuck up your bumper using a
Flat head screw driver
To pry off more aggressively.

Exactly this, what would of been a £100 problem turns into a £1000 if new bumper and paint is required!

[pedroF31]

If you are that worried, you could always buy a couple from a well - known auction site - Currently showing a front and a back in EB for around £15 each.................

[Aktivemac2]

Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy

Exactly this, what would of been a £100 problem turns into a £1000 if new bumper and paint is required!

I genuinely don't think it's tooled up thieves nicking them - I think it's almost worse than that (in some ways) as it's likely someone else with a same colour bmw in local area that's lost theirs and decide that it's easier to just take someone else's than to go through hassle of buying & painting one themselves. This is what makes me so mad, is that it's likely someone with the means to buy themselves a replacement but chooses not too.

My logic is the glue method will stop the guy who wanders past quickly ducks down and tries to pop out. 10secs of trying and then move on to a different car.

[Aktivemac2]

Originally Posted by pedroF31

If you are that worried, you could always buy a couple from a well - known auction site - Currently showing a front and a back in EB for around £15 each.................

Nice spot but mine is sapphire black and none on that well known auction site in that colour can get primed untainted ones on there for about £15, but back to same problem about costly painting.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by Aktivemac2

Nice spot but mine is sapphire black and none on that well known auction site in that colour can get primed untainted ones on there for about £15, but back to same problem about costly painting.

There are 2 in that colour just down from me, want me to get one for you.....
Oh....

That is likely how they go missing, not out and out thievery.

It's usually dust caps, trims, bits that fall off or can be removed and not put back on. Just go to street sales dot com..

When I go back to Newcastle I wonder what surprise I will have, if it's not the car, it bits off it, or some oxygen thief keying it.

[Palmnuts]

I'm stunned that people steal these things. Very frustrating! It's not just London - a friend who lives in Cheshire had the whole wing mirror stolen off his F20 1 series whilst in his driveway...I guess it was just to get the glass or body coloured cap because where they 'snapped' it off (on the pivot bit) isn't an area where the mirror is supposed to split!

[teaston]

I had the jacking cover part of the side skirt stolen from my Calibra many years ago! So i went out and took one from another Calibra.

[Aktivemac2]

Originally Posted by teaston

I had the jacking cover part of the side skirt stolen from my Calibra many years ago! So i went out and took one from another Calibra.

Mr teaston... tut tut. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume in a Hollywood-style twist you had to get that jacking cover back on ASAP to save a kidnapped family member... or something similar

[Aktivemac2]

Originally Posted by Brigand

There are 2 in that colour just down from me, want me to get one for you.....
Oh....

That is likely how they go missing, not out and out thievery.

Yes almost certainly that's the case - just ppl missing their cover think "some bas***d stole mine, so I'll take someone else's - circle of life and all". That's why I think my supergluing will stop that and don't think anyone would carry a screwdriver to have a real go at it!

[Pietro]

Originally Posted by teaston

I had the jacking cover part of the side skirt stolen from my Calibra many years ago! So i went out and took one from another Calibra.

I guess it would spend more time off than on with a Calibra??