[Dr.K]

Hello Everyone,

I have a 2002 M5 in Blue Water Metallic that has several drilled holes in the front bumper. These appear to be from the European plate bracket, but unfortunately it did not come with the car. I don't like the look of these holes, but I do have to mount a front plate for California.

I would like to avoid drilling additional holes for the US plate bracket, plus it wouldn't cover the wider-spaced European holes. I have several options to remedy this situation and I was hoping that some of you might be running these and could snap a quick photo for me, even with just your cellphone.

1. Buy a European bracket and install it with or without a novelty European plate. What color is the "Primed" bracket (#8 in the following schematic)? Does anyone have just the plate bracket without a plate or one with a European plate, could you post a photo?
RealOEM.com BMW E39 M5 M Trim panel, bumper, front(SA715)

2. Plug the holes with BumperPlugs.com They have my color, but I would need 5 plugs to cover all the holes and I am not sure how that would look on the bumper.

3. With either of the above hole remedies, I need to run a front plate and this system seems like the best option GoMiniGo for BMW - The 'NO HOLES' License Plate Bracket - BMW Aftermarket Accessories available from Euro-Dyne
I like that I can tighten the tow hook bolt with a wrench and maybe a little loctite to discourage punk kids (someone stole an antenna from one of my other cars in the past). Unfortunately, the manufacturer does not post any pictures from the side and I'd like to know how far it sticks out in the front. Anyone with this mount on their car willing to post a picture?

Thank you all.

 

[Vector57]

Another option worth consideration

Remove the bumper, take it to Dell Auto Body in Campbell and have them perform a plastic-weld repair for
the holes and a re-paint, followed by Clear-Bra treatment. Road rash is gone and it will never reappear.

Dell Auto Body is the finest shop I have ever encountered. They are the factory-certified repair center for
both Bentley and Aston Martin. I had the chance to see the before and after for a front end repair on a
Bentley GT and it was absolutely magnificent workmanship. I have never seen paint work of that caliber.

They are next-door to Dinan, so you can check them out while you're there.

Regards,
Alan

 

[Summit]

I didn't want to drill any holes in my bumper so I used the product from skene designs.

Skene Design License Plate Mount

It works great and is fairly easy to install.

 

[JohnAnthony]

functionally i'd do the plugs - aesthetically i would do the EURO PLATE BRACKET and put on the U.S. plate - if people ask, your situation is 100% reasonable - why drill the bumper even more

EURO
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/owners-gallery/147991-member-ssense-bmw-m5-e39-blue-water-metallic-united-arab-emirates.html

U.S.
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/owners-gallery/147419-new-member-pictures-my-new-m5-my-coupe.html

 

[Dr.K]

Remove the bumper, take it to Dell Auto Body in Campbell and have them perform a plastic-weld repair for
the holes and a re-paint, followed by Clear-Bra treatment. Road rash is gone and it will never reappear.

Dell Auto Body is the finest shop I have ever encountered. They are the factory-certified repair center for
both Bentley and Aston Martin. I had the chance to see the before and after for a front end repair on a
Bentley GT and it was absolutely magnificent workmanship. I have never seen paint work of that caliber.

They are next-door to Dinan, so you can check them out while you're there.

Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan. I had considered the repainting option, but my level of "hole hate" is not severe enough to justify a substantial expense. I was looking for a remedy in the $100 range.

 

[Dr.K]

I didn't want to drill any holes in my bumper so I used the product from skene designs.

Skene Design License Plate Mount

It works great and is fairly easy to install.

Summit, I had seen this system in my searching of the board archives, but I seem to be partial to the tow-hook solution for the front plate. My only concern is it being messed with or stolen by kids or unscrupulous neighbors. The gominigo system appears to be more suited to a semi-permanent installation than some of the others I've seen. The main tow hook bolt can be tightened down with a wrench and there are some different heights that the plate can be set in, to make sure it does not interfere with the headlights.

Anyone heard of plates being stolen from tow hook brackets?

 

[Dr.K]

functionally i'd do the plugs - aesthetically i would do the EURO PLATE BRACKET and put on the U.S. plate - if people ask, your situation is 100% reasonable - why drill the bumper even more

EURO
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/ow...blue-water-metallic-united-arab-emirates.html

U.S.
http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/owners-gallery/147419-new-member-pictures-my-new-m5-my-coupe.html

I think my currently favored solution would be a European plate bracket + European novelty plate + tow hook-mounted US plate. I am unsure of how busy that would make the front end look. I think the European plate's wide shape will make the front end look wider, which I like, but I am having trouble visualizing how the tow hook plate will fit over the European plate.

I realize these are minor and very inexpensive issues, but I hate waste and thus requesting as many pics as I can gather to try and get it right on the first try.

 

[dantedorazio]

I know this doesn't directly relate to your issue, but I thought that the OEM Euro plate mount did not require holes to be drilled. Am I wrong?

 

[Dr.K]

I know this doesn't directly relate to your issue, but I thought that the OEM Euro plate mount did not require holes to be drilled. Am I wrong?

Hmm. I have never actually seen the source of these holes and assumed they were from a European plate bracket. The larger 3 holes do appear to line up with the ones illustrated in RealOEM's item #8 here, with the center hole being a little higher than the lateral ones, but there is no conclusive evidence in the diagram that they are screws.

RealOEM.com BMW E39 M5 M Trim panel, bumper, front(SA715)

I'm sure someone with a European set up will be able to enlighten me further.

 

[JohnAnthony]

@ Dr.K do you mean you will have a euro plate and the u.s. plate of on the side? I think that might look off with that much of the front end covered in plates - i've seen u.s. plates mounted directly over euro plates and it works pretty well - refer to member "sshhh" car who has a phillipines plate over a euro plate. Also you don't need the euro plate on the euro plate mount - there are euro plates that are about as wide as u.s. plates and don't fill in the euro plate mount.

 

[Dr.K]

@ Dr.K do you mean you will have a euro plate and the u.s. plate of on the side? I think that might look off with that much of the front end covered in plates - i've seen u.s. plates mounted directly over euro plates and it works pretty well - refer to member "sshhh" car who has a phillipines plate over a euro plate. Also you don't need the euro plate on the euro plate mount - there are euro plates that are about as wide as u.s. plates and don't fill in the euro plate mount.

This is exactly my concern, too many plates up front. But it just seemed too silly to have the Euro bracket with no plate on it. From the looks of it on RealOEM, I don't think it has a smooth finish on the front, and I thought that replacing bumper holes with a bracket with holes in it (for mounting the plate) would not accomplish much.

The plugs + tow hook US plate might be less busy, but who knows how the 5 plugs will look.

 

[JohnAnthony]

This is exactly my concern, too many plates up front. But it just seemed too silly to have the Euro bracket with no plate on it. From the looks of it on RealOEM, I don't think it has a smooth finish on the front, and I thought that replacing bumper holes with a bracket with holes in it (for mounting the plate) would not accomplish much.

The plugs + tow hook US plate might be less busy, but who knows how the 5 plugs will look.

Well if you do the plugs you're not mounting a plate?

the euro bracket works fine either: with no plates, with a euro plate, with a u.s. plate or with both plaes.

The holes in your bumper I dunno why it has five, the euro plate mount uses the 3 mounting points to mount the bracket on the bumper, then it has a bunch of little holes to mount the plate on the bracket

 

[Glenn in Encinitas]

In order of preference:

1. Fill, repaint and clearbra.
2. Bumper Plugs - Eric is really great to deal with. He went out of his way to color match a then-unique color for one of my cars. His Dension group buy was a great deal for a good product. In short, I'd recommend based on personal experience.
3. Euro plate with novelty or random euro plate. Looks clean.

I'd suggest no CA plate at all. I've driven most of my cars, some that are more noticeable than others, since 1986 in CA and have only been knocked for no front plate once- and that was while he was already writing me up for 85 mph on the freeway and tinted windows. His pen was already warm.

Look, it's a "fix it". You use zip ties to attach a CA plate, get the ticket written off, and clip the ties. I know this is "technically" verboten, but I wouldn't exactly call it a major transgression. It's a red light/toll road photoenforcement issue at this point. It's not safety-related. Worse comes to worse, you keep the plate and some zip ties in the trunk and offer to attach then and there. It's obviously up to the officer but the bottom line is if you don't jerk around too much, you won't piss an officer off to the point where he's looking for reasons to write you up. You don't need to mount a front plate in CA.

 

[M55555]

FYI

Bay area, especially SF, meter maids issue front plate tickets if parked on public streets or parking garages. Does not need to be associated with a moving violation.

 

[JohnAnthony]

heads up there's more than 1 version of the euro plate mount:

i think this might be the factory one since it has the trim like my U.S. mount

 

[Dr.K]

Thanks for responding everyone. I think I will order the Euro mount. If it has appropriately spaced holes for a US plate, great, problem solved. If it does not, I will also get a novelty Euro plate to complete the look. I may still have to buy a set of plugs for the outermost, smaller holes in my bumper if the Euro mount does not cover them up.

I was leaning towards running a front plate because I've been seeing an increase in front plate tickets on various boards.

I still would like to know what color is the "Primed" Euro bracket, since I am not sure I'd spring for the painted one. Is it a gray or a black, ie will it match the black Moulding Rockers on the front bumper? I suppose I can always take a Flat-black spray paint to make it match.

 

[JohnAnthony]

my bracket came in grey - with a hint of green i think (or maybe it's the silverstone that makes it look green)

here's the other EURO plate bracket (dunno if this is the color you might get - there may be multiple colors)

E39 FS: OEM BMW E39 M5/MTech Front Bumper EURO License Plate Bracket - Bimmerforums - The Ultimate BMW Forum