IS Valance vs IS Valance. aka: to euro or not.

[warmseth]

I see a lot of the Euro style notched lower valance skirts on many peoples' IS lips here. So maybe I can anticipate your answer to this question. BUT...having destroyed mine when I ran it over on the freeway, I still can't make up my mind as to whether I want to replace it with the same non Euro one that I bought the car with or get the notched one.

Your thoughts?

[RainierHooker]

There is no difference between the European and North American iS valence. Unless you are refering to the '87 and prior models, in which case the valence is completly different. Maybe you are thinking of the i lip versus the iS lip?

[warmseth]

what's the difference between #1 and #2? Are they both meant to be on there?

[ak-]

wat

You can attach either lip(#1 or #2) to the valence using that clip(#3)

[Ian Bowers]

#1 is an i lip. #2 is an iS lip. #1 is thinner. #2 is thicker, and has a more aggressive look. Only one goes on the valence at a time.

[warmseth]

I see. My car is an IS...at least I believe it to be. Yet it had the I valance on it. I thought the IS valance was a euro one. Ok, so how do I determine that my car is in fact an IS car and not an I?

Thanks all.

[JJe30]

IS options, sport seats, LSD

[Predzy743]

IS options, sport seats, LSD

Ill add to that.

Also has 13 button OBC, almost all have trunk lips, and if you read your door tag on the drivers side. On the top of one of them it should say:

325iSA-2 for an automatic car

or

325iS-2 for a manual car.

hope this helps
-Steve

[warmseth]

So the fact that it says 325I/A USA is not a good thing if I was sold an "is" car then, eh?

[warmseth]

other than the fact that it looks like it was originally a 325i Automatic it does have all the other IS options...well it didn't have the lip either but it has the 13 button obc, the heated leather seats, the 3.73 LSD and the rear trunk lid emblem and spoiler.

[AndrewBird]

Even if it isn't an IS, it still could have been optioned out. It doesn't really matter anyway. The reason an is is considered better is because of the options that your car has, so...

[warmseth]

I know. I was just happy to have a somewhat original car. And to hear that not only was it not an IS but it wasn't even a manual transmission has me questioning the entire history of the car. I shouldn't be so precious about it though I suppose, it's a 20+ year old $3k Beemer. Lol.

Ps- love your gt. I was looking at those recently and wondering if I had room for one more car! ;)