Help me identify my bumper

[davvik]

I recently (about 3 weeks ago) bought my first e30. I bought a 1987 BMW 325e. Before any modification I set about fixing everything that was broken.

About 3 days after I bought the car I ordered some front signal lenses because the ones on the car are damaged. I got them from this link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261234358302?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

They came in the mail today and I found out that they don't fit my bumper. The ad on e-bay says it will fit any e30 from 1984 to 1987. Now, I would have just assumed the ad was either wrong or the seller sent me the wrong item but my car wasn't exactly stock cosmetically.

Here is a link to some pictures:

http://imgur.com/a/hJ3hc#1

Sorry, I tried inserting the pictures but they were just massive on this thread. I felt an imgur link would be better in this case.

I'm wondering if maybe the lenses didn't fit because someone fitted a different bumper on this car. Can anyone tell me if this bumper is the proper bumper for the 1987 BMW 325e? If it's not, what is it from? I would like to get the new signal lens covers soon.

[kronus]

you have a plastic bumper on the front, a.k.a. for e30 years 89-93

[alB5]

oh wow that two-tone.

but yeah, those are plastic bumpers which require smaller turn signal lenses that are on the 89's+

[davvik]

Thanks for the quick answers. I'll go order some for the '89 then. Does it matter if it's American/European? Or are they the same? Is this the American bumper?

Is the conversion from the 87 bumper to 89 bumper just a bolt on switch? I didn't see any body modification under the hood but I wasn't really looking.

oh wow that two-tone.

Hah, I actually picked this one over an all black one in about the same shape because I dug the two tone on this one. The previous owner nicknamed it the "Butterscotch Taxi"

[Andy.B]

The front of your car has been retrofitted with an 89+ front valance and bumper.
The rear still has the appropriate 84-87 'diving board' bumper.

That clarification might not have been needed, but I've been drinking, and in my head, I felt it needed to be said.

[davvik]

The front of your car has been retrofitted with an 89+ front valance and bumper.

So I should be able to go buy the lenses for any 1989 BMW 325 and it should fit? Or is there a specific model I should be looking for?

Edit: These seem to be the cheapest I can find:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E30-318I-325-TURN-SIGNAL-PARKING-LIGHT-LENS-LENSES-/261348855824?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3cd99b1010&vxp=mtr

[Andy.B]

All the 89+ are the same. The 84-88 have aluminum bumpers known as 'diving boards', which you have in the rear. 89+ (and the front of your car) have plastic bumpers. The rest of the world had a sleeker 'euro bumper' instead of the diving boards before the 89+ face lift to plastic bumpers.
Check out active forum member and sponsor(?) abraham motorsports at:

http://abrahamsmotorsport.com/e30.html

for all sorts of packages, including smoked or clear turn signals.

[Andy.B]

I have no experience with the lenses you posted, but I know from experience abraham motorsports sells quality stuff, is active in the community, and has great prices on a lot of desirable parts. I do know from experience to be very careful buying parts from nameless manufacturers from asian countries on ebay.

[davvik]

I have no experience with the lenses you posted, but I know from experience abraham motorsports sells quality stuff, is active in the community, and has great prices on a lot of desirable parts. I do know from experience to be very careful buying parts from nameless manufacturers from asian countries on ebay.

Yeah, I understand the risks of these companies but the ones I ordered the first time were from that company and seemed to be of pretty high quality. They even say they were made in Germany right on them and have the part numbers from RealOEM.

I would like to order from Abraham but the laws in my province state that I need to have the amber lenses for my signals. I can't seem to find the amber lenses on their website. I also can't exactly afford $50 shipped right now.