skid plates...

[DEV0 E30]

Around $180. I've gotten so low as $165, but that is with a wholesale account. The worst was $220 from a "BMW specialty" shop in Rockville...

$220 was the worst you've seen?

$365.00 at Scottsdale BMW. I think I went through every emotion as the price was told.

Got one through BMA for around $200 something.

They're pretty easy to get hands on, you just have to know where to go for them. Most places will say there are none left, but thats never really the case, you might get the runaround though, I know of 3 places I can get one...

I should also mention that there is a early model / late model difference in skidplates, and the hardware to fit them is usually junk, so you want to get some tougher hardware too.

Correct on all accounts. They are a great part, not just for rally.

[M42Technik]

Dude I never went to the dealer. I think I'll go ask how much to get my lawl on.

[8atman]

ahhh fug it I'm gonna have my brother fab one up for me :).

[Mastrcruse]

What cars did they originally come on?

[M42Technik]

What cars did they originally come on?

Thats always been a question of mine. Maybe in certain regions of the world they got them?

[equate975]

I think 666's plate would be better than OE if you ask me. Think of it like this, 666's plate is aluminum IIRC (isn't it?), if you hit it, the plate is going to bend and absorb all the impact. Now if you have the steel OE one, when you hit it, all the force is going to go into your sub-frame and all the other mounting points.

[bimmer8604]

What cars did they originally come on?

its weird what BMW will do for other countries. In some countries you can order your car with a "rough road" package. It raises the car up a few cm, and has a more forgiving suspension for places with shitty roads. I think they should make it available for New Jersey.

Probably they offered the skid plates for something like that, with rough roads or not many paved roads.

I personally see no advantage to a skid plate other than if you are in an accident or complete dumbass and run into a curb or parking stop or a huge ass rock(offroad?wtf). Seems to me that if you are going to break your oil pan, your going to break the pan. There doesn't seem to be any incidents when somebody just "lightly hit something" cause how would you lightly hit something without ripping off other parts of your car.

my .02.

Kyle

[M42Technik]

I personally see no advantage to a skid plate other than if you are in an accident or complete dumbass and run into a curb or parking stop or a huge ass rock(offroad?wtf). Seems to me that if you are going to break your oil pan, your going to break the pan. There doesn't seem to be any incidents when somebody just "lightly hit something" cause how would you lightly hit something without ripping off other parts of your car.

Not entirely true, I once was driving down a road and just didn't see the dip in the pavement from construction. I heard a scraping noise, turned off the car and coasted to a stop. Scuffed the oilpan, but it was a close call. I'm not that low (about 4 inches from oilpan to ground), but I raised it more. Its just for peace of mind really in my case, I'd rather break that than do alot of damage to the engine itself...

[nando]

its weird what BMW will do for other countries. In some countries you can order your car with a "rough road" package. It raises the car up a few cm, and has a more forgiving suspension for places with shitty roads. I think they should make it available for New Jersey.

Probably they offered the skid plates for something like that, with rough roads or not many paved roads.

I personally see no advantage to a skid plate other than if you are in an accident or complete dumbass and run into a curb or parking stop or a huge ass rock(offroad?wtf). Seems to me that if you are going to break your oil pan, your going to break the pan. There doesn't seem to be any incidents when somebody just "lightly hit something" cause how would you lightly hit something without ripping off other parts of your car.

my .02.

Kyle

if skid plates were worthless then rally cars wouldn't use them..

[bimmer8604]

Yea, rally cars. Not little 'ole e30's. Its kinda obvious that a rally car that is jumping and flying and off-road a lot would use one. I'm sure they are a lot beefier and the cars are actually designed to help protect the underneath. The ones that people have here look weak, and that they probably wouldn't do a whole lot unless it was just a scrape. I think we should set up a test, to see just how well these skid plates work, somebody call myth busters.

kyle

[ivo316]

I don't have the skidplate, but i have the "off road version", mine looks like a Blazer :) .

We also get a special gas tank filler tube "for export"

Believe me with our roads the "special" suspension is a must.

[Jscotty]

Maybe they have an off road package for IX models. My owners manual states that the 4WD is for snow and loose gravel only, however, I am sure that with the right stuff an IX can make a MEAN rock crawler!

[MikeE30325i]

i wish i woulda had an skid plate when i launched my E30 off of that 4 foot jump into a parking lot..............shit.

[bimmer8604]

Maybe they have an off road package for IX models. My owners manual states that the 4WD is for snow and loose gravel only, however, I am sure that with the right stuff an IX can make a MEAN rock crawler!

ehhhhh, even with the technology BMW has with X-Drive, their all wheel drive sucks for heavy off roading. For Snow,ice, and light off-road its pretty awesome.

I'm sure the iX's system isn't any better, but I know know how exactly it transfers the torque.

kyle

[Kruzen]

He's gone through like 50 oil pans and I don't think he has one yet.

lmao, so true. Gotta love Jon