Hey everyone!
For those of you who didn't follow my thread regarding the POS ebay splitters i bought, here is the conclusion to my quest for splitters.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411483
Service & packaging:
Man am i blown away by Brian's service. he replies to PM's with near instant messaging speed and he was willing to work out a fair price with me for being the first to buy these splitters. They came in a matter of a week or so and the packaging is decent with bubble wrap and cloth bags to protect them, he even included free roll of double sided tape (i bought some 3M tape too)! Just as he promised, these splitters fit well
conclusion: 10/10
Product:
These splitters are night and day compared to the crap i got on ebay. I wish JBSpeed would've put these up for sale earlier so i wouldn't have gone to ebay as a last resort. These are pre-drilled as well, making life much easier!
the paint match is excellent and the fitment is really nice, double sided tape will suffice in holding them on, more on that later. Money well spent for these quality pieces! IMO, I get splitters over an M3 lip spoiler anyday.
Consluison:
paint match 9/10
fitment 8/10
Installation:
I've read guides on installing splitters for E90's but no one has written one for E90 LCI's and i did find somethings to be different. Pre-LCI and LCI splitters mount differently. Pre-LCI ones sit ontop of the bumper like a glove so you can even get away without taping it, just screw it on. However, for LCI splitters, there is no place for the splitter's to hang onto and so gravity can be an issue down the road as they just literally stick onto the car with less surface area than the old splitters.
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See how they just "hang off" the edge of the LCI bumper?
PRE-LCI splitters sit on the edge of the bumper like so, making installation easier.
Initially i was confused about the install and so i contacted JBSpeed and right away, he sent me pictures and installation steps for installing!
And so I attempted an install:
** sand the inside of the splitter to make a even mounting surface for the tape to have maximum adhesion. (i forgot to do that part
)
1) clean bottom of bumper and inside of splitters with rubbing alcohol
2) apply 3M tape onto the car or splitter (either way is fine) leaving a 2mm distance from the edge of the splitter to hide the tape from view when installed
3) peel of backing of tape
4) start from the wheel well area and "hook" the splitter on from the side, slowly making sure the bottom screw holes are aligned and the splitter covers the top ledge (the indented line behind the fog light)
5) apply firm pressure on the sides and front for a minute or so,(extra set of hands are recommended)
6) screw the screws back on and you are done!
this is how it is installed with 3M double sided tape!
the ledge behind the foglight is where i'm talking about
because i forgot to do that part, i wasn't too satisfied with my own work because i have no experience in installing this stuff so i took it to my friend at the bodyshop to have him do it for me.
He commented that the splitters are really nice and high quality fiberglass pieces and the install was a breeze. The only thing he told me i had to do for future installs is I HAVE TO SAND THE INSIDE OF THE SPLITTER. My friend likes to use glue for installs like these to have NO gaps and seams along the bumper. After re installation here is the finished product.
1) (optional) remove bumper
2) sand down inside of splitter (I now know this part is crucial)
3) clean splitters and bumper
4) apply glue (betalink)
5) reattach screws into bumper
6) clamp on overnight
7) reinstall bumper and enjoy!
If i wasn't lazy i would've installed it myself again but
i'm really satisfied with the results!! no modification needed! Due to the design of these splitters, I suggest using glue to ensure a seamless fit because the tape have a thickness of 1mm or so... Even BMW recommends using Betalink glue for installation of these products.
Overall I am really impressed with these splitters, installation is really simple!
Be sure to hit up JBSpeed for splitters in the future!
conclusion: 9/10