*Update* more E91 Pics *NO RAILS!*

Lost Rider · 04-13-2006, 06:30 PM

I'm crazy!
So today I removed my roof rails, and let me say that it's not for the faint at heart.
I don't reccomend trying it unless you're ready to pull pretty hard on you head-liner, and do what appears to be ripping you car apart.
I managed to do it without damaging anything, really.
I'm real glad I took the risk, because a love how it looks.
The rails always seemed like an after thought to me, not part of the design, and since I have no use for them, goodbye rails!

Basically I removed the handles, sunshades and cups that hold the netting, then pulled back the lining enough to get at the nuts. It took some forceful pulling to get the liner free, but once I did a few of them, it became much easier. I used a high power flashlight to locate the nut.
After removing the nut, I just popped the liner back in to place and put the handles back on. I didn't remove the lights at all, just worked around them.
I sealed the holes with a little gaffer's tape and some silicone.

If you're crazy enough to do this mod, you'll need a 13mm deep socket, a t-25 torx, and the replacement trim without the holes.

Part #'s for the trim courtesy of MPoWeRMAN
"The correct part numbers for the roof moldings: 51137122871 and 51137122872, $70 each, they come in black, and can be painted if so desired."

It took me about 2 hours, after I had all the right tools.
So glad I did it myself.
Don't be afraid, take those rails off!

Lost Rider · 04-13-2006, 06:34 PM

More pics:

icedragon · 04-13-2006, 06:43 PM

Very smooth.
Without the rails, the car looks a bit smaller and sportier

yu · 04-13-2006, 06:50 PM

It kinda looks naked... just the way I like it!

ska///235i · 04-13-2006, 07:05 PM

you should put this in DIY

fragra · 04-13-2006, 07:05 PM

Nice detailed "railectomy". Looks pretty good. Good to see you went through the headliner and didn't try to drill it out. Brave man.

Lost Rider · 04-13-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ska

you should put this in DIY

Thanks, I really didn't take much time in writing out all the details.
I figure very few people would never do this to their BMW.
I'm really kinda lucky, it was questionable for a moment after I committed to it, if I was going to be able to get it off.
I imagined the embarrassment of having to go to the dealer with my rails and liner half-off for a few moments.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fragra

Nice detailed "railectomy". Looks pretty good. Good to see you went through the headliner and didn't try to drill it out. Brave man.

railectomy, thats good

I didn't have a choice, it's not possible to cut them off.
They're solid metal.

SapphireBlackG01 · 04-13-2006, 07:23 PM

INSANELY clean!

I love it!

Jason · 04-13-2006, 07:27 PM

I love how it looks! I've added this thread to DIY thread.

longtran · 04-13-2006, 07:32 PM

nice...looks more sporty.

LEDZEP · 04-13-2006, 07:50 PM

Chitown - no worries! Actually, for some reason yours looks great without the rails... maybe it's the silver with the tint or something... You are certainly a braver soul than I to attempt that!

Paul330d · 04-13-2006, 08:38 PM

Very clean! I wish they would put that panoramic sunroof on the e90.

KL2DC · 04-13-2006, 09:29 PM

WOw Chitown...you actually and finally did it!!!.....and DIY too, saved yourself $600-800. How'd you gather the courage to perform surgery on your car?

And you did it the right way to...I didn't see the use of a saw anywhere in your pics

Anyways, congrats...your car is looking good. Very clean, looks lower too....nice

shimshimhada · 04-13-2006, 09:47 PM

Will it leak when it rains?

Imola.ZHP · 04-13-2006, 09:50 PM

TTU! (Two Thumbs Up)

Thats one sweet wagon, I didnt know they had that extra sunroof panel, interesting...

ctgazer · 04-13-2006, 10:23 PM

looks nice...does it come with the blacklines, roof spoiler already? the front fender gap looks quite a lot bigger than the rear one, maybe a drop? really luvin the huge sun-roof tho..awesome

Lost Rider · 04-13-2006, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shimshimhada

Will it leak when it rains?

I forgot to mention that I sealed the holes with a little gaffer's tape and some silicone.

Lost Rider · 04-13-2006, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctgazer

looks nice...does it come with the blacklines, roof spoiler already? the front fender gap looks quite a lot bigger than the rear one, maybe a drop? really luvin the huge sun-roof tho..awesome

The roof spoiler is stock, I bought the Blacklines.

vant · 04-14-2006, 05:25 AM

Very nice ChiTown, but I think I'm gonna leave my rails on... IMO, they go very well with the E91, but hey, who am I?

I definitely need to get a pair of blacklines though: they do look great on TiAg E91!

LEDZEP · 04-14-2006, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul330d

Very clean! I wish they would put that panoramic sunroof on the e90.

There is no way they could. There is simply not enough roof on the E90, and even if there were, the curvature makes it impossible. The E91 has (obviously) a much longer roof and it's pretty flat.

You saw the Maxima solution to that didn't you? Remember the long skinny vertical sunroof? No thanks!!

Edo- · 04-14-2006, 07:00 AM

we ordered our e46 touring without them and it looks absolutely gorgeous,, much more sportier nice car you got there

YV1 · 04-14-2006, 07:01 AM

It looks great. It looks like a real sort car, specially with sport pakage.

04-13-2006, 06:30 PM	#1
Lost Rider Captain 87 Rep 805 Posts Drives: R NineT, X1 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ventura County, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 BMW R NineT [0.00] 2015 X1 xdrive [9.00]	**Update more E91 Pics NO RAILS!** I'm crazy! So today I removed my roof rails, and let me say that it's not for the faint at heart. I don't reccomend trying it unless you're ready to pull pretty hard on you head-liner, and do what appears to be ripping you car apart. I managed to do it without damaging anything, really. I'm real glad I took the risk, because a love how it looks. The rails always seemed like an after thought to me, not part of the design, and since I have no use for them, goodbye rails! Basically I removed the handles, sunshades and cups that hold the netting, then pulled back the lining enough to get at the nuts. It took some forceful pulling to get the liner free, but once I did a few of them, it became much easier. I used a high power flashlight to locate the nut. After removing the nut, I just popped the liner back in to place and put the handles back on. I didn't remove the lights at all, just worked around them. I sealed the holes with a little gaffer's tape and some silicone. If you're crazy enough to do this mod, you'll need a 13mm deep socket, a t-25 torx, and the replacement trim without the holes. Part #'s for the trim courtesy of MPoWeRMAN "The correct part numbers for the roof moldings: 51137122871 and 51137122872, $70 each, they come in black, and can be painted if so desired." It took me about 2 hours, after I had all the right tools. So glad I did it myself. Don't be afraid, take those rails off! Attached Images __________________ GET LOST! www.lostrider.com Last edited by Lost Rider; 03-07-2007 at 04:52 PM..
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04-13-2006, 06:34 PM	#2
Lost Rider Captain 87 Rep 805 Posts Drives: R NineT, X1 Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ventura County, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 BMW R NineT [0.00] 2015 X1 xdrive [9.00]	More pics: Attached Images __________________ GET LOST! www.lostrider.com Last edited by Lost Rider; 04-13-2006 at 10:56 PM..
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04-13-2006, 06:50 PM	#4
yu Captain 103 Rep 757 Posts Drives: E90 325i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: VA iTrader: (3)	It kinda looks naked... just the way I like it!
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04-13-2006, 07:05 PM	#5
ska///235i ***** noob 1369 Rep 10,479 Posts Drives: 325xi>M235i>428GCx Mspor Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Boston iTrader: (34) Garage List 2006 325xi [0.00]	you should put this in DIY __________________ 2006 325xi (Sold) 2014 M235I (Current) 2015 428xi Gran Coupe (STB)
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04-13-2006, 07:05 PM	#6
fragra Second Lieutenant 9 Rep 212 Posts Drives: 2013 328xi Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver BC iTrader: (0)	Nice detailed "railectomy". Looks pretty good. Good to see you went through the headliner and didn't try to drill it out. Brave man. __________________ 2013 328xi Mineral Grey/Everest Grey
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04-13-2006, 07:23 PM	#8
SapphireBlackG01 Captain 17 Rep 821 Posts Drives: ‘18 X3, Formerly ‘06 Z4 Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Here iTrader: (0)	INSANELY clean! I love it!
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04-13-2006, 07:27 PM	#9
Jason Administrator 40836 Rep 21,240 Posts Drives: F80 M3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I love how it looks! I've added this thread to DIY thread.
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04-13-2006, 07:32 PM	#10
longtran Lieutenant General 1431 Rep 16,628 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: CA iTrader: (105) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	nice...looks more sporty.
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04-13-2006, 07:50 PM	#11
LEDZEP Lieutenant General 418 Rep 12,276 Posts Drives: 2009 E70 & 2011 F25 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Area 51 iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 X3 35i M Sport [7.62] 2009 X5 M Sport [0.00] 2007 328xi E90 [0.00] 2006 325xiT E91 [0.00]	Chitown - no worries! Actually, for some reason yours looks great without the rails... maybe it's the silver with the tint or something... You are certainly a braver soul than I to attempt that! __________________ I think it is bad luck to be superstitious
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04-13-2006, 08:38 PM	#12
Paul330d Torque junky 115 Rep 1,688 Posts Drives: Remapped e90 330d Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: France (UK expat) iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 330d [0.00] 2005 Fiat Panda 4x4 [0.00]	Very clean! I wish they would put that panoramic sunroof on the e90. __________________ www.greenkeepers.fr - spécialiste des tondeuses à gazon hélicoïdales atco qualcast ransomes lawnflite
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04-13-2006, 09:29 PM	#13
KL2DC Moderator 318 Rep 17,767 Posts Drives: F36 428i,E90 328i, E85 Z4 3.0i Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: DC Metro iTrader: (23) Garage List 2015 F36 428i [0.00] 2011 E90 328i [0.00] 2006 E85 Z4 3.0i [0.00]	WOw Chitown...you actually and finally did it!!!.....and DIY too, saved yourself $600-800. How'd you gather the courage to perform surgery on your car? And you did it the right way to...I didn't see the use of a saw anywhere in your pics Anyways, congrats...your car is looking good. Very clean, looks lower too....nice __________________ Official DC Metro Registry - Current, New & Prospective Area Members Roll Call!
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04-13-2006, 09:47 PM	#14
shimshimhada Brigadier General 442 Rep 4,838 Posts Drives: Portal Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portal iTrader: (2)	Will it leak when it rains?
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04-13-2006, 09:50 PM	#15
Imola.ZHP Colonel 129 Rep 2,218 Posts Drives: 2014 BMW i3 BEV EE Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mud Island, TN iTrader: (0)	TTU! (Two Thumbs Up) Thats one sweet wagon, I didnt know they had that extra sunroof panel, interesting... __________________ - 2014 CPO i01 BEV Electronaut Edition Capparis White Tera World, '17- - 2015 CPO i01 BEV Laurel Grey Tera World, '17- - 2015 i01 REx Laurel Grey Tera World, '15-'17 - 2003 CPO 330i ZHP Imola Red Build 03/03/03, '06-'15
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04-13-2006, 10:23 PM	#16
ctgazer Major General 383 Rep 7,952 Posts Drives: a dilapidated ride Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: canada eh! iTrader: (10) Garage List 2006 e90 [0.00]	looks nice...does it come with the blacklines, roof spoiler already? the front fender gap looks quite a lot bigger than the rear one, maybe a drop? really luvin the huge sun-roof tho..awesome
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04-14-2006, 05:25 AM	#19
vant Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: BMW E91 320d Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Belgium iTrader: (0)	Very nice ChiTown, but I think I'm gonna leave my rails on... IMO, they go very well with the E91, but hey, who am I? I definitely need to get a pair of blacklines though: they do look great on TiAg E91!
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04-14-2006, 07:00 AM	#21
Edo- Private 2 Rep 83 Posts Drives: BMW 318i Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Netherlands iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 320i M Sport [0.00]	we ordered our e46 touring without them and it looks absolutely gorgeous,, much more sportier nice car you got there
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04-14-2006, 07:01 AM	#22
YV1 Private First Class 9 Rep 138 Posts Drives: 325 354 LCSW ZSP ZPP ZCP Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Raleigh, NC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325 [0.00] 2006 X6 [0.00] 2000 Saab 9-3 SE [0.00] 2001 GS 650 [0.00]	It looks great. It looks like a real sort car, specially with sport pakage. __________________ 325 silver black ZSP ZPP ZCP PDC CA XENON Saab 9-3 SE 2000 C240 1999 sold e36 328 touring 1998 sold e39 540 1997 sold Toyota Supra Turbo 1994 sold Porsche 911 1989 sold
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