Which license plate bracket for stock ZHP bumper (coupe)?

[2004_blue_zhp]

The front of the car looks like this, as far as I know, it's stock for an '04 330Ci ZHP:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/368914/DSC_0030.jpg

Which (stock) front bumper bracket do I need to mount a license plate? From what I've seen, there are two kinds. They look basically the same from the front (the part you'd see once it's mounted), but the back sides look different.

Do I need the one for the M3:
http://i65.servimg.com/u/f65/15/85/38/74/dsc00036.jpg
Pic from http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?p=1064560681

Or do I need the other one, which I think looks like this on the back:
http://sig1.euromotives.com/i/ebay/f/1183839377.jpg

Thanks. (Am trying to decide between the appropriate version of the above and the Skene design bracket which would skip drilling holes into the vertical surface of the bumper).

[nike001]

Get the one that's floating. It attaches to to your tow hook thing. Dane will chime in soon..

[Go Horns!]

I'm wondering if something like this will work: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407288

[2004_blue_zhp]

Appreciate the advice. I'm going to skip the tow hook mount (since I want it centered). I am either going to do the OEM mount or the Skene Design mount. I just want to sort out which of the two OEM parts would fit for me (or do both work)?

[danewilson77]

Get the one that's floating. It attaches to to your tow hook thing. Dane will chime in soon..

Concur..unless you wanna drill into that purty bumper.

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[jvr826]

http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BD53&mospid=47713&btnr=51_4310&hg=51&fg=15

I plugged my VIN into real oem to get to that page.

[danewilson77]

Yup....that's money right there.

[lilcdkey]

Yeah definitely go with the one that goes on your tow hook, it looks a lot better having your plate on one side as opposed to having it front and center. And like Dane said, you don't have to drill your sick M-Tech bumper.

[az3579]

Yeah definitely go with the one that goes on your tow hook, it looks a lot better having your plate on one side as opposed to having it front and center. And like Dane said, you don't have to drill your sick M-Tech bumper.

I thought the coupes had the holes already drilled from the dealer?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I thought the coupes had the holes already drilled from the dealer?

You mean the dealer drills the holes into the bumper before you take delivery?

On every BMW I've ordered, I have always instructed the dealer to leave my bumper alone. No holes. They've all complied.

[C Withers Media]

I've been running my goMinigo screw in plate for tow hooks for almost 3 years now....Love it.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4531597560_f6949852ca.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30634668@N05/4531597560/)
y0aimee 001 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30634668@N05/4531597560/) by C Withers Media (http://www.flickr.com/people/30634668@N05/), on Flickr

[az3579]

You mean the dealer drills the holes into the bumper before you take delivery?

On every BMW I've ordered, I have always instructed the dealer to leave my bumper alone. No holes. They've all complied.

Problem is, most people don't have the idea to tell them that when they order their car, so if he bought it used, chances are it has the holes in it already. I couldn't tell from the pics.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Problem is, most people don't have the idea to tell them that when they order their car, so if he bought it used, chances are it has the holes in it already. I couldn't tell from the pics.

Definitely true.

[2004_blue_zhp]

There were no holes when I bought it. I went with the Skene Design brackets and a body-color-matched plate frame. Looks ok. (I prefer it centered.) Would look better with no plate, but that's just not in the cards. If I ever take it off, the holes won't be visible.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

I used 3M tape on my front plate. This thing isn't coming off.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v125/marcussandiego/2011-03-04_17-32-17_248.jpg

[MrMaico]

Yeah definitely go with the one that goes on your tow hook, it looks a lot better having your plate on one side as opposed to having it front and center. And like Dane said, you don't have to drill your sick M-Tech bumper.

That's your opinion. I disagree. You'd need to get down on your hands and knees to see the two 1/8" holes needed for the Skene mount.



There were no holes when I bought it. I went with the Skene Design brackets and a body-color-matched plate frame. Looks ok. (I prefer it centered.) Would look better with no plate, but that's just not in the cards. If I ever take it off, the holes won't be visible.

Good choice.....IMO :biggrin

http://mrmaico.smugmug.com/Cars/BMW-333Ci/i-Zjpj8pr/0/L/img_0923-L.jpg

[Marcus-SanDiego]

If the holes are not visible, that works for me.

[cakM3]

I went with Skene Designs license plate bracket. I'd rather go with no plates in front but here in Rhode Island you are asking to get pulled over so this was better than OEM imho...

The link to their website is http://skenedesign.com/FPBracket/index.shtml

[2004_blue_zhp]

Went with the Skene design brackets and a body-color-matched license plate frame. I'll post pics this weekend, though to be fair it just looks like MrMaico's but in Mystic Blue instead of Imola Red.