BMW Bumper Question...
 

I know this is a little off topic, but why do BMW's bumpers have a little square on the right side of the bumper. It stands out from the rest of the bumper. Does anybody know why? I noticed it today while I was driving behind a sweet a$$ Silver 530i. Just curious to see what you guys think?

ive actually been wondering the same thing for about a year. i actually noticed that it seems like most nicer cars have it. (BMW, Mercedes etc) i feel like there might be a tow hitch under it or something.

*makes personal note* Must bring flatblade screwdriver next time i park my car inna parkinglot. I'll let you guys know tommrow :laugh:

not shure if its the same thing but I know that some bmw ppl paint their corner lights or sidemarkers body color. maybe check out www.dtmpower.net and ask them what it is?

this is what we're talking about. look right above the exhaust on the bumper. see that little square?

http://www.dtmpower.net/ppost/data/2...cn0889-med.jpg

http://www.dtmpower.net/ppost/data/2/112117p-med.jpg

Concealed to hook maybe?

BMW is anal about appearance.....maybe they didnt want it visible....

It's for towing, you take off that piece with a flathead and then screw in the hook thing that's included with the car.

BWM covers everything including the jack points along the lower channel. The covers in the bumpers are indeed hiding the tow points. In the black lower channel there are black pannels that also hide the jack points. They pop out and you insert the jack. MB does the same thing.

The cool part is that those points are also key measurement points for body shops and frame machines. Quite a bit of the car is measured from those key points around the car. Especialy MB, they use the jack points on every corner as the starting point on a frame machine.

u guys are right, its the tow hook cover. If you aren't satisfied, here are answers of ppl who own e36's

http://www.dtmpower.net/forum/showth...threadid=73336

Huh....interesting. You would think BMW would place the towing hooks in a less noticeably place (underneath the bumper)instead of having a little square on their bumper if they were so anal about appearance. NE way, i'm satisfied knowing what it is after all these years:p

i think it's a pretty good spot to put the tow hook... if it was lower, the line that you connect to the towhook would damage the rear bumper because their's come that low and all stock.

I have the same thing but on the right side of the bumper.

if its a bmw, why should they worry about towing the car? its not a domestic.

related question...

my friend's 97 Audi A4 has two little square "bump" type things sticking up from his front bumper, one in front of each headlight. what's the deal?

:laugh: Are you trying to imply that BMWs are reliable cars? :laugh:
-Cyrus

Headlight washers.

headlight washers?

More reliable than Nissan.
I have the 2001 J.D. Power dependability report in front of me. Guess what? Nissan is 7 rows below BMW. ;)

:wall: I never said Nissan was good... just don't compare BMW to Toyota or Honda. No offense, they're great cars, but they're known to be problematic.
-Cyrus

http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/01102a.gif

I agree with you. Some cars are more problematic than the other.
I would really like to post this report for people who didn't see it. The most important thing is that Nissan and BMW are above the industry average.

Oh cool you got it :)
dwapenyi, look above.

Is this JD's intitial quality survey?

DW

Isn't it weird that Infiniti and Nissan are so far apart? Look at Acura and Honda, they are next to each other.

Very true. Some people attributed it to the Altima. :wall: I honestly don't know and don't want to comment. And here's a different but nonetheless important survey:
http://www.jdpa.com/presspass/pr/images/2002040a.gif

Wow. The times they are a changin'. But then again, most people who buy BMWs don't drive them like BMWs.

DW

What about those 'square's on the side of most M-B cars? Are those sensors for their VDC?

Those are for Headlight washers. I think that with alot of european cars, some of the body pieces are made to euro spec but then America adds it's own little touch of what they want and don't want.