Are all BMW 3 series grills the same?

[CampDavid]

Or is the coupe/cabrio fractionally different?

It's for a 1999 cabrio btw.

Ta

David

[TheEnd]

If e46, as in the model from 99 onwards, then yes, they are different, most likely saloon/touring is one set, coupe/cabrio is the other.

[CampDavid]

Ah, it's an e36, sorry, should have added that!

[TheEnd]

In that case, they are the same, but there is a difference from a facelift in about 96, where they went from internal grilles with just a thin edge, to ones with a wider chrome outer.

You can't just swap between them, but you can get facelift style grilles that will fit on the pre-facelift versions. (or at least that's how I remember it)

[4rephill]

TheEnd said:

In that case, they are the same, but there is a difference from a facelift in about 96, where they went from internal grilles with just a thin edge, to ones with a wider chrome outer.

it's not just that they have a wider chrome outer, they also have a bigger taper to their shape than the pre-facelift versions (these ones look squarer).

TheEnd said:

You can't just swap between them, but you can get facelift style grilles that will fit on the pre-facelift versions. (or at least that's how I remember it)

You can get some aftermarket grilles for the pre-facelift models that replicate the post-facelift look but they are easy to spot as the nose panel that they sit on does not taper as much as the post-facelift models so they look slightly wrong when fitted.


To the OP, the grilles you require are post facelift versions and they are the same for saloons/coupes/convertibles.

Part no.s are:
GRILLE RIGHT: 51138195152
GRILLE LEFT : 51138195151