[NorthEastX5]

RIP mr pigeon.

Decided to stowaway in the lower air intake section of the 435i GC after apparently flying straight in.

I now have the grim task when I return tonight of removing him and the damaged lower (below number plate) grill.

Damage seems to be limited to a smashed lower plastic grill, one dead pigeon and a lot of feathers on radiator.

At face value the radiators look undamaged but I'll get them checked by BMW the lower grill will need replacing.

One question when I was looking at mr pigeon I noticed behind the lower grill there seems be a radiator section about 4 inches high and behind it set back slightly is the larger rad. Question is is the other rad set back "normally" or has mr pigeon dislodged it??? To be honest from what I could tell from brief look I had it seems like it's supposed to be set back slightly.

If anyone with a 4 GC can check that be appreciated.

Right time to catch 6 am train and look forward to removing the body and feathers later

Grill that's damaged

[NorthEastX5]

Graveyard

[ajfoggy]

But they always get out of the way

[NorthEastX5]

Originally Posted by ajfoggy

But they always get out of the way

It was 05:10 I think he'd just woken up

[NorthEastX5]

Some quick googling suggests the lower centre m grill is cheap enough but could be a bumper off job to replace. Thanks mr pigeon!!!!!!

[....,,,,..,,..]

We have someone around here that keeps doves.

The little buggers land on the road and just stand there, quite a few times I have stopped for them or even gave the horn a blast.

No, I am not actually callous enough to just drive through them when I know they are there.

[JustChris]

Roadkill pie.

[Rukka]

Originally Posted by NorthEastX5

Some quick googling suggests the lower centre m grill is cheap enough but could be a bumper off job to replace. Thanks mr pigeon!!!!!!

Lower grille is about £35 from memory but yes, it's a bumper off job to change it. The fog light holders might have to come out as well dependent on which part of the grille you need to fit..

Bumper off is not as daunting as it sounds. I've done it a few times (once to do the same grille!) and takes about 15 mins. No tugging or clips to break.

Basically, the 5 or 6 hex bolts across the top (under the bonnet) - 6 or 8 under the front lip holding the front of the undertray and 4 under the wheelarch (these are 10mm socket size and you need about 12 inches of extensions to get at them easily)

Once you have unbolted it all, ease it forwards and disconnect the fog lights (there might be a temp sensor down there too - can't remember....) and then it just slides off.

Top Tip - Put an old quilt on the floor in front of the car so you can put it down safely without scratching it when you pull it off



.

[pienchips]

Originally Posted by NorthEastX5

One question when I was looking at mr pigeon I noticed behind the lower grill there seems be a radiator section about 4 inches high and behind it set back slightly is the larger rad. Question is is the other rad set back "normally" or has mr pigeon dislodged it??? To be honest from what I could tell from brief look I had it seems like it's supposed to be set back slightly.

Perfectly normal, the front smaller rad is the FMIC (front mount intercooler). The normal rad sits behind.

[Watsey]

It's not dead, it's resting



(yes I know, before some smartarse pulls me up in it, the sketch is about parrots )

[rapid64k]

I struck a Pigeon once and it left loads of Grey matter all over my car.

What I will never understand is this , Why do birds always seem to fly low in

front of your car but never fly above the car to avoid a collision if you get

my drift.

[RobUK]

I hit a pigeon once - it was like a feather and giblet grenade going off!! Cracked the lower grille so I let the dealer remove the guts and clean it all up when they replaced it.

[NorthEastX5]

Originally Posted by RobUK

I hit a pigeon once - it was like a feather and giblet grenade going off!! Cracked the lower grille so I let the dealer remove the guts and clean it all up when they replaced it.

I did contemplate leaving it in there but I can't take it in with a pigeon wedged in there. I'm gonna have to man up, get some gloves in and remove it. Amount of times I laugh at people on that I'm a celebrity program who won't stick their arms into a chamber with creepy crawlies well my turn now

[NorthEastX5]

Originally Posted by Watsey

It's not dead, it's resting



(yes I know, before some smartarse pulls me up in it, the sketch is about parrots )

It did cross my mind!!! What if it's just pinning for the fiords and when get back to car it's sat bolt upright angrily squawking at me any advice on hands off lethal force techniques??? Death by karcher jet wash???

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by rapid64k

I struck a Pigeon once and it left loads of Grey matter all over my car.

What I will never understand is this , Why do birds always seem to fly low in

front of your car but never fly above the car to avoid a collision if you get

my drift.

I hit a bird (not quite sure what type) on the M6 Toll while driving down to Heathrow. It hit the front lip of my roof, just after the screen, a solid bang.

When I parked up my roof looked like a horror scene, blood and dried guts.

I then realised why I was getting odd looks driving down to Heathrow lol.

[markouk]

I found a poor little blue tit in behind my front grille and had to poke it out to save me dismantling everything. I did a good job skelping it as it was completely decapitated.

Still not found the head.

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by markouk

I found a poor little blue tit in behind my front grille and had to poke it out to save me dismantling everything. I did a good job skelping it as it was completely decapitated.

Still not found the head.

I had a similar problem with a hitchhiker I picked up near Chatteris ...

[NorthEastX5]

well that was an unpleasant task.

Mr Pigeon removed. kids thought it was great fun

thankfully my stowaway came out "whole" minus about 10,000 feathers which took me an hour to remove and seemed never ending.

thorough jet wash to front end, then some magic with electricians tape and the grille looks good as new, well good and secure enough until it goes in next week to have center grille replaced. after the HK speaker replacement last week and now this...car is beginning to like the dealer workshop

[gromit2468]

I hit a pigeon years ago in a Rover 25 hire car. The blooming thing disappeared right into an air duct in the front bumper. Completely invisible from the outside, if I'd just left it no-one would have spotted it until the smell gave it away. So I did the decent thing and scooped it out. Then spent the next three hours driving home with a sticky hand...yuck!

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by gromit2468

I hit a pigeon years ago in a Rover 25 hire car. The blooming thing disappeared right into an air duct in the front bumper. Completely invisible from the outside, if I'd just left it no-one would have spotted it until the smell gave it away. So I did the decent thing and scooped it out. Then spent the next three hours driving home with a sticky hand...yuck!

Nothing worse than driving home with a sticky hand

[gromit2468]

Originally Posted by Brigand

Nothing worse than driving home with a sticky hand

'twas the first and last time, I'll have you know!

[Kal101]

Never hit a pigeon yet. Have tried to on several occasions as I hate the flying shit bags with a vengeance.

Might think twice now.

Only things I've ever hit to date are

A dog - never got my fog light back

A newt - was proper gutted

A chav - laugh out loud every time I think of that