[SantaEugence]

Hi guys, so BMW bodyshop have refitted a (non-genuine) spoiler for me after removing the same one from the car due to paint issues. They've re-sprayed the whole boot and the spoiler and then rebonded it (with betalink I assume) then used sealant round the outside which I'm told is standard practice.
They rung me earlier and said because the spoiler is non-genuine it wasn't quite the right shape so the tips don't stick down, as such they've had to use sealant to seal them in.
Now they've just sent me the video, and I'll caveat this with saying I haven't seen it in person, but it doesn't look great and like someone has just gone a bit crazy with silicon sealant.

I'm not an expert, is this quite normal and is the finish totally acceptable? I don't want to complain if actually this is to be expected, and also they've done me a favour here in only charging me for the spoiler re-spray not the whole boot (as we couldn't agree what caused the previous paint issues). Conversely I do feel like the spoiler should have been trial fitted and me made aware at that stage that I'd have this issue. That way it would have been on me whether I wanted to pay for a new genuine spoiler or accept the fit would look like this.
What do we think?

[winther1]

That looks like a lot of sealant and now that you know, you will not be able to ignore.
As soon as they realised the fit wasn't perfect, they should have contacted you and explained the situation, rather than just assume you will be happy with this solution

[Hartside]

I couldn’t live with that, terrible fitting and finishing. Spoiler indeed!

[SantaEugence]

Here's how it looked the first time they did it a year ago. Perfectly flat and fitted no issues?

Can't see how it's going to look any better in person either... surely no one could have looked at that and thought they'd done a good job? Just zoomed in and it doesn't even look like the edge of the sealant is smooth or straight

[robbiep]

Possibly if you post 2 images of the same side.

Currently your pics are comparing apples with pears, so to speak.

The spoiler might have been permanently warped during the removal process

[SteveChester]

What's wrong with some 3M VHB tape? I've never used sealant on mine.

Also if they have used beta link that spoiler isn't coming off!!

[SantaEugence]

Originally Posted by robbiep

Possibly if you post 2 images of the same side.

Currently your pics are comparing apples with pears, so to speak.

The spoiler might have been permanently warped during the removal process

Found one of the other side, perhaps a tiny tiny gap on the very edge but looks flat.
Possibly, they said it came off pretty easily though which I was surprised at given it was bonded ok the first time too.

Originally Posted by SteveChester

What's wrong with some 3M VHB tape? I've never used sealant on mine.

Also if they have used beta link that spoiler isn't coming off!!

I did ask if they'd use 3M but they said they only use sealant now, think they had one case way back when the tape didn't work and they lost a spoiler. Ever since it's betalink or nothing

[MY340i]

I’ve always found the non-genuine spoilers to be a bit off.

Can you get some better pics of the current fit?

[ALBEE]

Personally, I would not be happy with the end result!
I would have expected them to tell you in advance before 'securing' it with 'sealant'
However, I guess they will just go down the "well, it wasn't a standard part, therefore...."
Good luck if you go up against them!!

[SantaEugence]

Originally Posted by Bars111

I've always found the non-genuine spoilers to be a bit off.

Can you get some better pics of the current fit?

Do you mean of how it is now with the sealant or how it was before?

Yes I recall the diffuser was not quite a perfect fit either but that wasn't too noticeable luckily

Originally Posted by ALBEE

Personally, I would not be happy with the end result!
I would have expected them to tell you in advance before 'securing' it with 'sealant'
However, I guess they will just go down the "well, it wasn't a standard part, therefore...."
Good luck if you go up against them!!

That is exactly what they kept repeating on the phone (before I'd viewed the video).
Problem is I'd have never agreed for them to do that if they'd told me first, second problem is it won't be coming off without another full respray due to the betalink.

[Pentland]

Looks to me like they pulled it off from the left side and they’ve put a bend in it.
As for sealant to pit these things on, i think that’s b@ll@cks. It won’t go thin enough or be weatherproof enough (if that’s a thing).

[aquazi]

No offence but that looks terrible…. Moreso on a dark car with clear sealant.

I’ve had plenty of “stuck” on rear lip spoilers - none have had to have sealant around them.

VHB tape heated and they are rock solid - inc how the OEM m performance rear lip is stuck on.

[Papster1]

Originally Posted by aquazi

No offence but that looks terrible…. Moreso on a dark car with clear sealant.

I've had plenty of "stuck" on rear lip spoilers - none have had to have sealant around them.

VHB tape heated and they are rock solid - inc how the OEM m performance rear lip is stuck on.

I didn't know that aquazi! VHB...

As for the spoiler I personally dont think this is acceptable to show so much sealant on the car, this would drive me mad every time I would wash the car...

[SantaEugence]

Are they sealed like this from the factory?

They told me they always use sealant around the edges (albeit not usually so much on the tips) to prevent any water etc getting under.

Between that picture above of it flat and freshly fitted, and a year later, both ends had lifted off which they pointed out to me as a 'well that shouldn't have happened if we did it properly' type remark just before they redid it. So it does sound like it may have not been the right shape to start with? If that was the case though, and with me being the layman, I'd have expected them to highlight this and say either you're going to end up with a ton of sealant, or you buy a genuine spoiler

[Armaan]

That looks awful. There's no way that it needs that much sealant and most that I've seen it's barely visible if it's there. I understand a very thin bead like sealing a bath tub, but that is madness.

Interested to see what recourse you get as removal will need another paint job.

Armaan

[SuperHamz]

I wouldn't accept that at all, horrible job. I hope they fix it for you at their expense.

Tbh, I'm surprised the dealer's fitted anything non-OEM, our local one won't touch anything that's not official BMW.

[YolandaBKL]

Unfortunately it looks like they left this job to the apprentice of the team. Definitely knock it back. I'm surprised they used sealant in the first place.

[un1eash]

Sealant is not normal, the small lip spoilers 3m tape is more then enough to secure it. If they pull that off now on fresh paint it'll most likely take half the paint with it.

[aquazi]

Originally Posted by SantaEugence

Are they sealed like this from the factory?

They told me they always use sealant around the edges (albeit not usually so much on the tips) to prevent any water etc getting under.

Between that picture above of it flat and freshly fitted, and a year later, both ends had lifted off which they pointed out to me as a 'well that shouldn't have happened if we did it properly' type remark just before they redid it. So it does sound like it may have not been the right shape to start with? If that was the case though, and with me being the layman, I'd have expected them to highlight this and say either you're going to end up with a ton of sealant, or you buy a genuine spoiler

i've had the m performance fitted to my 435d and the oem carbon to my current M4 - both cases it comes with VHB tape - area cleaned and then applied with heat.

Only the front splitters are bonded/ sealed - and even then its between panels not on the outside.

[NISFAN]

Even the OEM one can lift a little on those tips. I used a dab of betalink to keep mine flush. You catch it every time you wash it if they aren't flush.
Looks to me like the initial fit is too far back and has rolled over the boot edge. That's why the tips aren't sitting flat. This is where the accuracy that you get with an OEM moulding comes in to play…..and the measure 10x fit once guidance is your friend.

[SantaEugence]

So it didn't look quite as bad in person until you were close up looking round, then you could see it all.
They've basically said it's fitted that way as it's non-genuine, and when they test-fitted it, it actually went on flat it was only once glued down the tips lifted because they didn't have clamps to secure the tips down hard enough...

The guy was quite reasonable, they're going to do it again (including boot respray) with me supplying a genuine BMW spoiler.
He also said they'd use the tape on the new one but guidance from BMW is to also use a small amount of betalink to ensure its 100% secure. As a result of both of these, there could still be a small gap around the edge of it?
I did ask if they could tape it and then just use betalink on the ends to keep the tips lifting

[NotGotABimmer23]

Looks awful, no idea why they are using silicone, its not a shower door...