The bike rack and roof rack are BMW accessories. Roof rack (“Profil 2000” base support system, lockable) part no. 82 71 9 405 963 which costs (in the UK) £200, (same system costs only £125 on most other BMW’s). The bike rack (Touring cycle holder, lockable) part no. 82 72 9 405 242 and costs £85.50. I required an additional insert (for oversized cycle frame) part no. 82 12 9 401 403 which cost £8.50. If you have more than one cycle rack BMW sell a kit to give them all the same key, part no. 82 79 9 405 805 which costs £12.00. The whole lot cost approx £300, but as an employee I got it down to £210, still expensive but a lot better. The reason I had to go with the BMW kit was that no aftermarket systems would fit.
The actual fitment of the parts is very easy and can be carried out very quickly, takes approx 7 to 8mins, once set. The setting up takes aroun 30mins. Every part reqired to fit the roof rack is included, even down to a small cleaning wipe.
I always thought the M Coupe on it’s own drew attention but it was nothing compared to the attention I got with the car as it is in the picture.
It’s vinyl. We had a short thread about it a month ago in the coupe forum. The guy who did it (Lockwood Racing, a bit north of Atlanta) first designed it on the computer, using a Z3 template. Then the computer cut two foot long sections, straight and curved. He picked out the blanks, then attached another sheet of adhesive on top of the vinyl. Peeled of the main adhesive on the vinyl, showing the vinyl’s adhesive surface. Sprayed that with a special solution so it wouldn’t stick immediatley to the car. Applied sheet to car, and he could still move it around. When it was in position, he squeegied the liquid out.
The shop could have done essentially any design, but I liked the checkerboard that they had in their ad. Starts under the driver side headlight, on the air dam, swoops over the hood, down the side, and drapes all the way over the trunk to the drivers rear wheel well.
I am not terribly worried about fading, as my car spends 98% of its life in the garage. It is my daily driver, but I don’t commute. I will probably remove the graphics in a year or so. I used an intermediate quality of vinyl, so it is thicker and has a lower quality adhesive – easier to remove.
The pic I sent was taken at the Churchill Downs autocross in Louisville.