This is a review of a lip I recently installed on my ZHP sedan myself. This is my own unbiased review and I am not being compensated in any way by it. It just seemed like a fairly obscure product that didn't have a lot of reviews, so I decided to add mine.
I'd been toying with the idea of getting something to set the front end of my 330i apart just a little bit more for a while. Looked at various AM splitters, didn't really like how they looked or fit that much. Decided a lip might be a better-looking choice. Seems like there's not a whole lot of options for an e46 non-M sedan, and even fewer that fit the Aero/Performance package with the M-Tech II bumper.
However, I liked this one: https://flowdesignsaustralia.com/col...front-splitter. I read one review online that was somewhat unfavorable, but the price was very reasonable even with shipping, so I decided to try it out.
I ordered it directly from Flow Designs on a Friday. The following Monday, they had it shipped. The other review warned about extra customs charges, but I believe it actually was factored into the shipping. At no point did I need to pay anything more than what I paid at checkout. Rather astoundingly, 4 days later it was on my doorstep. I'm still somewhat baffled (but very happy) that it came so quickly.
The instructions were quite simple. They recommend removing your front bumper, and as it's held on with 2 T50 bolts, it's easy to do so. My bumper was actually the perfect candidate, as it was painted very poorly after incurring some damage and warped at the top, so it's on the list to be replaced. The lip is a single piece that bolts directly to the bottom of the bumper cover (with pre-drilled holes that line up for doing so).
Results:
I really like the look of this lip. It gives the car a more aggressive appearance from the front without going overboard. It also stiffens up the bottom of the bumper cover considerably.
A few observations. Firstly, I'm not a big fan of the printed logo on the front (which is quite visible), but for now it's okay. The lip is made from a plastic called high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This material is very strong and it very unlikely to suffer much (or any) damage from tapping a curb. However, an interesting thing to note is that it's rather easy to mar the surface, due to the way they've treated it (seems to be buffed/polished for a satin-y feel). Even with a fingernail, you can leave a fairly easily visible slightly darker like from where the finish is scratched away slightly. It does gouge as well with firmer pressure.
This was also mentioned in the previous review as being one of the bigger negatives. The first thought that came to mind was wrapping it for protection. However, HDPE can be very hard to wrap because conventional vinyl will not adhere to the surface due to the material being very "low energy". My plan is to wrap it with a special high-tack vinyl made exactly for this purpose. Hopefully a clear laminate will further protect it against road debris. As soon as I have the materials, I plan on following up in a subsequent post.