Tow bar fitting?!

[Alski]

I fitted a towbar on my E46 a couple of years ago and had to cut the bumper - marked it out on masking tape and then carefully cut with a dremel fitted with a cutting wheel. It was the bit of the fitting I was dreading, but actually turned out to be fairly easy - as always take your time and measure twice, cut once.

[Waka]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Interesting stuff. 

The tow-bar has never been used so maybe the bumper was never cut before the car was delivered. There's no obvious signs of a new bumper/repair work. I think I'm the third owner, so I might ask the (independent) trader whether he's able/willing to sort it.

Graeme was that cutout done by BMW? Looks quite 'hand cut' to me?  O:-)

[gmc15]

The bumper cut was done by an independant towbar fitter. It's under the bumper so can't be seen from the back of the car - just as well I hear you say

[X5Sport]

[quote="Waka"]
The tow-bar has never been used so maybe the bumper was never cut before the car was delivered. There's no obvious signs of a new bumper/repair work.
[/quote]

It's a factory fit so the pre-cut bumper would have been fitted at build.  Something has been changed.