Replacing front parking sensors to 2001 Facelift Alpina B10 V8 with colour coded sensors and colour coded bumper strip with a chrome lower edge. TIP - Do not bother buying a replacement sensor if you have any any work on the car recently involving taking the front bumper off. If you have had the front bumper off for any reason in the workshop then it is likely the technician did not plug the sensors back in properly afterwards. They need to click into place and unless they push them hard enough in and get the click, they will be connected but will work loose over anything from a week to a couple of months depending on the mileage.
Also if you have determined that you need to replace the sensor, don't bother having a body shop spray it until you've tested it properly (with the exception of a new BMW supplied sensor), i.e. installed it and then tested it several times manoevring over a period of a week or two, as if you pay the body shop and the sensor is trash, you've lost the bodyshop money. I have painted them myself with primer and Alpina blue paint (the latter with brush as there is no spray can available). and it looked okish and you can't tell from a distance it is hand painted.
Metzger sensors are rubbish and don't work properly. I thought they would be ok as they are a German brand. I would recommend buying new or used genuine BMW ones. I did once buy a Chinese sensor from a Rover/Mini parts reseller Rimmerbros that has worked for 10 years. So regardless of the poor quality of the sensor I installed in the video (you can tell it's not working properly from the bleeps which are not the usual ones but a flat tone), I am keeping it up as it shows the installation and removal method for this type of bumper strip.
