[Ashg]

Why do some folks like to do the chrome delete ? For some colors I get it when you want a chrome delete. I have a black g30 and I kinda like the chrome on it as it provide a good contrast to the Black.
Am I the only one ?

[AP]

Personally I find chrome looks "cheap" to me and reminds me of chrome plastic rather than chrome metal.for that reason I think black looks better even if it's plastic.

It's the fact that it looks fake and is pretending to be metal.

That's just my opinion

[540iSUP]

I totally get what you're saying. I feel the white cars look good with black trim, and if you're going for that blacked out look, then black trim would look good on a black car too. I personally feel that the black cars look good with shadowline trim and the only chrome needing to be the iconic grills.

[GaSelle]

Originally Posted by Ashg

Why do some folks like to do the chrome delete ? For some colors I get it when you want a chrome delete. I have a black g30 and I kinda like the chrome on it as it provide a good contrast to the Black.
Am I the only one ?

No, I´m with you here. Have a black G31 Sport Line, which has the "chrome package". The chrome adds a very nice (and needed) contrast IMHO. I really, really, really don´t like blacked out cars, black wheels etc. Each to their own

[allachie9]

As has already been said, each to their own. But I specifically chose my car from the SE range as I love chrome around the windows and on the grill etc.

[Ashg]

Originally Posted by GaSelle

No, I´m with you here. Have a black G31 Sport Line, which has the "chrome package". The chrome adds a very nice (and needed) contrast IMHO. I really, really, really don´t like blacked out cars, black wheels etc. Each to their own

I have the sports line too and like the chrome contrast.

[Dephead2004]

I even got chrome on the door handles. Sadly deleted now

[Joe-BMW33]

For me, it goes all the way back to my E38 and the shadow line trim option. which had no chrome. My E38 did not have the option and had chrome, but every time I saw a 740 with sport package (and showdowline trim), I always admired it a lot more than my car. So, after that car, every BMW I got had to have sport package purely for the shadowline trim. In short, I thought the cars looked more sporty vs. luxury.

Fast forward to my M550 which has cerium grey accents and no chrome and I have no desire to blackout the cerium. I think the contrast looks great and plenty aggressive. I also think unmolested cars are becoming more unique than molested cars which is why people used to molest cars to make them unique.

[Beemerguy530]

I personally like chrome but more importantly it's the glossy black panels around the mirror housing and B pIllars which come with the sport or MSport models. Usually they come with Shadowline but I requested the Aluminium trim on my SE just to get the glossy panels. As SE comes in Matte black trim only. It's a pity that MSport models for the LCI in UK do not give option for Chrome like they did before.

[Luminor513]

Originally Posted by Ashg

Why do some folks like to do the chrome delete ? For some colors I get it when you want a chrome delete. I have a black g30 and I kinda like the chrome on it as it provide a good contrast to the Black.
Am I the only one ?

You're not the only one, but your in a minority. Most people prefer the look of msport package with the shadowline trim, and even extended shadowline trim if available. Certainly here on a bmw board, where most of us are car enthusiasts, you'll find vast majority prefer the shadowline look vs the standard chrome/silver trim.

[Ashg]

Originally Posted by Luminor513

You're not the only one, but your in a minority. Most people prefer the look of msport package with the shadowline trim, and even extended shadowline trim if available. Certainly here on a bmw board, where most of us are car enthusiasts, you'll find vast majority prefer the shadowline look vs the standard chrome/silver trim.

My point is while I like the blackout , I don't mind the chrome and I cannot justify spending 1.5k-2k to completely chrome delete especially if my car is black.
I also think using 3m tape to cover the chrome is cheesier and makes it look cheaper . I would rather do a swap with black or carbon fiber then put tape on it. But then again I would use the money saved to upgrade my TV or used it to get an M550 instead of 540 than spend on chrome delete

[SoCal540]

Originally Posted by Ashg

Why do some folks like to do the chrome delete ? For some colors I get it when you want a chrome delete. I have a black g30 and I kinda like the chrome on it as it provide a good contrast to the Black.
Am I the only one ?

I have a 2019 540 black sapphire m sport and personally like the chrome grill since my car is tinted, has the dark wheels, and shadowline trim. I'm also glad they got rid of the chrome strip on the door handle but personally I like a the chrome contrast on the kidney grill instead of black on black…

[Joe-BMW33]

Again I personally don't like chrome but the M550 has a nice balance of Shadowline and Cerium. I would not buy a BMW without at least Shadowline. It's just wreaks of a dealer loaner without it.

[Ashg]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

Again I personally don't like chrome but the M550 has a nice balance of Shadowline and Cerium. I would not buy a BMW without at least Shadowline. It's just wreaks of a dealer loaner without it.

Buying a CPO your choices are limited. I do like the shadow line but personally I will not spend 1.5k-2k to update the chrome after the fact . It's just a personal opinion.

[Joe-BMW33]

Originally Posted by Ashg

Buying a CPO your choices are limited. I do like the shadow line but personally I will not spend 1.5k-2k to update the chrome after the fact . It's just a personal opinion.

I agree. It's not worth the hassle after the fact, but as I said in my first post, I learned after my E38 how much Shadowline trim made such a difference to me. Especially the windows. I haven't had any problems finding the CPO I wanted with it since 1998. Just means you need to find a car with sport package or better.

[Ashg]

Originally Posted by Joe-BMW33

I agree. It's not worth the hassle after the fact, but as I said in my first post, I learned after my E38 how much Shadowline trim made such a difference to me. Especially the windows. I haven't had any problems finding the CPO I wanted with it since 1998. Just means you need to find a car with sport package or better.

Mine has the sportsline package . Wanted an M but I got a good deal. Also already have e89 35is which comes with m package so didnt really care. As for the E89 I was very tempted todo some mods but glad I didn't as it's now becoming a classic and valuations are rising fast

[Junebug85]

Originally Posted by AP

Personally I find chrome looks "cheap" to me and reminds me of chrome plastic rather than chrome metal.for that reason I think black looks better even if it's plastic.

It's the fact that it looks fake and is pretending to be metal.

That's just my opinion

Agree you there. In my opinion - no chrome bits work and look better on a BMW. I think the black window surrounds, vents, grilles etc... give the car that much more aggressive and sharp look.

On the flip side, I had a Mercedes E Class for a short time and the chrome bits actually suited the car. The car was in Obsidian Black.

[Cabbage]

I prefer black because it is more sporty and stays clean longer. Also looks better which I guess is subjective.

[COBodom]

I dont have a strong allergic reaction to chrome. I think it looks good on certain color schemes. I purposely skipped black grille. Chrome frame looks good.

I would much rather take stock chrome over all black gansta look.

[Warp Ten]

Originally Posted by COBodom

I dont have a strong allergic reaction to chrome. I think it looks good on certain color schemes. I purposely skipped black grille. Chrome frame looks good.

I would much rather take stock chrome over all black gansta look.

I am quite happy with the standard trim and the 664M Sport wheels that I got on my 2019 540xi. But I like chrome on certain cars. I ordered chrome wheels on my 2016 Corvette Z06 along with a chrome badge package. Took a bit of heat from the black wheel guys (who have been multiplying like rabbits in the past few years). They like their black wheels, I like my choices. Everybody is happy. --Bob

[23109VC]

I agree the chrome doesn't look as good it also looks more luxury and less sport. So if you want your five series to have a slightly aggressive look the chrome doesn't do it ,you want it blacked out. go look at an M5 you won't find any chrome....

I also have an M550i.... mine is a 2018 there is no chrome except there are little strips of chrome inside the door handles and it's been driving me crazy I want to get them wrapped in either cerium to match the rest of my trim or perhaps color matched the car.

I think also some people just want to change things I know there are plenty of guys here on the forums that did not like the Syrian trim on their 550 and they're swapping it out for carbon fiber or black partially it's just fun for some of us to change things. It also depends on the color of your car I've seen guys with white cars change the cerium trim to black or carbon fiber and it looks great whereas on other colors it doesn't work as well. I think of the darker color cars the cerium great contrast nicely I have a metallic blue paint and the cerium looks great against the blue paint I don't have an urge to change it.

But the chrome strips I need to get rid of.

I can see in your situation if you've got chrome on your grills and chrome and the bumper it gets harder to change all those parts out and it becomes expensive so you've got a really wanna change it to drop 1000+

[DNYC1919]

Yea majority will think black trim looks better on sport oriented 5 series. I have extended shawdowline on 21 540 benrnina grey. I like black touches so much I vinyl wrapped the roof.

There's a neighbor in my condo complex with a white Bentley gt convertible with blue top. Has chrome rims. To me that car looks upscale and classy with the chrome rims.