[TopgearLA]

Thinking of doing very minor tweaks to the car when i get my 530e so found similar in pic and did a rough before and after.

Not sure what I'll do with rear diff or front splitter but if i got either i'd carry over the grayish/color towards the bottom. I can't find any of these on the 5 series so wanted to test and I think sorta dig it: a very light combo between m550 and m performance trim accents.

Changes:
• Dark blue tint on fogs.
• Like M550 but glossy gray dark or dark satin aluminum vinyl and/or painted or maybe plasti-dip? bumper accents, door handles, grill and if it looks right, inner upper of headlights ( to me g30 headlamps look less aggressive than the 4, 7, and upcoming 3 so was curious)
• Matching side extensions wrapped with same gray/ aluminum vinyl.

Thinking its a few little design cues that add up very nice. Any thoughts? Would anyone add anything else in trying to keep this subtle?

[Nivarox]

Nice mods I have a few tweaks for you :
1- Don't forget mirror caps
2- Leave the grill frames as is
To round up :
Gray color hue is cool but I prefer chrome and it would pop out quite a lot considering your exterior color . I think chrome should replace the gray areas such as air vents, grill and other trims / panels

[TopgearLA]

[/ATTACH]

Originally Posted by Nivarox

Nice mods I have a few tweaks for you :
1- Don't forget mirror caps
2- Leave the grill frames as is
To round up :
Gray color hue is cool but I prefer chrome and it would pop out quite a lot considering your exterior color . I think chrome should replace the gray areas such as air vents, grill and other trims / panels

Yeah back n forth on mirror caps, so thats a maybe and somewhat agreed with the chrome, if i didnt get msport i would have gotten the luxury tier; can look nice but i also like the subdued look you see on the m550ix or when its a contrasting grey polished paint too you see on some cars (similar to the stock rear apron).

No decisions yet but if i wanted to have matching accents don't know about chrome side skirts... I am guessing you think leave grill as is to blend with headlights which again will have to see as I try samples.

Added the front splitter (poorly) following similar scheme too just to see how it looks and that could work too with or without if I got a cheap P style front splitter (might be a bit of effort to split the colors as i believe all the non carbon knock offs are one piece.)

[roxxor]

Awesome picture, it kind of gives me an idea about mine. I am also planning on Med Blue/Ivory, and am torn between going with the darker gray tone from the M550 or with going gloss black, which I feel wouldn't really stand out well against the Blue. I had thought about just swapping the M550 Grille over, but to swap the bumper trim above the fogs would be difficult as the M550 doesn't have fog lights, so like you said, they would have to be painted/dipped to match the grille/side "hockey" insert. The other debate is if I go with the Cerium Gray, what color to do for the rear diffuser.

Also, don't forget to get rid of the yellow reflectors!

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by roxxor

Awesome picture, it kind of gives me an idea about mine. I am also planning on Med Blue/Ivory, and am torn between going with the darker gray tone from the M550 or with going gloss black, which I feel wouldn't really stand out well against the Blue. I had thought about just swapping the M550 Grille over, but to swap the bumper trim above the fogs would be difficult as the M550 doesn't have fog lights, so like you said, they would have to be painted/dipped to match the grille/side "hockey" insert. The other debate is if I go with the Cerium Gray, what color to do for the rear diffuser.

Also, don't forget to get rid of the yellow reflectors!

Torn on the same. Original thought was the cerium but I can’t do that justice in photoshop but this gloss gray look kinda has me intrigued. Yeah gloss black only works on the white silver or gray cars for me. I would have tried to find the m550 parts but no luck n I think having one source could make it look more cohesive anyhow so hoping the vinyl folks can cover it all. Would prefer the lowest trim pieces painted due to durability though.

Up until I saw one member here comment about darkening the fogs I thought I liked them but then realized how perfect dark blue tint would work on this car. They would completely hide until used and I would think look pretty decent when on since it’s LED. Creates a more m550 look.

And believe it or not I got over matching the orange markers. To me it sorta sticks out more. Don’t know why Japanese cars can get around this n Germans can’t.

My only other desires have to do with the rear setup which is a toss up too. Considering the more aggressive m performance style diff carrying the gray at lower with maybe somewhat darkened exhaust tips. Really wish BMW didn’t solder them all on now just to push you to buy whole new setups. I’m not huge on their weird uneven trapezoid design the lower g30s are forced to have.

This is going to be a lease so I’m going for the ultra low cost, easily removable avenue. In all modded pics I’ve searched, I don’t see many visual cues going towards the sport luxury but rather sport racer (often dark trims) so I’m trying to find a happy cheap median and something different. Not a stance or guy obsessed with wheel gap but skirts, lips n diffusers seem to help the same in my eye.

[roxxor]

Originally Posted by TopgearLA

Torn on the same. Original thought was the cerium but I can’t do that justice in photoshop but this gloss gray look kinda has me intrigued. Yeah gloss black only works on the white silver or gray cars for me. I would have tried to find the m550 parts but no luck n I think having one source could make it look more cohesive anyhow so hoping the vinyl folks can cover it all. Would prefer the lowest trim pieces painted due to durability though.

Up until I saw one member here comment about darkening the fogs I thought I liked them but then realized how perfect dark blue tint would work on this car. They would completely hide until used and I would think look pretty decent when on since it’s LED. Creates a more m550 look.

And believe it or not I got over matching the orange markers. To me it sorta sticks out more. Don’t know why Japanese cars can get around this n Germans can’t.

My only other desires have to do with the rear setup which is a toss up too. Considering the more aggressive m performance style diff carrying the gray at lower with maybe somewhat darkened exhaust tips. Really wish BMW didn’t solder them all on now just to push you to buy whole new setups. I’m not huge on their weird uneven trapezoid design the lower g30s are forced to have.

This is going to be a lease so I’m going for the ultra low cost, easily removable avenue. In all modded pics I’ve searched, I don’t see many visual cues going towards the sport luxury but rather sport racer (often dark trims) so I’m trying to find a happy cheap median and something different. Not a stance or guy obsessed with wheel gap but skirts, lips n diffusers seem to help the same in my eye.

Same for me, probably going with a lease as well since I'm sure the LCI will have better tech, which is what I enjoy, and probably more electric range. I too don't really care much about stance/height, in my older days I would be more look/performance focused but with the 530e, probably will just go with a JB+ and call it a day. I used to have a lip on my F30, but after a year of having to park carefully and angle out of certain driveways (and that was at stock F30 M-Sport height), I was about to replace it but ended up decided to just go without it.

Coming from a single dual-tip exhaust on the 328i, I look forward to the dual exhaust look on the G30, and actually kind of like the way it looks on the M-Sport. Definitely will be going with a rear diffuser and spoiler for the back though. I would be interested in seeing the tinted fogs, sounds like it might give it a nice look. What's funny is that until I got my F30, I have never cared about the reflectors, but once I saw some F30's with them matched, mine just stood out like a sore thumb in my eyes.

Since I'm waiting a few more months for MY2019, one thing I hope they offer is more wheel variety, as I dislike the look of all the Configurator options for the 530e, even the M-Sport ones. However, I love the look of the M550i 668M wheels, just don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg to get them.

[Krash7172]

Lose those reflectors

Here is my lease with subtle mods

http://g30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1483435

Edit: the only mod I paid for was the reflectors. Everything else was in the lease...

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by roxxor

Same for me, probably going with a lease as well since I'm sure the LCI will have better tech, which is what I enjoy, and probably more electric range. I too don't really care much about stance/height, in my older days I would be more look/performance focused but with the 530e, probably will just go with a JB+ and call it a day. I used to have a lip on my F30, but after a year of having to park carefully and angle out of certain driveways (and that was at stock F30 M-Sport height), I was about to replace it but ended up decided to just go without it.

Coming from a single dual-tip exhaust on the 328i, I look forward to the dual exhaust look on the G30, and actually kind of like the way it looks on the M-Sport. Definitely will be going with a rear diffuser and spoiler for the back though. I would be interested in seeing the tinted fogs, sounds like it might give it a nice look. What's funny is that until I got my F30, I have never cared about the reflectors, but once I saw some F30's with them matched, mine just stood out like a sore thumb in my eyes.

Since I'm waiting a few more months for MY2019, one thing I hope they offer is more wheel variety, as I dislike the look of all the Configurator options for the 530e, even the M-Sport ones. However, I love the look of the M550i 668M wheels, just don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg to get them.

haha i felt like i wrote this. Have a 435 and as sad as it is dual exhausts were some part of why I had to get it besides having a v6 prior. Then i still put on the M performance rear. I mean no complaints but BMW were dragged into doing even the dual exhausts now because their competition already did. Of course I'd sadly say theirs are the worst on the entry versions of their cars, hence why I may darken them, which I never thought I'd want. I too want a spoiler, don't think i'd do that in gray, that would look more like primer at that point, that may just have to painted to match. kinda keeping the lines n colors in a flow.

I will be jealous if you get better wheel options, don't think they give you those 668ms though or a new style that's not in the catalogue as I imagine the LCI will be next year labeled a 2020 with that new dash too. I wish we got the same configs as Europe, its so ironic to see such fully decked out 520d cars from factory. I don't know why BMW doesn't want our money, other situations outside of even the car payment prevent me from wanting a m550i, but give me those damn options BMW, from adaptive m suspension to the wheels!

To your tech point, cars are really the only grand toys a lot of us have if you don't have a boat or some crazy home theater... I am right there with you that the tech has sadly made them feel temporary and it started leap frogging just as I started leasing cars. People still don't know that those 360 cameras exist let alone at the level they are at now. I have the top view cam now and when i tried it in the g30 it felt like a big leap to on an already rare and well done tech/safety/awesome thing.

I have a JB+ already waiting here. I've heard good things and even without it a lot of 530e posters here claim the car feels faster than its rated. I look forward to performance hybrids as they become more realistic. Greed and manufacturing though needs to get rid of current resources and materials before we get that 700hp M5 that gets 90mpg and a 350hp base model 5 that gets 120mpg.

I will say on this darker blue the markers could look real nice painted but do I need new ones since lease? I think between meh paint jobs and lighter color cars, they can look a lil bad. I had an amazing BMW body shop repaint a damaged side skirt on my current and it's flawless so I could definitely consider it Don't know how much I trust third party. I live very close to alot of these shops though so I can just drive to those towns.

The more i play with this its also apparent its sorta like bluestone in color, I think a blueish gray really works well with med blue. Just wonder how this would look on the car.

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by Krash7172

Lose those reflectors

Here is my lease with subtle mods

http://g30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1483435

Edit: the only mod I paid for was the reflectors. Everything else was in the lease...

Lol ok but you know i can barely see anything on your black car. I wish i could have all my customization built in too. But doubt they do what I want above and the M performance parts of everything is so insanely overpriced in this gen that I am just going with reps for and a vinyl or paint shop. I can't believe how quick chinese manufacturers got the M Perf parts copied with this current gen 5 series.

[Krash7172]

I don't even like black. hah. Just sharing some ideas for low budget subtle mods that the dealer wont have a prob with at lease end.

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by Krash7172

I don't even like black. hah. Just sharing some ideas for low budget subtle mods that the dealer wont have a prob with at lease end.

Lol wait what? Why do you have an all black car then, was it free?

[Krash7172]

Unfortunately, the m-sport colors are limited. I preferred another color but was similar to my 4. I didn't want to wait or pay for individual color. The carbon black is cool but I had to get a membership at a nearby car wash!

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by Krash7172

Unfortunately, the m-sport colors are limited. I preferred another color but was similar to my 4. I didn't want to wait or pay for individual color. The carbon black is cool but I had to get a membership at a nearby car wash!

Also off topic but how do you feel from the transition from the 440 to the 530e? Im doing similar so always curious. What do you miss what don’t your, upgrades etc?

[Krash7172]

I've leased multiple 4's and 5's. The obvious difference is that the 5 is a bigger car but a nicer car. Quick list of differences I have noticed

5 is a bigger car and drives like one. The 4 is more fun to drive.

5 is nicer and has more options/features. For example, not having comfort access on rear 4gc doors is really annoying.

The 5 has too many options/features. I spent a significant amount of time figuring out and in many cases, disabling features that were honestly annoying. Personal opinion of course.

Even though the 4gc is a smaller car, it has far superior storage due to the hatch back design. The 5 is a better people hauler. The 4gc is good for a trip to the lawn and garden store or a large breed dog hauler. The two door 4 is good at none of these.

With x-drive and all season tires, both do well in snow.

Specific to the 530e, I find myself driving like an old man learning how e-drive works. It's kinda fun actually. Note that the power of the 530e is not lacking. It may not satisfy some aggressive drivers like the 4 would but e-drive keeps enough charge for "e-boost" for passing, highway ramp acceleration, etc even when the battery is depleted.

Any specific questions?

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by Krash7172

I've leased multiple 4's and 5's. The obvious difference is that the 5 is a bigger car but a nicer car. Quick list of differences I have noticed

5 is a bigger car and drives like one. The 4 is more fun to drive.

5 is nicer and has more options/features. For example, not having comfort access on rear 4gc doors is really annoying.

The 5 has too many options/features. I spent a significant amount of time figuring out and in many cases, disabling features that were honestly annoying. Personal opinion of course.

Even though the 4gc is a smaller car, it has far superior storage due to the hatch back design. The 5 is a better people hauler. The 4gc is good for a trip to the lawn and garden store or a large breed dog hauler. The two door 4 is good at none of these.

With x-drive and all season tires, both do well in snow.

Specific to the 530e, I find myself driving like an old man learning how e-drive works. It's kinda fun actually. Note that the power of the 530e is not lacking. It may not satisfy some aggressive drivers like the 4 would but e-drive keeps enough charge for "e-boost" for passing, highway ramp acceleration, etc even when the battery is depleted.

Any specific questions?

That covers a lot of what I was thinking... I almost went with a new GC but it was going to be way more than the 5 and I wanted the upgraded tech and luxuries at this point. I hear you about the old man side of things, I mean we all have multi layered habits as we get older. I do love ripping it when it’s open but that’s like maybe 20% and I’ll be happy as long as it feels tight and swingable. Gonna be all rwd where I am so no snow here. I’d say I’m aggressive but within reason, There’s also something fun about pushing a lower hp car as if I floored all the time in my car or something more powerful you’d pretty much die. When I drive hybrids I also do the same effiency thing and with more electric range than a traditional hybrid I’m sure that will be a game I get into as well. I do wish BMW did the full glass roof on the 5s though, think that would have been killer even if not pano. N don’t get me started on why they didn’t make the 4 coupe a hatch either, I do love that feature on the GC.

[SteveMondragon]

Ironically today, my wife said some guy in a "fixed up" 4-series "sedan" (GC) was following her for a bit when she was going to the store, and when she parked the guy said 'nice car' to her and asked if it was hers.

I guess I made my 530e look a little too sporty or M5 looking with my gentle mods (wheels, trunk spoiler, painted bumper reflectors, exhaust tips, color & window tint). But point being, while I feel like the G30 5-series is more of a dad car now, it can still look appealing and have an aggressive & sporty stance on the road.

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by SteveMondragon

Ironically today, my wife said some guy in a "fixed up" 4-series "sedan" (GC) was following her for a bit when she was going to the store, and when she parked the guy said 'nice car' to her and asked if it was hers.

I guess I made my 530e look a little too sporty or M5 looking with my gentle mods (wheels, trunk spoiler, painted bumper reflectors, exhaust tips, color & window tint). But point being, while I feel like the G30 5-series is more of a dad car now, it can still look appealing and have an aggressive & sporty stance on the road.

You had me at exhaust tips. What did you do? Any pics or advice would be immense.

I thought they were all soldered on now? I would love to be able to swap out the strange trapezoid ones for anything else... heck the rear m550ix lower apron is only $77 so fitment wouldn't even be a tough if even necessary.

I would honestly prefer better exhaust look than even get a rear diffuser or get them powder coated, which was going to be my way to help my design OCD.

[SteveMondragon]

Originally Posted by TopgearLA

You had me at exhaust tips. What did you do? Any pics or advice would be immense.

I threw these one. I've had them for almost a month (got them before I picked up the car) and debated whether or not to put them on after I got the car. But after driving in LA traffic for the past week and see a handful of other DGM M-Sport G30's on the road (with 664M wheels), I wanted my car to stand out a bit but still look clean.

While others might not like it, they're actually growing on me now. They don't stick out and are still flush with the bumper. From a car length away, it makes the car look more sporty, and goes well with the wide 285's and flush offset, and with the trunk spoiler.

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by SteveMondragon

I threw these one. I've had them for almost a month (got them before I picked up the car) and debated whether or not to put them on after I got the car. But after driving in LA traffic for the past week and see a handful of other DGM M-Sport G30's on the road (with 664M wheels), I wanted my car to stand out a bit but still look clean.

While others might not like it, they're actually growing on me now. They don't stick out and are still flush with the bumper. From a car length away, it makes the car look more sporty, and goes well with the wide 285's and flush offset, and with the trunk spoiler.

yeah I have mixed feelings but I completely understand. We live in the same area and I see tons of 5s and really the customization is entirely for myself considering the amount of crazier cars. Did you buy your 5 or lease? I’m most likely leasing so hesitant on any wheels upgrades. Jealous you have a garage the most lol. That’s the one customization I won’t be able to accomplish and my apartment won’t even let me plug into a regular socket.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by SteveMondragon

I quite like those exhaust tips - do you mind sharing where you got them from?

[TopgearLA]

Originally Posted by mobilejo

I quite like those exhaust tips - do you mind sharing where you got them from?

Probably eBay. There’s a lot of g30 custom parts for it. Shockingly really.