[LuvMyE92]

My car has the nearly black "Fineline open pored ash trim" which I wasn't able to choose since I bought the car out of dealer stock. It's OK (the car has black leather) but I think the piano black or even the black carbon fiber would look better. Replacement bits (there are quite a few pieces) are quite expensive, even if I go used which runs the risk of being scratched or damaged beyond any repair that I'm capable of doing.

So, who here has done it themselves? Is it a big job? I know that the door cards have to come off, but I'm more worried about the center console pieces and dash, where it's a matter of prying them off at the right spot without breaking.

I also wonder if it's really worth it to me...

I wouldn't mind getting the existing pieces wrapped, except that they are "open pore" which means that there is no glossy finish like in the old days, the grain shows through and the surface is uneven, which I'm sure would telegraph through any wrap.

I have the interior carbon fiber trim on the M4, which looks great, but I think it will be too much for the subdued grown-up design of the 550, where there's a lot more surface covered by trim.

Thank you in advance for comments and suggestions.

[bryansna]

I saw some pics of someone that wrapped the bits with carbon fiber vinyl. Just a suggestion

[Cabo]

Personally, I would leave it “as is.” The risk just seems far greater than the potential reward. Just my two cents….

[MauiSteve]

I'm strictly a fan of the metal trims in M-Sport sedans, but the open pore stuff would be my second choice. I'd leave it, it's really not bad looking.

[maDjzo]

It looks good, nice contrast and brightens up the interior imho. I have Ivory interior with piano black trim and I’d be tempted to swap with you lol

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by maDjzo

It looks good, nice contrast and brightens up the interior imho. I have Ivory interior with piano black trim and I’d be tempted to swap with you lol

I guess it depends if "Jersey" means the USA New Jersey, or the UK Jersey, or perhaps a town in Poland I've not heard of...

We could meet halfway in D.C. perhaps and swap interior trim in the parking lot of a Target off of I-95.

[maDjzo]

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

I guess it depends if "Jersey" means the USA New Jersey, or the UK Jersey, or perhaps a town in Poland I've not heard of...

We could meet halfway in D.C. perhaps and swap interior trim in the parking lot of a Target off of I-95.

Better yet, a Nandos parking lot

[Extremeengineer]

I wish I had that. My mix of high gloss burl and piano black on center console shifter area doesn't look as good, and I can't imagine wanting piano black, but to each their own. The piano black drives my OCD crazy, if you end up swapping, and don't break anything taking them off lol, let me know, I'd be interested in the open pore assuming fits a MY20.

[LuvMyE92]

Originally Posted by maDjzo

Better yet, a Nandos parking lot

OMG! We went to London many years ago for our honeymoon, and the only decent meal I had there was at a Nando's!

[maDjzo]

Originally Posted by LuvMyE92

OMG! We went to London many years ago for our honeymoon, and the only decent meal I had there was at a Nando's!

Only reason I know of Nandos is because of my wife, closest one here in the US to us is DC.

[Opie55]

You'll regret piano black because it will be covered in fine scratches in no time. I'm personally an old school fan of shiny wood, but what you have looks fine.

[BMW012]

looks good to me. i hear the dashboard trim is nearly indestructible.

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by Opie55

You'll regret piano black because it will be covered in fine scratches in no time. I'm personally an old school fan of shiny wood, but what you have looks fine.

I don’t have a problem with scratches, but it’s nigh impossible to keep it dust free, and stains very easily. I do wish I had a more traditional trim, preferably not glossy, but not badly enough to want to replace it.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by Extremeengineer

I wish I had that. My mix of high gloss burl and piano black on center console shifter area doesn't look as good, and I can't imagine wanting piano black, but to each their own. The piano black drives my OCD crazy, if you end up swapping, and don't break anything taking them off lol, let me know, I'd be interested in the open pore assuming fits a MY20.

I had Burl on my 540 on Canberra Beige and it looks fantastic, I think.

I have Fineline Ridge (glossy wood) in the 550. I wouldn’t have picked it, but I like it a lot more than I expected. Another victim of the configurator not depicting it well.

I think Piano Black would be killer with my black Nappa and Champagne Quartz paint. But it’s too expensive to replace it all. Not worth it.

The videos I’ve seen for the console piece replacement look very easy. Wouldn’t be scared to do that. And I may eventually, if I can’t polish the scratches off the black piece around the shifter. But the door cards scare me. Wouldn’t know where to begin and I’d be afraid something would start rattling and never stop.

If I were building a car with no expense spared, the following combos from the pre-LCI G30 would be my choices:

• Caramel/black or Tartufo/white merino on Plum Wood trim.
• Smoke White/black with Piano Black trim

I made runs at a car with Smoke White/black and Piano Black (car ended up having significant paint damage) and one with Caramel/black and Plum Wood (current owner backed out of trading it). Neither were meant to be.

All worked out. Wouldn’t trade what I got for either. Enjoy the DHP and Champagne Quartz paint too much.

[NGT2]

LuvMyE92 We have that trim in the X7, though not with black leather. I like it. And it’s by far the easiest to clean and keep clean, I think. I agree it’s not a good one to wrap. Unless you can find replacement for a good deal and get decent money for yours, it’s a pretty hefty price tag to do it.

That said, if you decide to do it, please report back on how difficult it is to do.

And if you sell that trim to someone who doesn’t want his/her Piano Black, send them my way (Gautam )!!

[Gautam]

Originally Posted by NGT2

LuvMyE92 We have that trim in the X7, though not with black leather. I like it. And it’s by far the easiest to clean and keep clean, I think. I agree it’s not a good one to wrap. Unless you can find replacement for a good deal and get decent money for yours, it’s a pretty hefty price tag to do it.

That said, if you decide to do it, please report back on how difficult it is to do.

And if you sell that trim to someone who doesn’t want his/her Piano Black, send them my way (Gautam )!!

Like my 668m’s, I don’t think I could easily part with it. It is tough to keep tidy though.

[LuvMyE92]

I think you guys and gals have talked me out of it. Thanks for the feedback!

[Joe-BMW33]

I feel your pain. That’s my least desirable trim. The matte finish is underwhelming. That said, I’d live with it and put it on the list of must have nots for the next car.

[adhrp]

A bit late to the part OP, and I see you have decided to stick with the existing trim, but as an additional opinion, I like it the way it looks! Classy, and doesn't look monotonous to me.

[bavarianboar]

The open pore trim always looks unfinished or cheap to me (to each their own) and could get away with it in a 3 series or X1/X3.

BMW should have offered some more options Will less gloss, matte cove finish is quite nice and classier.

Open pore ash wood doesn’t stack up to anything the moment you look at the shifter area, just a bunch of wood grain that was freshly sanded and appears to have no finish/coat, the grooves in the wood make it feel not belong to a 5er. Certainly it adds depth to the interior but IMHO doesn’t pair well with higher grade nappa etc.

It became super popular and remains popular, looks fine on the dash and door trims, not so much on the center console.
Grey poplar with the gloss, though a bit old school, still looks a bit better.

Good luck OP, try eBay.

[DanSki]

Piano black looks nice but be aware it’s scratch very easily. Fine scratches start appear and u don’t know where they came from they visible in bright day light but I’m not regretting that still loving it nothing to worry me, best combo with Ivory white leather and how ambient lighting reflect on it 💪🏻

[SigmaPiFSC]

I also got a 2023, and it was dealer stock, with open pore. I don't think I ever liked it. It's underwhelming.

Here are some observations.

1: Removing the center consol between the seats, is very easy.

2: Removing the door trim: Well, I installed BAV sound speakers in my last car 2018 530e. The video tutorials on youtube from bav sound are really good.

3: Same video showed me how to remove the wood on the dash, at least part of it.

4: In the 2023 model door trim. It's a bit more tricky... but I found a video from my last car when I wanted replace the rubber insert in the door handle. the video showed how to drill out the plasic mushroom fastiners on the back of the door panel. It's not that big of a deal. you drill the palstic, and the parts come off. Insert the new parts and use a small screw to attach.

5: In my searching for used glossy wood trim for my 2023, I'm stuck. All I see on ebay are complete sets Used for 2017-2020. Does anyone know if the parts for 2023 are different? Or if older ones will work?

6: New from BMW the sets are like $2500- $3500. But I've had a hard time finding them on websites.

That's some research on my end. I'm interested in swaping. The black open poor wood is "okay" but underwhemling in my opinion. I've gotten used to it.