Black Grilles or Not?

sillyo · 10-06-2013, 03:51 PM

So when I went ahead and ordered my LCI back in July, The car builder was not available online yet at BMW so I built the Luxury Line as opposed to the M Sport without really noticing the difference ( I know.. shame on me, Im a BMW newbie). I've had the car for nearly a month now and starting to wish I had ordered the M sport due to the overwhelming amount of chrome on this car. My first step is to replace the grilles with Black. Need some input as to how it may look on the Luxury line and maybe some suggestions on how to darken the chrome sills with wrapping if thats even possible?

RambleJ · 10-06-2013, 03:57 PM

Do it!!

gtmassive75 · 10-06-2013, 07:35 PM

Blackout grille must have..but if u wanna keep it Luxury, leave it.

fung0001 · 10-06-2013, 07:42 PM

Some dark grill from Taiwan only costs you $5xx(hk$ not US)

DocOct · 10-06-2013, 08:15 PM

Definitely dark grill. I just did mine last weekend and really looks great.

SonicEndeavor · 10-06-2013, 08:52 PM

Not. IMO Black grills throw off the symmetry of the F10 nose. Look at the balance BMW achieved with the silver trim inside the headlight lens, the grill face and grill surround, and the chrome touches in the lower fascia. From the quarter angle the silver wheels come into play as well. Black grills draw the eye too strongly to the grill and looks like an afterthought that doesn't quite work.

ErnestHouse · 10-06-2013, 09:16 PM

DINAN_GT did a lot of work in this area with a 5 GT:
http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=883716
http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=775634

mlai · 10-06-2013, 09:28 PM

I vote modify the chrome/silver slates to black slates. But stay with the chrome frame. I never could understand why people think it looks better with a completely dark grill. The kidney grills had been a symbol on BMWs for ages, to me, replacing that with a completely black grill including the chrome surrounds is equivalent to just removing the BMW badges. It devalues the car in my books.......

But then, that's just me.

sillyo · 10-06-2013, 09:50 PM

Thanks! I'm feeling just leave the chrome surrounds and replace the slats with a gloss black. Now the question is I wonder if this an oem part thru BMW?

mlai · 10-06-2013, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillyo

Thanks! I'm feeling just leave the chrome surrounds and replace the slats with a gloss black. Now the question is I wonder if this an oem part thru BMW?

Get a black grill from BMW, and just replace the chrome/silver slates of your original grills with the black slates.......

Boardman · 10-06-2013, 10:40 PM

No shadow line trim....I would leave it as is. Looks great.

RambleJ · 10-06-2013, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boardman

No shadow line trim....I would leave it as is. Looks great.

Good call, I didn't catch that.

Zaman · 10-07-2013, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillyo

Thanks! I'm feeling just leave the chrome surrounds and replace the slats with a gloss black. Now the question is I wonder if this an oem part thru BMW?

Take a look at getBMWparts:

http://www.getbmwparts.com/partlocat...catalogid=4462

sillyo · 10-07-2013, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlai

Get a black grill from BMW, and just replace the chrome/silver slates of your original grills with the black slates.......

Can I keep my existing chrome rings and just replace the chromed slats with Black Ones? Are the kidney grilles 2 parts? (One being the ring trim and one being the slats)

mlai · 10-07-2013, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillyo

Can I keep my existing chrome rings and just replace the chromed slats with Black Ones? Are the kidney grilles 2 parts? (One being the ring trim and one being the slats)

When you order, you order the WHOLE GRILL. The surround + the slates. The two are detachable and just detach the slates and swap with your present ones

I did that on my F06 with a the M6 slates...... (Without the M6 badge, of course

)

sillyo · 10-07-2013, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlai

When you order, you order the WHOLE GRILL. The surround + the slates. The two are detachable and just detach the slates and swap with your present ones

I did that on my F06 with a the M6 slates...... (Without the M6 badge, of course

)

PERFECT!!
THATS THE LOOK I WANT!
THANKS!

mlai · 10-07-2013, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sillyo

PERFECT!!
THATS THE LOOK I WANT!
THANKS!

Good luck! Post pictures when you are done

Chili Palmer · 10-07-2013, 06:54 PM

You can do it yourself - just remove the grilles from the car, separate the rings from the grilles, sand off the chrome on the slats and spray a couple of coats of semi gloss black paint, let them dry, snap them back together, reinstall, and you're good to go.

slownfast · 10-07-2013, 09:02 PM

black grill is a must

mlai · 10-08-2013, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chili Palmer

You can do it yourself - just remove the grilles from the car, separate the rings from the grilles, sand off the chrome on the slats and spray a couple of coats of semi gloss black paint, let them dry, snap them back together, reinstall, and you're good to go.

Quite right. I was just lazy.

remmib · 10-08-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.K.

black grill is a must

+1.

martin mustang · 10-08-2013, 12:32 PM

Works with white cars, but darker ones not sure, I like the contrast between chrome and dark BMW, my one is Imperial Blue, not sure it will work, specially I find the F10 front on the flat side if compared to the E60 kind of pointy front look, hence the chrome kind off break the big face on the F10.

10-06-2013, 03:51 PM	#1
sillyo Loving my F10 LCI! 26 Rep 47 Posts Drives: 2014 535i Xdrive Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Queens, NEW YORK iTrader: (0)	Black Grilles or Not? So when I went ahead and ordered my LCI back in July, The car builder was not available online yet at BMW so I built the Luxury Line as opposed to the M Sport without really noticing the difference ( I know.. shame on me, Im a BMW newbie). I've had the car for nearly a month now and starting to wish I had ordered the M sport due to the overwhelming amount of chrome on this car. My first step is to replace the grilles with Black. Need some input as to how it may look on the Luxury line and maybe some suggestions on how to darken the chrome sills with wrapping if thats even possible? Attached Images
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10-06-2013, 03:57 PM	#2
RambleJ Colonel 58 Rep 2,014 Posts Drives: F10 535i M-sport Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Back in teh so cal iTrader: (2)	Do it!!
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10-06-2013, 07:35 PM	#3
gtmassive75 Captain 361 Rep 815 Posts Drives: G05 X5,G20 M340,Infiniti Q50RS Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Queens,NY/Palm Bay, FL iTrader: (2)	Blackout grille must have..but if u wanna keep it Luxury, leave it. __________________ 2020 G05 MSport 40i--Phytonic Blue Metallic/Vernasca Coffee Leather/Multi Contour SeatsTrim/Executive Package/MSport Brakes/Icon Adaptive Led HeadlightsW/Laserlight/Harman Kardon/Heated Front Seats Armrests & Steering Last edited by gtmassive75; 10-06-2013 at 08:58 PM..
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10-06-2013, 07:42 PM	#4
fung0001 First Lieutenant 17 Rep 359 Posts Drives: f10 2013 520i Hartge Tuning Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: hk iTrader: (0)	Some dark grill from Taiwan only costs you $5xx(hk$ not US)
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10-06-2013, 08:15 PM	#5
DocOct Private First Class 56 Rep 187 Posts Drives: G05 X5 - F15 X5 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Canada iTrader: (1)	Definitely dark grill. I just did mine last weekend and really looks great.
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10-06-2013, 08:52 PM	#6
SonicEndeavor Lieutenant 48 Rep 494 Posts Drives: 2014 535i MSport Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: California iTrader: (0)	Not. IMO Black grills throw off the symmetry of the F10 nose. Look at the balance BMW achieved with the silver trim inside the headlight lens, the grill face and grill surround, and the chrome touches in the lower fascia. From the quarter angle the silver wheels come into play as well. Black grills draw the eye too strongly to the grill and looks like an afterthought that doesn't quite work. __________________ 2014 LCI 535i /// M-Sport - SAT, Premium package, HK Audio, Drivers Assistance, Top/Side/Rear cameras, multi-contour seats. Mods: V2 coilovers, Michelin PS4S, Opticoat Pro, Quad black chrome exhaust tips.
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10-06-2013, 09:16 PM	#7
ErnestHouse First Lieutenant 30 Rep 381 Posts Drives: 2014 535i GT Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: South Florida iTrader: (0)	DINAN_GT did a lot of work in this area with a 5 GT: http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=883716 http://f10.5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=775634
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10-06-2013, 09:28 PM	#8
mlai Colonel 166 Rep 2,340 Posts Drives: 650GC/E93M3/Lexus LS600HL Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Hong Kong iTrader: (0) Garage List 2013 BMW F06 650i G ... [0.00] 2011 BMW M3 Cabriol ... [10.00]	I vote modify the chrome/silver slates to black slates. But stay with the chrome frame. I never could understand why people think it looks better with a completely dark grill. The kidney grills had been a symbol on BMWs for ages, to me, replacing that with a completely black grill including the chrome surrounds is equivalent to just removing the BMW badges. It devalues the car in my books....... But then, that's just me. __________________ F06 650i Gran Coupe Ruby Black/Dakota Cinamon- 2012-10-12 Adaptive Drive/IAS/Surround View/Adaptive LED/Comfort Seats/BMW 356 Liquid Black/Michelin PSS 245/35R20-285/30R20 E93 M3 Cabriolet Satin Pearl White/CR - 2012/03/12 Bilstein PSS10/ Michelin PSS 245/35R19-265/35R19 Brembo GT 2011 F10 550i M Sport - Retired
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10-06-2013, 09:50 PM	#9
sillyo Loving my F10 LCI! 26 Rep 47 Posts Drives: 2014 535i Xdrive Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Queens, NEW YORK iTrader: (0)	Thanks! I'm feeling just leave the chrome surrounds and replace the slats with a gloss black. Now the question is I wonder if this an oem part thru BMW?
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10-06-2013, 10:40 PM	#11
Boardman Enlisted Member 6 Rep 49 Posts Drives: 2013 550 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Houston iTrader: (0)	No shadow line trim....I would leave it as is. Looks great.
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10-07-2013, 06:54 PM	#18
Chili Palmer Master Of My Domain 89 Rep 669 Posts Drives: 2015 650i Gran Coupe Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: SoCal iTrader: (3)	You can do it yourself - just remove the grilles from the car, separate the rings from the grilles, sand off the chrome on the slats and spray a couple of coats of semi gloss black paint, let them dry, snap them back together, reinstall, and you're good to go.
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10-07-2013, 09:02 PM	#19
slownfast Lieutenant 44 Rep 540 Posts Drives: 2013 528i Xdrive Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Somewhere iTrader: (0)	black grill is a must
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10-08-2013, 12:32 PM	#22
martin mustang Major 257 Rep 1,040 Posts Drives: 640d,X5 45e, 911c4s, 635csi Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ireland iTrader: (0)	Works with white cars, but darker ones not sure, I like the contrast between chrome and dark BMW, my one is Imperial Blue, not sure it will work, specially I find the F10 front on the flat side if compared to the E60 kind of pointy front look, hence the chrome kind off break the big face on the F10.
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