Best vendor for front grills?
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Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Connecticut
My Ride: 2008 BMW 535xi Purchased 2/2011Sapphire Black MetallicNatural Brown LeatherPremium, Sport & Cold Weather
Hey now fellow e60 fans! 
I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, but I've searched up and down and still cannot get a definitive answer. Time to get rid of my chrome front grills and replace them...debating on having them done the same color as the car (Black Sapphire), or flat black or even just gloss black...most likely will go gloss or painted.
I see so many cheap ones on eBay, but I take it that they probably don't fit well, flimsy, bad paint....etc., I'm sure you get what you pay for as they say.
But, any advice on who to buy them from? I'm thinking Trinity, but I only see matte finish, and I suppose I could have them painted then the cost of everything is going to go way up.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I'm sure this topic has been beaten to death, but I've searched up and down and still cannot get a definitive answer. Time to get rid of my chrome front grills and replace them...debating on having them done the same color as the car (Black Sapphire), or flat black or even just gloss black...most likely will go gloss or painted.
I see so many cheap ones on eBay, but I take it that they probably don't fit well, flimsy, bad paint....etc., I'm sure you get what you pay for as they say.
But, any advice on who to buy them from? I'm thinking Trinity, but I only see matte finish, and I suppose I could have them painted then the cost of everything is going to go way up.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Yes please avoid ebay ones they are cheap and ugly, Trinity sells some nice quality grills that are matte black (where I got mine after looking at EBay grills). There are some DIY guides on installation but take caution when installing these because the clips are known to break during install and uninstalling on all grills!
I've seen a few members also paint the OEM grill and also the matte grill a gloss black color if that was what you are looking for.
I've seen a few members also paint the OEM grill and also the matte grill a gloss black color if that was what you are looking for.
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 178
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From: Connecticut
My Ride: 2008 BMW 535xi Purchased 2/2011Sapphire Black MetallicNatural Brown LeatherPremium, Sport & Cold Weather
Thank you for your response, Persian_535i!
Yeah, read the guides, I'm not too worried about that. I guess I'm looking to be a bit "different" for wanting either gloss or matching paint instead of matte black. I think on most colors the matte would work, but being mine is Black Sapphire, I just don't think it will look right. Bimmian.com has painted ones, but $150+ after shipping is just tough for some plastic. I'll keep poking around I guess.
Yeah, read the guides, I'm not too worried about that. I guess I'm looking to be a bit "different" for wanting either gloss or matching paint instead of matte black. I think on most colors the matte would work, but being mine is Black Sapphire, I just don't think it will look right. Bimmian.com has painted ones, but $150+ after shipping is just tough for some plastic. I'll keep poking around I guess.

Yes please avoid ebay ones they are cheap and ugly, Trinity sells some nice quality grills that are matte black (where I got mine after looking at EBay grills). There are some DIY guides on installation but take caution when installing these because the clips are known to break during install and uninstalling on all grills!
I've seen a few members also paint the OEM grill and also the matte grill a gloss black color if that was what you are looking for.
I've seen a few members also paint the OEM grill and also the matte grill a gloss black color if that was what you are looking for.
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 178
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From: Connecticut
My Ride: 2008 BMW 535xi Purchased 2/2011Sapphire Black MetallicNatural Brown LeatherPremium, Sport & Cold Weather
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Thank you for your response, Persian_535i!
Yeah, read the guides, I'm not too worried about that. I guess I'm looking to be a bit "different" for wanting either gloss or matching paint instead of matte black. I think on most colors the matte would work, but being mine is Black Sapphire, I just don't think it will look right. Bimmian.com has painted ones, but $150+ after shipping is just tough for some plastic. I'll keep poking around I guess.
Yeah, read the guides, I'm not too worried about that. I guess I'm looking to be a bit "different" for wanting either gloss or matching paint instead of matte black. I think on most colors the matte would work, but being mine is Black Sapphire, I just don't think it will look right. Bimmian.com has painted ones, but $150+ after shipping is just tough for some plastic. I'll keep poking around I guess.

I think I bought mine from Bav Autosport. I got the black plastic ones, and I had them painted with matching body color at a local auto repair shop.
Painted to match the car is the best look.


