Black Kidney Grills on a Black car - Matte vs Painted
04-16-2009, 01:19 PM
#11
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My Ride: 530D M Sport E60, media pack, bluetooth, pro nav system
Originally Posted by Nick@Jlevi SW' post='849562' date='Apr 16 2009, 09:25 PM
On a black car, I think you should do the matte look. It gives the grill some contrast and makes it stand out a bit from the car. I find that the painted ones blend in too much.
04-16-2009, 01:24 PM
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My Ride: 2008 Silverstone II E60 M5 2012 E70 AW X5 50i Sport w/ LCI Aero Kit and Rocker Panels
I would order them from Trinity, as they already come in matte black. If you want the surrounds glossy like Knightcom, take them to a body shop and have the outsides painted.
On my 2007 Jet Black 530, I went with the matte black look and liked the contrast. Here's a picture of my old car:
On my 2007 Jet Black 530, I went with the matte black look and liked the contrast. Here's a picture of my old car:
04-16-2009, 01:27 PM
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My Ride: 2008 550i Jet Black on Black Leather, SAT with Paddles, Logic 7, Comfort Seats, NAV, Sport Package, PDC, Xenons, Sirius, Trinity 12W LED Angel Eyes, RPi GT Exhaust, M rear spoiler, ACS Roof Spoiler, Tinted Tail Lights, Bimmian Carbon Fiber Pillar Trim, Bimmian Shadow 550i emblem, RPi Scoop, E60 Forum Cling, Mtec bulbs in fog lights, Mtec 2W LED for License Plate Light Bulbs, K&N Filter, Bimmian LED Smoked Side Markers, Blackout roundels, Carbon Fiber Kidney Grills.
Retired Rides - 1989 325i convertible, 1995 M3, 2002 X5, 2005 545i, 2008 X5 (Lemon)
I personally went with Carbon Fiber on my Sapphire Black, and it looks great! 
04-16-2009, 01:31 PM
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My Ride: 2008 Silverstone II E60 M5 2012 E70 AW X5 50i Sport w/ LCI Aero Kit and Rocker Panels
Originally Posted by flyingpuck' post='849620' date='Apr 16 2009, 05:27 PM
I personally went with Carbon Fiber on my Sapphire Black, and it looks great!
04-16-2009, 02:59 PM
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My Ride: 2005 545i | Titanium Silver | Sport, Premium, Cold Weather, Navigation packages | Style 124 staggered rims | iPod integration | Tinted windows
Originally Posted by C's Bimmer' post='849624' date='Apr 16 2009, 05:31 PM
Agree. I went with the CF one's on my current car (even though it's not black) and I love it. And when you add up the cost of the black kidney grills and the paint job for the surrounds, you're looking at the same cost as the CF ones. Good call, FP.
Any other Silver E60's with black grills? Would love to see pic's.
04-16-2009, 03:06 PM
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My Ride: 2007 530i. Purchased 6/28/07. Titanium Silver Metallic, Black Dakota Leather, Dark Poplar Trim, Steptronic, Premium Package, Cold Weather Package, Bluetooth, Adaptive Control Xenons. 10/30/07 Added OEM 124s with 245/40/18 & 275/35/18 Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. Installed red Cal Covers� from BavAuto. 11/21/07 Added OEM all-weather floor mats (for winter, carpet in summer) and coat rack. 6/26/08 installed M5-style rear spoiler. 6/30/08 put on red reflectors. 8/22/08 Euro turn signal stickers applied. 3/20/09 Installed Shadowline Trim. 3/27/09 Added Matte Black Kidney Grilles from Trinity. 4/03/09 Installed Bimmian Shadow Matte Black 530i Badges. 4/04/09 Installed LED license plate lights from Trinity. 5/01/09 Installed Brabus Interior LED Kit and White Angel Eyes. 5/02/09 Put in Brabus 6K Fogs. 5/14/09 Removed charcoal filter. 5/15/09 Installed light smoke LED side marker lamps from Trinity. 5/21/09 Sprint Booster. 6/12/09 Painted exhaust tips flat black. 6/13/09 Pulled red Cal Covers and painted calipers low gloss black. 6/27/09 RPI Ram Air Scoop from Trinity. 8/15/09 Installed Brabus's silver invisibulbs front and rear. 9/24/09 Installed R-Dash license plate LEDs from Brabaus (John).
Originally Posted by Silver_545i' post='849706' date='Apr 16 2009, 05:59 PM
Any other Silver E60's with black grills? Would love to see pic's.
04-16-2009, 03:19 PM
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I had mine painted black, i think the painted glossy black grilles look better than matte on anything but black. Only problem with painting is they will chip, had mine a few months and already gt a few stone chips in them.
04-16-2009, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by C's Bimmer' post='849624' date='Apr 16 2009, 05:31 PM
Agree. I went with the CF one's on my current car (even though it's not black) and I love it. And when you add up the cost of the black kidney grills and the paint job for the surrounds, you're looking at the same cost as the CF ones. Good call, FP.
04-16-2009, 06:11 PM
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My Ride: 2007 550i Jet Black|Black
Options: Sport|Premium|Cold Weather|PDC|Nav|Satellite Radio|Active Steering|Convenience Entry
Mods: Trinity Side Skirts|Trinity Black Grilles|LCI Tail Lights with Bruce V6|Fog Light Bezel Rings|MTEC V2 Angel Eyes|LED License Plate Lights
I left mine matte black. I like the subtle contrast. I think when the surrounds match the car the kidney tends to blend into the car and it looks like a hole when you get a few feet back. The matte lends definition to the grille and preserves the BMW design queue of two kidney grilles. I noticed with black on black when you get far from the car you lose the sense that it is a BMW. I used to be able to tell my car was a BMW from way across the parking lot based on the kidney grilles. Now that there is limited contrast due to the lack of chrome against black it is harder to tell at greater distances.
04-16-2009, 06:31 PM
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My Ride: 2008 335i, Jet Black / Terra Dakota, 15k miles
Originally Posted by Silver_545i' post='849706' date='Apr 16 2009, 06:59 PM
I am wondering what to do here also? I've got the black matte grills and was wondering if I should have the surrounds painted black to match the shadow line trim. But I also wanted it to match my new M bumper. Do you have pic's of your bumper with the CF grills?
Any other Silver E60's with black grills? Would love to see pic's.
Any other Silver E60's with black grills? Would love to see pic's.
Per your request, silver with matte black and CF roundles. Soon to be added is my umnitza m5 front
