[mecheng77]

Is there a preferred seller on eBay for gloss back grille? Any regrets with this mod?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F322757504435

[mecheng77]

........

[Bimmer_Engineer]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

........

I went with matte black from eBay...I kinda thought the gloss looked cheap...

[mecheng77]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Engineer

I went with matte black from eBay...I kinda thought the gloss looked cheap...

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Engineer

I went with matte black from eBay...I kinda thought the gloss looked cheap...

I dunno, hard choice really. I have to see them side by side

[jwalker87]

You can see enough examples online to make your own decision on whether you like it or not. Honestly, though, there's no reason to buy one if your grilles are in good shape. Just clean them, roughen up with a little sandpaper, and use a rattle-can. I prefer satin-black, but gloss can look good as well. You can always paint it a different sheen if you don't like it.

[Bali]

This is probably not much help, but for a time ecstuning sold some very high quality gloss black grilles for E46 and E39. They were branded ECS Tuning, so not sure who actually made them. What made them so good was they were thick, tough, not brittle, fit tight, and looked very good. Best grilles I’ve ever seen, honestly.

If it was me in your shoes, I’d just Google a ton looking for photos and others’ experiences.

[07lilredwagon]

I have a set that came stock on my wagon and switched them out for chrome ones.

pm me.

they are not gloss, though...satin or matt....Ill have to dig them out of the OEM boxes the chrome ones came in....


JP

[mecheng77]

Thanks guys for the input. I thought about painting them but for $40 shipped you can't go wrong and if I decide they are to ricer I can just remove them.

[nsjames]

https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Matte-...-1-spons&psc=1

I have those. They fit OK. They've survived the winter.

[e90yyc]

Add these to complete the look:





I had the OE gloss black grilles on my 340 and loved them. They tied in super well with the shadowline trim. For some reason though I’m not really big on how the pre-LCI E90 grilles look, and with my car being a non sport package model, I personally felt the black grilles would look out of place.

Since your car is also pre-LCI, if you wouldn’t mind sharing some pics and your thoughts on the quality once you get them that would be appreciated. Perhaps I’ve just seen shitty examples in real life.

[W37V]

Originally Posted by mecheng77

Is there a preferred seller on eBay for gloss back grille? Any regrets with this mod?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F322757504435

just spray paint your existing one.

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by W37V

just spray paint your existing one.

Assuming you’ve done this, how has it held up? Did you bother using clear or just the paint?

Climate where I am (and presumably where OP is) is incredibly harsh.

[Bimmer_Engineer]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Assuming you’ve done this, how has it held up? Did you bother using clear or just the paint?

Climate where I am (and presumably where OP is) is incredibly harsh.

Yeah that’s what I thought...I bought mine from eBay for $30 and they’ve held up great...totally worth the cost to me vs painting...

[ducatiti]

Different variations on eBay. I went with one with thicker slats in gloss black. Didn’t go with matte because it will look like my stock plastidipped grill.

[mecheng77]

Originally Posted by ducatiti

Different variations on eBay. I went with one with thicker slats in gloss black.

Originally Posted by ducatiti

Different variations on eBay. I went with one with thicker slats in gloss black.

[IMG]https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.enji...ll/4098775.jpg[/IMG]

I like it looks clean

[mecheng77]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Assuming you’ve done this, how has it held up? Did you bother using clear or just the paint?

Climate where I am (and presumably where OP is) is incredibly harsh.

Originally Posted by ducatiti

Different variations on eBay. I went with one with thicker slats in gloss black.

[IMG]https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.enji...ll/4098775.jpg[/IMG]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Assuming you've done this, how has it held up? Did you bother using clear or just the paint?

Climate where I am (and presumably where OP is) is incredibly harsh.

Correct, I painted my wife's Volvo chrome grille matte black with special paint designed for plastic. It looks good but the small stones take a beating on the paint. If the China one falls Apart I'll put the old grille back on. No mugen for me, I sold my Integra and prelude a long time ago. I miss my Prelude actually, handled so good

[e90yyc]

Thanks for the info gents.

I think it looks good too. Best with black car for sure. Mine is Sparkling Graphite with the matte black (plastic) trim, so I’m on the fence about how it would look...

[SilverSlug]

I prefer gloss black rather than matte or satin (somehow it looks more OEM to me), but to each is own.

[Lost808]

To test what look you like, try plasti dip. If you like the matte look, then leave it. If you want to try glossy, spray plasti dip gloss over it. If you don't like any of it, just peel it off. Good way to test before you buy or permanently spray.

[ducatiti]

Plastidip pics here..




vs gloss black

[W37V]

Originally Posted by e90yyc

Assuming you’ve done this, how has it held up? Did you bother using clear or just the paint?

Climate where I am (and presumably where OP is) is incredibly harsh.

I plasti dipped mine about 5 years ago. They still look awesome as if bmw made them that way. Plasti dip has matte finish but they sell glosser for it, so you can make it as shiny as you want.

[Schmitz]

Originally Posted by ducatiti

Plastidip pics here..




vs gloss black

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