Pls help, Silver trim around windows

[South Africa E30 driver]

Could somebody please help me, my E30 still has that silver ring around the windows, how do you paint this, do you take it off or do you paint it while it is on the car. and what colour black is the one on the Shadowline, cause I want to paint it that colour.

Thanks in advance

 

[junglestylz]

I simply masked and paper around the given areas (it was really easy because they are moderately straight lines) and used a flat black exterior Krylon.

 

[South Africa E30 driver]

Hey man junglestylz do u hae a pic of the paint job on your car??

 

[mrferg]

I was gonna do that, but I've become attached to the way the chrome looks.

 

[junglestylz]

I will see if I can use my roomates camera this weekend and take a couple of pics to post.

 

[South Africa E30 driver]

Thanks

 

[rjp325i]

When I had my '85 E30 (bought new and sold in 2002)I changed out the trim only to have it yellow again a few years later. I then painted it with satin black spray paint after carefully taping it off. I later bought new trim again only to have it yellow again and then I painted the replacement trim. It is far easier to tape it off rather then remove the trim and then have to reinstall it. Special tool or not you will have very sore thumbs if you elect to remove the trim. Removing the trim is easy reinstalling without damaging is not especially if you painted it. I did it twice and would not advise doing it. I did it because of car show points and my desire to get a first place instead of third. Some as I did just painted around the windows while others painted the door trim too. Its up to you. Now I don't have the problem since I bought an '89 in 1997 and its already black.

 

[jrt67ss350]

Does anyone have any tips for cleaning the chrome trim? Mine is pretty dingy due to oxidation and water stains. I have tried Mothers aluminum polish and steel wool, and neither did the trick.

 

[South Africa E30 driver]

Hey rjp325i, did your 89 325i come with black trim??, cause mine is a 91 and it came with silver trim, u sure it isn't a shadowline your car.

 

[rjp325i]

The US 1989 325i came standard with black trim around the windows. It installs the same as the silver trim. The black trim can be purchased for replacement but painting is easier and cheaper. The difference is that the factory black trim pieces are more flat as opposed the the silver having a slight crown. The reinstallation of the trim was a real pain, literally. The side drip moulding is silver on all models. The beltline trim is also silver.

 

[andreyiv]

Does anyone have any tips for cleaning the chrome trim? Mine is pretty dingy due to oxidation and water stains. I have tried Mothers aluminum polish and steel wool, and neither did the trick.

I watched that show called Myth Busters and they compared a leading chrome cleaner to cola (scrubing with aluminum foil) and cola showed much better results. You can try that but wash it off before the cola dries or it will become really sticky.

 

[South Africa E30 driver]

Damn I wish they came like that here in South Africa, then I wouldn't have to go out and paint it black.

 

[jal325i]

Use some fine sand paper, like 800grit, and dont take it off, because the clips are most likely rusted and it wont go bakc on, and it will also bend. and new ones are like 100 dollars for the chrome, and like 140 for the mtec black. My passenger side trim ripped of at 130mph down the highway, and smacked the roof, no dammage thank god. just a scrach that was buffed out that same day.