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Thursday January 24, 2002

Painted Titanium Silver Moldings

Abstract - The stock trim panels around the E46 sedans are black. The stock trim panels around the E46 Coupes are the same color as the body of the car, why is this? IMHO, trim panels that match the car look good.

Purchase - None

Parts - Stock Bumper and Side Moldings

Installations - When painting anything, make sure you have a good body shop. A bad body shop will yield very bad results. I had my black plastic moldings painted at Ricks Auto Collision in Revere, MA. I was not there at the time of the installation but they explained to their procedure.

Since the black plastic moldings are smooth plastic they need to sand, prime, paint, and clear coat. If this procedure isn't followed, the paint will have a hard time sticking, the final product will be bumpy and the paint will chip easily.

When installing, be careful not to break the clips that hold the trim on the car. They are cheap and available at the dealer but it is a pain if they don't have it in stock. Some people buy spares before doing this mod to avoid problems.

Impressions - I really liked how things turned out. The titanium silver moldings really cleaned up the car. It feels like the car is one piece, sleek and smooth. If your going for the two color look, keep the stock moldings.

Conclusions - I am extremely pleased with the results; it was much better than I had imagined. It was well worth the money.

<<MOLDING PIX>>