E46 Sedan front/side/back mouldings

[atlau]

Folks,
I have a question - particularly to E46 sedan owners in US.

I have a E46 in Australia, and I love it. I spend most of my working day searching at other E46s in the world - and I note that there are lots in the US, where the front/back bumper black mouldings, as well as the door mouldings are painted in body colour!?!

I was just curious if this is a standard feature in the US models or are you getting them painted yourself?

And does it look good?

I have a White E46, with black mouldings all over, (including black door handles) and I was just curious if it was white, if it looked better?

Thanks folks, - Still love that bimmer....!
Andrew

[Kaz]

On sedans and tourings, the moldings are black in all markets. Any that are painted are done after the fact. Door handles are body color standard in the US, and optional in some markets on lower models.

[atlau]

Thanks Kaz,

Does it look good??? (I've never seen a real one)

I used to have a honda accord, with black mouldings, which i got them to respray body colour, and it looks better

many thanks
Andrew

[Kaz]

Thanks Kaz,

Does it look good??? (I've never seen a real one)

I used to have a honda accord, with black mouldings, which i got them to respray body colour, and it looks better

many thanks
Andrew

It's a matter of opinion. IMO it looks like crap, especially on lighter colors (white, silver).

[KP]

wonder if the mouldings have to be primed...

[atlau]

Well, I always suspect that's the charm of the BMW, that you can buy a AUD60k+ car, and get away with black door handles... a Hyundai Accent even comes with color coorindation...
Why I ask is some :asshole: commented on how cheap my BMW looked, a few nights ago because of the black mouldings...
Thanks guys... I agree with KAZ.

[Kaz]

wonder if the mouldings have to be primed...

I'm guessing sanded, filled, and primed. That rough-grain plastic probably needs to be smoothed out before it'll take paint nice and evenly. I've seen it where that wasn't done and it actually looks worse than if it was just glossy like on coupes.

[andy_thomas]

Well, I always suspect that's the charm of the BMW, that you can buy a AUD60k+ car, and get away with black door handles... a Hyundai Accent even comes with color coorindation...

'Tis BMW's way of getting you to spend more money on extras, or shaming you into buying the next model up (320i for you, which has body-coloured handles).

It may sound disgraceful that you don't get body-coloured handles for your A$60k+ when you consider what the car would cost (in Euro, converted) in Germany, frinstance. But I recall Luxury Car Tax kicking in at a level which conveniently blows up the price of anything remotely European, so you should be writing to the ATO and/or your MP and asking for your body-coloured handles back :).