M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS
DISCUSSION => Exterior => Topic started by: C.Saenz on September 21, 2008, 10:11:58 PM
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I've had this car for 6 months now and I am crazy about it. One thing I'm not totally happy with though are the wheels. I think the design of the rims is great, but I don't like the chrome finish. To me it makes my otherwise classic styled car appear cheap.
My 2 options that I'm debating...
1. Have the wheels painted bright silver. I think the car would look more "stock". The spoke pattern almost mimics a basket weave pattern, so the silver finish would make the car look more true to the 1991 look.
2. Paint the wheels satin black. All my trim is already matte black and I could paint the kidney grille to black to match. My car is DS and I am a huge fan of all things black and grey as it is (Batman is way cooler than Superman). I know and admit that this look is not "authentic" and I'm okay with that. I just don't want the car to look trashy. Danny707 (http://m42club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6206) has a similar looking rims to mine and I like what did a lot.
Has anyone painted rims with canned rim paint? Is it durable, and does the finish look clean? Let me know what you think, or should I change it at all. I'm not 100% sure what I'll do, but I wanted the club's esteemed thoughts on the matter. This is what I've got now. Sorry I had trouble pasting the pics, but here's a couple of links.
(http://m42club.com/forums/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/?action=view¤t=P9200144.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/P9200144.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22clean%20shot%22%3E%3C/a%3E)(http://m42club.com/forums/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/?action=view¤t=P9200144.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/P9200144.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22clean%20shot%22%3E%3C/a%3E)http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/P9200144.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/P9200134.jpg
(http://m42club.com/forums/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/?action=view¤t=P9200134.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/P9200134.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22right%203/4%22%3E%3C/a%3E)
(http://m42club.com/forums/%3Ca%20href=%22http://s46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/?action=view¤t=P9200134.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/P9200134.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22right%203/4%22%3E%3C/a%3E)
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His wheels really aren't similar, they have a slight dish like a stock basket, those have absolutely no dish. Honestly I think Silver would look better than the chrome that they are now, but I'm not crazy about those wheels. I mean do what you want, but 17in wheels just don't look good on most e30s imo. Some cars can pull it off but with stockish suspension it looks like a donk.
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Paint it silver first, see if you like it.
If not sand it down and paint it gunmetal, I think that might look hot.
If you don't like the gunmetal, try the satin black :)
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Have someone pchop the wheels satin and maybe silver and see how it looks. If it fits your style then go for it. If it were my car, I would sell them to someone who likes that kind of thing and buy a set of gunmetal slipstreams.
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If it were my car, I would sell them to someone who likes that kind of thing and buy a set of gunmetal slipstreams.
Agreed.
Gunmetal would look super good on your car.
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Here's a close up shot. Thanks for the input, honesty is great. Is anyone good with photoshop that could help me out? Long shot, I know. Thanks again!
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/100_1866.jpg (http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/CarlosTheAggie/My%20318is/100_1866.jpg)
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Those wheels aren't my style, but as far as my opinion on color goes: silver > black > chrome.
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After seeing the close up, they aren't all that bad. I think a stock silver color would look pretty good. I'm not all that into black wheels unless they have silver lips, but if that is what you are into then do it man.
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silver
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Leave them chrome. Bling bling all the way. :D