Door handle chrome delete -who's done it

[GladiatorOwner]

And what did you do?

Wrap with body color or carbon?

OR

Swap them to painted body color through IND?

With Sakhir O, I'm thinking wrap it with body color but can't find a match... Or maybe just do carbon to match roof.. Decisions, Decisions?

[LOL_AMG]

I just did mine black.

[N.S.A]

Originally Posted by LOL_AMG

I just did mine black.

Your M5 looks really sweet man. Good combo, with paint and Rims

[chask]

I'm about to have mine done too. I'm in line with IND waiting on my turn for a core swap. I don't know how their pricing is relative to local options but I've bought a few other pieces and they have been absolutely great to work with and I feel real comfortable with their experience.

I was at a tint and wrap place today, checking on X-Pel Ultimate or Stealth for my car and discussed this very thing with the guy. He said they would do the wrap but between what he said about it and his reaction to my questions I could tell I'd about have to hold him or his wife at gunpoint to get it done. He told me "It's a $120K car. The vinyl just won't hold up as it is such a very high wear area. You really should have it painted. It's the only thing that will last." If you think about it, what he said makes a lot of sense. But I have never had any experience with vinyl wraps or know anyone who has. I will add that he also said there might be a bit of an issue getting it properly covered too. That however did not make much sense to me. I'd think even I might be able to get a piece to cover that. But like I said I have no idea what I am talking about when it comes to any kind of wrapping - never done it, never seen it done or known anyone who has. Just some pictures and mostly here.

I was going to have mine done body color but I have to say that black looks pretty sweet - makes for a nice accent.

[GladiatorOwner]

Originally Posted by LOL_AMG

I just did mine black.

More pictures? Please. Mine looks like yours but stock since I just purchased. Cosmetics in process....... And thanks for posting

[Majestic]

Originally Posted by GladiatorOwner

And what did you do?

Wrap with body color or carbon?

OR

Swap them to painted body color through IND?

With Sakhir O, I'm thinking wrap it with body color but can't find a match... Or maybe just do carbon to match roof.. Decisions, Decisions?

I really want to have mine done.. I hate chrome anywhere on my car.

[vaio23]

I wrapped mine in black also.

[chask]

It seems like all you guys are wrapping these. Hmm? How does it hold up? It certainly would be the easier way to go.

[GlobalRSInc.]

I was thinking of going black too on my Sakhir. I want to Plasti-Dip the trunk badge in gloss black since I can't find one to buy and thought I'd do the door handles too. Trying to eliminate chrome also!

[GladiatorOwner]

Originally Posted by GlobalRSInc.

I was thinking of going black too on my Sakhir. I want to Plasti-Dip the trunk badge in gloss black since I can't find one to buy and thought I'd do the door handles too. Trying to eliminate chrome also!

IND has the gloss black trunk badge. Just bought one.

[supremepower]

Here's a couple shots of Vic55 's car. He wrapped the chrome bits in gloss black.

[chask]

Originally Posted by Majestic

I really want to have mine done.. I hate chrome anywhere on my car.

I'm trying to delete all the chrome/shiny stuff on my car too. Funny, but once you get the front grilles and side markers black (the biggest pieces) every little bit of chrome or anything at all shiny seems to stand out like crazy - almost like someone had spotlighted them with really bright lights. As I look at it I am kind of wishing I had opted for a light tint on the side markers. With most of the big shiny thingys on the car blacked out those turn signal lenses almost look like blinding beacons. And the shiny parts of wheels are almost like huge spotlights now. Really wish they had been clear coated with a satin finish, maybe matte instead of high gloss.

Originally Posted by GladiatorOwner

IND has the gloss black trunk badge. Just bought one.

I got one of the black trunk badges from IND. It made it onto my car yesterday, along with the front grilles and side markers they supplied too. Painted front and rear reflectors are next (dealer ran out of time and I wanted my car back), probably next week with the exhaust. Looks so much better now.

[A Frankfurt]

Remove the handle and wrap them.
Takes a few min. to remove the handle and can probably get it wrapped for $20 per handle. I've done this to a lot of BMW's.
I'll post up some pictures. Everything works perfect with it being wrapped also.

[chask]

Originally Posted by Autohaus Frankfurt

Remove the handle and wrap them.
Takes a few min. to remove the handle and can probably get it wrapped for $20 per handle. I've done this to a lot of BMW's.
I'll post up some pictures. Everything works perfect with it being wrapped also.

How does the wrap hold up?

Remembering that I've never been around the material before - the door handles have to be about the most abraded (high wear) surface on the car, and especially on the driver's door. If it was not going to hold up that would be the place it would first show. However, if it is so easy to do and only costs about $20 I guess you could easily get it redone if it got some scratches or something - maybe started to lift for some reason.

[A Frankfurt]

Originally Posted by chask

How does the wrap hold up?

Remembering that I've never been around the material before - the door handles have to be about the most abraded (high wear) surface on the car, and especially on the driver's door. If it was not going to hold up that would be the place it would first show. However, if it is so easy to do and only costs about $20 I guess you could easily get it redone if it got some scratches or something - maybe started to lift for some reason.

It holds up pretty well for being vinyl material.
Just like wrapping a car and the wrap getting rock chips and whatnot while driving. A door handle is easier to repair.
I would ask a wrap facility near you to see some work they have done. But its the best option I have found rather then sending out for paint.

[GladiatorOwner]

Originally Posted by Autohaus Frankfurt

It holds up pretty well for being vinyl material.
Just like wrapping a car and the wrap getting rock chips and whatnot while driving. A door handle is easier to repair.
I would ask a wrap facility near you to see some work they have done. But its the best option I have found rather then sending out for paint.

I'm hear'in ya but can't find a vinyl match to Sakhir O. Not sure about gloss black or CF. I'm currently thinking paint match if I can find it. Any suggestions?

[chask]

Again remembering I am a total noob to all this (iow - I know absolutely nothing about this stuff), but I have read a couple of comments about doing some protective coatings over films. One was a substance that I think is applied like a wax or sprayed on or something (want to say Cquartz) that helped water dissipate rather quickly - sheets off to dry very rapidly. I think someone here said you could put that stuff over the XPEL. Anyway, I wonder if you could put a black vinyl over the chrome then XPEL Ultimate (the self healing material) over that to protect it from most abrasions. The Ultimate is supposed to be self healing. Heck, the cost sure would not be in amount of the material and I cannot imagine much labor cost to do the chrome on 2 or 4 door handles. I probably spent more on my key fob.
And no, I'm not lazy. I've got a health problem that makes the "joy" of washing and waxing my car something I cannot savor anymore - Lucky me . So I am trying to find the most foolproof way to keep my car looking showroom new without breaking my back.
GlobalRSInc - I am with you on the black. I want to do that or match the paint (SG). If you find something please post it or PM me. I'll be going by the vinyl wrap person the dealership indirectly birddogged in a day or two (hopefully). I'll post whatever I find if it looks promising. The guy does about all the extremely high end exotics around here so he ought to be good and know what works.

[A Frankfurt]

[QUOTE=GladiatorOwner;17697840]I'm hear'in ya but can't find a vinyl match to Sakhir O. Not sure about gloss black or CF. I'm currently thinking paint match if I can find it. Any suggestions?[/QUOT

Yeah that may be a little tough to find a match to that specific color.
Wish I had more information on that.
Good luck with that

[mikerx5]

[QUOTE=A Frankfurt;17700349]

Originally Posted by GladiatorOwner

I'm hear'in ya but can't find a vinyl match to Sakhir O. Not sure about gloss black or CF. I'm currently thinking paint match if I can find it. Any suggestions?[/QUOT

Yeah that may be a little tough to find a match to that specific color.
Wish I had more information on that.
Good luck with that

Bringing this back to life as I would like to have mine painted to match body color (space grey) . How does the chrome trim remove from the handle??

[TomM6]

I did all my chrome in body color including reflectors.

[BadSeed]

[QUOTE=mikerx5;25253094]

Originally Posted by A Frankfurt

Bringing this back to life as I would like to have mine painted to match body color (space grey) . How does the chrome trim remove from the handle??

Here you go. Just hope it doesn't get damaged since you cant just buy that piece

[mikerx5]

Originally Posted by TomM6

I did all my chrome in body color including reflectors.

Love it! You removed the pieces?