Blacked Out Kidneys: Why?

[BMWE34M5]

Looks good with matching Euro Grills

Only $109 shipped for the combo.

[reelizmpro]

The grill also lines up with the lines of the hood too, which I always liked. Can't really see that with a blacked out grill.

[Threehz]

I have yet to see a direct comparison picture, in every comparison picture that supports black kidneys, there has been other body mods done to enhance the appearance, and chrome would look better.

+1 for the brushed idea, brushed rocks, and metal > plastic all day (but I love my bumpers).

It really is like taking the tits off a woman. You see an E30 with chrome kidneys and you instantly know it's a BMW. I see an E30 with blacked out kidneys and I'm not sure what I'm looking at? It's like seeing a tit-less woman, is it a man? Is it a tranny?

Black kidneys are like poly bushings off the track. You do it because you think it's rad, but then you live with it and eventually realize you fucked up something that was perfect from the factory.

I will be forever only okay with on a black E30.

Ryan, your car is so god damn gorgeous, rock on, and I will never understand how people dislike the chrome window trim either.

[MC Hammered]

I liked the blacked out kindeys as it made the look a bit more aggressive

[butters]

What do you mean by brushed? Post a pic.

Google image came up with this, looks like an E90 guy DIY'd brushing:




Audi cars are distinguished by the use of aluminum, or at least they were a decade ago. I would agree with them in that the brushed look is more sporting than the polished look. This kind of evolved into the trend of gloss black trim as the uber-sporting look.

You are probably aware of the sideview mirrors they used - polished aluminum signified an S car, while brushed aluminum signified an RS car. This is just the most obvious example that comes to mind.

[VinniE30]

+1 for original kidneys, I'm with OP.

I am very anti-chrome in general, so after blacking the window trim I wrapped the kidneys in gloss black vinyl, to try out the look. My car is certainly very OEM looking but either way, I didn't like how the kidneys just disappeared. Went back to original chrome.

I do also like brushed aluminum or the look of it, in places where chrome is OE. Probably stems from my B5 days and the RS4 grills, Audi seems to have gotten the concept at one point. I always wondered how brushed trim would look, perhaps coupled with brushed window trim, on a black E30 <drool>. Never tried it though, I bet the chrome would just come off..

What do you mean by brushed? Post a pic.

[butters]

+1 for original kidneys, I'm with OP.

I am very anti-chrome in general, so after blacking the window trim I wrapped the kidneys in gloss black vinyl, to try out the look. My car is certainly very OEM looking but either way, I didn't like how the kidneys just disappeared. Went back to original chrome.

I do also like brushed aluminum or the look of it, in places where chrome is OE. Probably stems from my B5 days and the RS4 grills, Audi seems to have gotten the concept at one point. I always wondered how brushed trim would look, perhaps coupled with brushed window trim, on a black E30 <drool>. Never tried it though, I bet the chrome would just come off..

[Deathtoll]

Wheni bought mine it was chrome... And still is. I like how it stands out.

[nando]

mine is molded black, not spray painted. :p

[fronton]

I like how there are 5 pages of thread dedicated to Kidneys only haha. Not to downplay them or anything, I totally agree that they are an essential part of an e30 especially.

That being said...^^^ this guy replying to everyones comments individually totally blows the importance of the Kidneys out of proportion lol...

Come on man, its only been 2 pages and a visible chrome grill helps distinguish an e30 from a 80s corolla a mile away. In all seriousness, as this is serious business, blacked out grills let the entire car down. You may have spent $5,000 on body work, Mtech spoilers, cf hood, 17" RS, hip thule canoe rack over a glass moonroof but the $8 can of rustoleum bbq flat black plays the queen of spades and spoils the whole game.

[Not a 4 door]

I like how there are 5 pages of thread dedicated to Kidneys only haha. Not to downplay them or anything, I totally agree that they are an essential part of an e30 especially.

That being said...^^^ this guy replying to everyones comments individually totally blows the importance of the Kidneys out of proportion lol...

[stinkydriverx]

I know questioning ascetics is ridiculous, especially in the car world, but there is one change I commonly see on E30's that I can't accept.

Why do people black out the kidneys?

I feel as if this single act ruins some of the otherwise best looking E30s. Color-matched kidneys aren't all that bad, but blacking them feels like it's taking away a necessary part of the BMW character.

Am I insane or does this bother others?

In my opinion, your argument is immediately invalid when you said color-matched kidneys aren't all that bad. Again, in my opinion a bmw's character has more to do with how it drives, then something as simple chrome kidneys.

I did mine because I like how it looks.

This.

Because how else can you have a car that looks like shit, that's why.

I'm trying to buy an E36 ATM and the number of blacked out kidneys are astounding.

Your argument is also invalid. Mostly because the hood in your sig picture.

imo, if done correctly and tastefully it can make for a more aggressive look.

I agree.

Cause I like how it looks?

I had blacked out kidneys before every single one of you even knew what an e30 was.



I actually have a chrome one right now, suits the I lip better.

Spoken by the boss.

Stock kidneys > any color but black kidneys > black kidneys
The whole reason black kidneys look so horrible is that it just hides the kidneys and the kidneys are essential to the way the grill looks. It looks awkward with nothing breaking up the center. Looks like one of the old muscle car's grills like camaro or mustang. The twin center kidney grills are one of bmw's distinguishing traits. They look bad for the same reason black wheels and "blacking out" cars looks bad - because it takes away all contrast.

Alright that's my best way of explaining why it looks bad.

I respect your answer. But at the same time are you saying those muscle cars look bad because of their grills? Im going to have to disagree with you on that.... It's not like painting the kidney's black makes them up and disappear. You can still see the kidneys from anywhere under 100 feet, if you aren't blind.

I think blacked out only works when:
a) smoked hella lights; and
b) car generally bad-ass.


My 'not bone stock' 325is. Also has black Hella's but also has a dry-sumped euro S50, AST coils, rediculous brakes, custom Forgeline wheels etc etc etc SO has to have black kidneys.



I tried black kidneys on the 318is... just doesn't look right.
Chrome kidneys on the 325is makes it look a little too friendly. It's not. It will eat small children & dogs :)

Hahah I love this comparison!!!!

Blacking out kidneys is like taking tits off a women. A women with no tits is not a women, an e30 with blacked out kidneys is not an e30.

first of all.... wtf are you talking about. You just compared a woman's tits, or lack there of, to the kidney's on an e30. hahahhaah

It's a personal preference that there's no use trying to argue or reason.

But arguing is fun as long as its all in good fun, and no one takes themselves, or the internet to seriously. Then it's their own god dang fault.

the chrome kidneys are a BMW icon. everyone BMW has them. so why modify them so you cant seem them.....etc

The fact that they are chrome is not why they are an icon.... It is their shape. BMW offers blacked out grills as an option. Would they do this is they thought it would have any negative effect on their company?

I did it because I HATE chrome on my car, period.

I agree.

eh

it's not like you can't swap them out in 30 seconds.

This.

[nando]

eh

it's not like you can't swap them out in 30 seconds.

[csermonet47]

Chrome gets ya home:



But really, chrome trim and kidneys are the way to go. The grille needs that chrome contrast. It is kinda like having black wheels, it just sucks.

[frankie591]

the chrome kidneys are a BMW icon. everyone BMW has them. so why modify them so you cant seem them?

i think blacked out kidneys is something new e30 guys do...

then after a few years they realize that clean is queen. and it looks better with original chrome.

bottlecaps are also a bmw icon, but nobody keeps them on their cars. I think black kidneys make the car look meaner and more aggressive, so that's why I run them. However, I blacked them out with shadowline tape, so I can switch back to chrome if I feel like it.