Blacked Out Kidneys: Why?

[RGCintha29073]

black kidneys look best on red e30s out of all the colors. something about chrome + red....

+1 But i have found a look that i like that incorporates black & chrome kidneys together...painted my old chrome kidneys and then took a drill and wire brush attachment and removed just the front layer and left the sides black. It looks great and has less chrome.

[Erik]

I thinkunless you're going for the murdered look the contrast of chrome kidneys is pretty much essential on just about every E30.

[dougie30]

black kidneys look best on red e30s out of all the colors. Something about chrome + red....

+1

[dashboardmonkey]

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

[squidmaster]

black kidneys look best on red e30s out of all the colors. something about chrome + red....

[Jand3rson]

Wanted the grill area to disappear

Like this

Which both look like this:

[dannyyisntt]

Good lord, what's up with all the conformity threads lately? Let people modify their cars according to their taste. Be that "stanced", blacked out, or slammed.

I know that when I go out and work on my car or buy parts for it, I do it for myself. Because it relieves stress and I enjoy it. I'm going to do what I feel is best for my e30 in regards to my taste and will do so without concern for what others may think.

Btw my 325ix has chrome and my 318i has black.

[burkey001]

robotin... I had that same money box that's in your sig.

Radio shack right?? late 80's

unless u just found the pic and thought it was cool lookin'

[Robotin]

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.

[Xat1cZ]

Somewhat good comparison pictures, yet to do the smoked signals and brake airducts to the smoked look to really finish it off I think..





vs.





especially when it's a little darker outside I like the smoked look alot more..

becauz stealth mode!



edit: dunno why the hoods color looks so faded in the 2nd picture *sadface*

[StealthiE30]

As previously stated its a matter of personal taste/choice.

I prefer this...



Over this...

[reelizmpro]

Yup, pretty much a personal choice. Its an easy way to change up the front end though. I used to rock black grills because I figured there wasn't much chrome on the car anyway. Then I went back to the stock...classic look. My white m3 came with a chipped to shit black grill that looked terrible. I keep a freshly sprayed black out grill in my garage for the days I want to change up the look but for now, stock grills all around. Perfect if u have a blemished grill but u don't want to throw it away.

[nickflic3]

Wanted the grill area to disappear

Like this

[Vivek]

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

[iansane]

Looks like the trend here is people will say it looks "OK" if the rest if the car looks really good.
But the thing is it will always look better if they're chrome. The only reason to say it looks "OK" is that the rest of the car makes up for it. It looks like it's missing something without it.
Compare any car chrome kidneys to black kidneys all else equal and the chrome looks better.

I think the trend is it looks good if it "flows" well with the rest of the car. A blacked out grille/headlights or an all darkened car. Chrome kidneys on a car with no other chrome looks weird to me.