front black grills

[Zed Baron]

I went for something a bit different, these slotted straight ingrill.jpg

Cheeky, I like it. Aliexpress I am guessing?

Nope got them from a guy in Essex via Ebay (If I had to cut anything or stick anything least I could send them back!)... I was expecting the worst but I was really shocked, nicely packaged and once I got the old ones off they just clipped straight in without any fettling. The old ones are like new, so I've put them in a box with the whippy aerial to keep them company :lol:

 

[Tarzan]

I had painted on my old E85.
On my red E89 like yours I am in full reflection.
Do nothing.
Keep the chrome part and paint the fins.
Paint everything black.

If you could publish photos of the result it would be useful for me to decide.
Thank you in advance.

 

[enzed4]

Another vote for the blackout

 

[step_change]

Definitely a blackout from me too. Looks a PITA to swap the grills though from what I can gather though, especially with the size of my arms and forearms.

 

[enuff_zed]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

 

[golfgeezer]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

Totally agree with the VO. Best to do an image manipulation first before going all black.

 

[Smartbear]

Definitely a blackout from me too. Looks a PITA to swap the grills though from what I can gather though, especially with the size of my arms and forearms.

You have to remove the panel above the grills, it’s not possible to lift them up & yank them out like the e85 ones.
It’s easier once you’ve removed one as access is then improved through the grill space, i still lost some skin though
Rob

 

[Silverstar]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

I agree with this, depends on the colour of the car if the black grills will look good or not. I have got the black grills but I've got a black car but I also like the grey grills of the 35i /35is. I think at some point I might get a set and can then alternate the look :lol:

If you have small fingers you can remove the old grills from the front without undoing anything. Just look at the tabs on the new grills and in the same location on the old ones you can lift those tabs from the front to remove the old grills. Managed to do mine in like 10 minutes.

 

[Zed Baron]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

I agree with this, depends on the colour of the car if the black grills will look good or not. I have got the black grills but I've got a black car but I also like the grey grills of the 35i /35is. I think at some point I might get a set and can then alternate the look :lol:

If you have small fingers you can remove the old grills from the front without undoing anything. Just look at the tabs on the new grills and in the same location on the old ones you can lift those tabs from the front to remove the old grills. Managed to do mine in like 10 minutes.

you must have very tiny fingers to do that, I need a screwdriver to press the tangs down

 

[step_change]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

I agree with this, depends on the colour of the car if the black grills will look good or not. I have got the black grills but I've got a black car but I also like the grey grills of the 35i /35is. I think at some point I might get a set and can then alternate the look :lol:

If you have small fingers you can remove the old grills from the front without undoing anything. Just look at the tabs on the new grills and in the same location on the old ones you can lift those tabs from the front to remove the old grills. Managed to do mine in like 10 minutes.

you must have very tiny fingers to do that, I need a screwdriver to press the tangs down

From the front through with the grills in situ you mean? The way i have seen is to remove the air duct housing but then I'm not sure I'll get my arms down through the gap.

 

[Zed Baron]

I agree with this, depends on the colour of the car if the black grills will look good or not. I have got the black grills but I've got a black car but I also like the grey grills of the 35i /35is. I think at some point I might get a set and can then alternate the look :lol:

If you have small fingers you can remove the old grills from the front without undoing anything. Just look at the tabs on the new grills and in the same location on the old ones you can lift those tabs from the front to remove the old grills. Managed to do mine in like 10 minutes.

you must have very tiny fingers to do that, I need a screwdriver to press the tangs down

From the front through with the grills in situ you mean? The way i have seen is to remove the air duct housing but then I'm not sure I'll get my arms down through the gap.

I had to remove the front cowling off the airbox and then peel back the rubber strip on the front bumper skin. That allows access to the eight bolts for the top of the bumper skin. Once they are removed it gives you enough access to slide to your hand behind the skin to the grilles (keep first aid kit handy for the scraped knuckles!). I also hung a torch on a piece of wire behind the grill to see what I was doing its very dark in there, the corner tangs from memory needed the longer screwdriver to press down on. Took about 30 minutes.

 

[Pickster]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

Totally agree with the VO. Best to do an image manipulation first before going all black.

I think the Black looks good on the red, I like the black wheels as well as the pic, not my car but I've got same colour and am thinking of going black.

 

[enuff_zed]

Another thing that depends on car colour maybe?
I looked at all black on my VO E89, mocked it up on the laptop; but for me it lost something.
On that colour the silver outer ring picks up nicely with the tops of the headlights and the LCI indicators.

Totally agree with the VO. Best to do an image manipulation first before going all black.

I think the Black looks good on the red, I like the black wheels as well as the pic, not my car but I've got same colour and am thinking of going black.Z Black Wheels.jpg

I agree that does look good, but that one does not have the LCI indicators.
On mine, going all black kind of cast the chrome indicators adrift on their own.

At the end of the day, it's a subjective point of view and as long as the owner likes how it looks, who else matters?

 

[Pickster]

Totally agree with the VO. Best to do an image manipulation first before going all black.

I think the Black looks good on the red, I like the black wheels as well as the pic, not my car but I've got same colour and am thinking of going black.Z Black Wheels.jpg

I agree that does look good, but that one does not have the LCI indicators.
On mine, going all black kind of cast the chrome indicators adrift on their own.

At the end of the day, it's a subjective point of view and as long as the owner likes how it looks, who else matters?

Fair point Re the LCi indicators, they would look a bit lonesome. As you say, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
8)

 

[step_change]

Not forgetting the silver wing mirror covers on the 35is. Could do those in gloss black too.

 

[Silverstar]

I agree with this, depends on the colour of the car if the black grills will look good or not. I have got the black grills but I've got a black car but I also like the grey grills of the 35i /35is. I think at some point I might get a set and can then alternate the look :lol:

If you have small fingers you can remove the old grills from the front without undoing anything. Just look at the tabs on the new grills and in the same location on the old ones you can lift those tabs from the front to remove the old grills. Managed to do mine in like 10 minutes.

you must have very tiny fingers to do that, I need a screwdriver to press the tangs down

From the front through with the grills in situ you mean? The way i have seen is to remove the air duct housing but then I'm not sure I'll get my arms down through the gap.

Yes exactly from the front with the grills in situ. I just looked at where the tabs were on the new grills which helped to locate them on the old grills squeezed my finger through the grill to push the tabs. Was done in about 10 minutes but then I do have small fingers. If you can't get your fingers through then you will have to dismantle the air duct and do it from the top.

 

[Tarzan]

Tis

 

[Boltz]

Step_change, are you wanting to change your mirrors from silver to black?

 

[step_change]

Maybe mate. Dunno yet, other things to do first .

 

[Timmyboybunter]

Also took mine out from the front, using my huge clumsy giant hands

Very easy, as stated if you have another pair to hand to show you where to lever - 10 mins tops, make sure you use a plastic trim removal tool.