I've seen multiple threads on people 'dechroming' their cars, and can't help but wonder why. You don't see a lot of chrome on new cars these days, and I think it is one of the things that sets MINI apart. In fact, one of the reasons I opted for the base model over the S is because of the chrome grill on the base option.

 

Well I think it is really just a personal preference. I like the blacked out look but I also like the Chrome. I do think that there can be TOO much chrome. I like the blacked out look because how stealth it looks, but really like the carbon Fiber look because it gives it texture.

I kinda think of it as gold, most people will move toward white gold platinum and silver rather than going gold(color). maybe just a phase or trend?

I say do what you like and enjoy. You drive it and have to live with it, so to each his own!!

 

I suspect that there are multiple factors at work. For example, I think the chrome on my Oxford Green car looks great, but it may not work so well with some other colors. Then there's the remaining negative reaction to the days of gaudy chrome trim on everything from pimpmobiles to anemic emission-controlled-wheezers from the past (when "sophisticated" European cars were moving to matte black). Then there's the general appeal of "you-ification" and replacing chrome is one option.
I think Mini does chrome very well, but for some people anything that smacks of decoration detracts from that menacing sense of purposefulness.

 

Good points. I'll all for the "you-ification" of these cars. I just wouldn't have ever thought about de-chroming as an option if I hadn't read about it here. Some people list it as their absolute first thing they must do to the car, I never realized it was despised by some people so much.

 

I agree with every one of these answers - all good thoughts. I like chrome, and every time someone dechromes a MINI, it just makes mine even more unique. But if I wanted an aggressive look, I'd be inclined to do some blacking out myself.

 

Personally I love the chrome.
I think Mini does the chrome trim well.

I am not a fan of the complete black look. It might be alright for the Batmobile but it looks too dull on a Mini. I really can't stand black wheels. I like at least a little chrome or silver in the wheels to contrast with the black tires.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but I like the classic British Sports car look of Chrome, Wood, Leather, and Rubber. Like the old MGs or the Triumph TR-6s.

 

What's great with a MINI is that factory options and aftermarket mods can result in a car that can look classy and cool, a little sporty and hip, or totally in your face. It's all about personal preference:
- Chrome or blacked out?
- Rear bench or rail?
- Standard wheels or big wheels?
- Stripes or no stripes?
- Cloth or leather?
- Performance upgrades or stock?
- Extended warranty or not?
- Oil change every 7,500 or 15,000?

I could go on, but given the response to oil change intervals discussions, I am going to stop before I get to more potentially emotionally charged preferences

 

I say go for what you like. I have an eclipse grey MINI. I blacked it out minus the door handles. While I don't hate chrome I think my car looks best blacked out. Nice thing about it is if I want to revert to chrome I can easily do it without it costing a dime.

Btw I hear this "batmobile" comment often when talking about blacked out cars. For history's sake the first batmobile had chrome wheels and belt line. All other trim was red. The next gen batmobile had a chrome-ish alloy look to the wheels and trim. The latest gen car is solid black. Sign of the times I suppose!

 

I don't like chrome because MINI did not give me a choice to not have it. It looks great on the inside but, it looks like well just too blingy for me. I like subdued not flashy in your face.

 

for me the first thing i did was change out that bulbous chrome grill for the jcw black one. it changed the look of the whole car instantly. then i didn't touch a thing for a while until i got my wheels. the next step in my black out saga was doing the belt line. my car is lowered a crap ton and by blacking out the belt line, it created the illusion that it was even lower by blending the windows (mine are tinted) so my car didn't have a bam in your face half way point like what the chrome does. the next thing i did, which isn't de chroming, was putting 3m carbon fiber di-noc on my a-panels. i thought it looked cool from pictures so i gave it a shot, no regrets with that one. then i was bored one day and decided to joey mod my headlights bronze to match my wheels. it looks bomb.com IMHO. so in the end the last bit of chrome was left on my head/taillight rings and my door/boot handle. when my car was viewed as a whole, the chrome just had to go b/c it didn't go with the rest of the "look" i was going for.

with that all said and done, the only reason i can think of why i went black was b/c at the time i started modding i had no idea what i wanted my "look" to be. it was simple enough to start with the grill and piece by piece fell and i just went with it. now though, if i had the skills but mostly the money to throw around i would go crazy and try several different combinations

 

I Saw a great looking car at Seattle MINI- It was matte orange with all black trim parts. Im not a big fan of orange cars in general, but this combo was amazing looking. It would not have looked nearly as good with chrome.
But for my own car, I love the chrome.

 

Already exhaustively discussed over here -> https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...of-chrome.html

 

nothing at all but I did have to black out the beltline because it was burning my eyes




I still have full chrome gril, mirrors, handles, and that rear piece above my license plate

 

It's all in what you think looks nice, and the opportunity to tweak it. I added chrome brake ducts because I think it completes the front, but blacked the tail light trim because there was so much bright stuff back there.

 

Mine is Spice Orange and I think the blackout looks great with that color. I've blacked out everything and added black stripes. As some others have said, it gives it a more aggressive look, which I like. It also makes the car unique which I also like. I do have the black star bullet wheels which have a little brushed metal, but they go well with the rest of the car.

 

Personal preference, I guess. Plus some colors look better with black accents than with chrome. My Mini has the chrome line exterior and though I like it, I don't think the chrome grill suits it so I might black it out or replace it, depending on what I can do with my (extremely limited) modding experience.

 

Pure87, if you decide to black out the chrome grill I'd suggest trying plastidip. It really is the easiest way and if you don't like it it'll peel right off in one big rubberized blob. It's a matte finish and blends in well. Oh, and it's very cheap!

 

Love the chrome accents with the laser blue and white.

 

Don't have any animosity towards chrome - I just really like the blaked out look right now - who knows maybe I'll switch back to chrome in the future - VIVA YOUIFICATION!

 

In the beginning, someone blacked out their car in an effort to be different. The look became popular, and now they are all the same, but different.

I chose not to be like everyone else and kept the chrome. Funny how that works.

=Laserjock=

 

The chrome!!! It hurts our eyes-esses!!!




P.S: Door handles are black now.

 

Except chrome is by far the most prevalent trim of choice on the MINI and has been for most other car manufacturers since the invention of the automobile. Most MINI owners never touch their chrome let alone black it out. Why does it have to be about being different? Perhaps it just looks better to some people.

 

That statement in itself is true. However, in following this forum (and others), It's clear to me that amongst owners who alter the appearance of their cars from factory, dechroming is immensely popular. I'm seeing the dechroming boom online, but on the road in my area, most MINIs appear as-delivered.

 

So...we are all the same online, but in reality out in the open we are different?

 

I'm not on either side of that "different like everyone else" view. My statement was supposed to illustrate how online there is a high concentration of enthusiasts. So both the "very few touch their chrome" AND "blacking out chrome is popular" (both paraphrased) camps are correct, in the right scope.

FWIW, I've blacked out trim on my BMW535is as early as 20 years ago to look like the e28 M5. And I've added chrome side marker trim to my Cooper. So I've been on both sides. On my '73 Duster, I'm dechroming the used sport mirrors I bought - they will be body color, but the rest of the chrome is staying.