JoanieB You're awesome. I completely feel the same way!

You know, I don't know how you can see any difference in chrome treatment on plastic vs. metal. Here is a pic of my wiper arms on my R53 I sold earlier this year. The nut cover caps at the base of the arms are plastic, the arms themselves are metal. I had both chromed and I couldn't tell the difference at all. It looked like metal plating top to bottom to me so I never thought of chrome (plastic or otherwise) as cheap:



Valvashon: That picture is a perfect example of what I mean. Look at the bumper! They even preserved the retro feel of a chrome bumper by adding those inserts on the leading edge of the bumper. I love that look. It feels cheaper to me to do that all painted or black plastic. Black plastic grilles and intakes are common on cars from Hyundai to Ford and everything in-between. Chrome, not so much.

The pitting thing happens to all front ends. Metal, plastic, painted, whatever - they all start looking like hell after enough miles.

Looks like it's all just personal preference. Maybe I'll get laughed at by other Mini owners. I've certainly heard the "If it don't go, chrome it" phrase before. It won't apply to my new JCW though...

 

Kurtster, may I confess that I have fallen in love with your (wiper) arms? Swoon!! How does one go about chroming them?

My Dad was an old Hot Rod guy and we always had chrome, chrome polish, and endless hours of polishing going on. When he finally chromed the furnace grill in the living room, my Grandfather said of my Dad that "he would chrome his a** if he could get it off".
He would have, too.

 

Well, Joanie it was VERY expensive. I found a chrome shop locally that did plating but only metal. I had to send the plastic caps off to a company in New York. The caps alone cost me $100 each!

I'm trying to find a more cost-effective way to do this so stay tuned. If I do, you'll be first to know!

 

For me, it depends on the car. For some reason, when I spec out BRG hard tops, I go for the black roof/mirrors. On that car, extra chrome doesn't appeal to me. Blacking out some of the chrome might even make sense.

When I decided on the Highgate Package a few months ago, both the interior and exterior color lines were included (not including the chrome mirrors) and not optional. I decided the chrome looks good against the brown and ordered a chrome bonnet scoop, and almost got chrome mirror caps as well.

I think the chrome scoop is a must on an 'S' Highgate:





I'm 32, btw.

 

My Cooper has chrome and it's staying that way. I'm 36.

 

Is this a serious question? It's personal taste. There's no right or wrong here- just different.

It's what makes the world such an awesome place. People who think it has to be their way is what messes it up for everyone else.

Clean cars in this thread, by the way! :thumbup

 

Here's Winnie, in her chrome and Chili splendor! She has a MTTS magnetic badge on her hood, which is only used for shows. And of course the awesome eyeshades from NAM member Dittin! Now all she needs is new wheels (when I wear these tires out, which should be soon...) She's also up to 23 Union Flags, including eight on the outside, the rest are on the inside. She has won two awards at car shows, which are a heck of a lot of fun to attend! My hubby, who was initially puzzled and slightly embarrassed by the roof flag, now loves it and wants her to always look this way. If you love it, OWN IT and drive it with pride. There's enough room in the MINI world for everyone....

 

Yeah Ive just never been a fan of chrome. When I see chrome the first things I think of are huuuge 24" chrome wheels, which look gawdy IMO. Some people like it some people dont. Personal preference really. The only time I can see chrome on something are on show quality muscle cars or a certain design on black cars.

 

I turn 50 next year and I'm adding chrome to my '11 HzB Clubman S, just the brake air ducts like the attached.

I like chrome as a highlight for contrasts, same as on the Saville Row.

I'm not a fan of blacking out, nor chromed-out either: http://www.automotto.com/entry/30000...o-a-nightmare/

 

I never understood "debadging". Don't buy the car if you're ashamed of the name.

 

I know lots of folks black out a mini to make it look "bad"or mean or sinister...like adding a mohawk to a miniature poodle....
folks that do it to look different, i can appreicate that, but to try to make a mini, the car that makes any kid under tha age of 12 giggle, sinister, is kinda silly....even a modded mini is just a mini....not a mucle car...the fact we can sometimes keep up with them, and blow by them in the twisties only makes it better!!

 

The only chrome I added was getting the chrome interior option. I never thought of it when I was ordering the car, but my MA had me compare it to the standard silver plastic, and I thought it looked much better. I know its just chromed plastic, but the difference to me is that it makes the interior look more expensive, and different from most other cars made today that seem to be locked in an all black, or all beige mode as the only options. Age wise, Im in my 50's so I do remember when chrome was more common in car interiors.

 

Agree. I just added chrome overlays to the interior of the 05 Justa I recently purchased. It does make the interior seem more upscale. The silver plastic just looks like it belongs on a Hyundai to me.

Also put a John Cooper signature on the dash, a Redline red/black shift boot and a MOMO red/black shift **** on it. Looks soooooo much better but the chrome is the key.

 

It's not shame, but just a cleaner look that doesn't distract the eye from the overal design. It's not like removing the Cooper S badge is going to make the car incognito all of a sudden - the MINI is a pretty distinctive shape. Removing a bit of bling helps a car, imo.

And car makers are just getting carried away - my BMW M Coupe had 14 visible ///M logos on it when delivered (trunk, fenders, wheels, door sills, headrests, steering wheel, floor mats).

Comparatively, my old Rolls-Royce got by with a Flying Lady up front and a double-R on the trunk, and it didn't suffer an identity crisis.

 

I think in general it's a generation thing. Most people of an older generation prefer the chrome because that was the popular style for them growing up. That's not to say there aren't a few exceptions of people of the older generation who enjoy the black out look, and younger drivers who like chrome. What will be interesting is when the current younger generation gets old and starts saying, "what's so wrong with blacking out your trim?" Can't wait to see what the trend is then. Regardless, if you drive a mini, chromed-out or blacked-out, you're OK in my book!

 

I don't think that's the usual motivation behind debadging (except maybe in the case of people who buy 323i BMW's and want to pretend they're higher up in the performance chain.)

I removed the "Cooper" lettering from my boot because I wasn't keen on the asymmetry of having lettering on one side, and I like the "clean" look. It's quite obviously a Cooper... there's no disguising the body style, or the single exhaust specific to the Non-S, so I'm not trying to fool anyone. I just prefer it aesthetically.

When I removed the letters, I put a piece of tape across the whole business, so if the next owner wants to put them back on, they're held together in the correct position and spacing.

 

It's not about hiding the brand. It's about cleaning up a busy look. Like removing stickers from a new PC.



Many badges look like afterthoughts added by the marketing department. In most cases debadged is probably closer to what the designers originally had in mind.

 

For me, over 50, shucks over 60, it depends on the clor of the car. I like chrome on red, black, even dark greens. You just have to use it tastefully. Actually, off setting paint colors can look very nice. Again if done tastefully. Most of what people today refer to as chrome, is actually polished aluminum or stainless. On my hot rod, I have lots of both, but polished to a high luster. My 38 has chromed 39 Ford bumpers on it and it just looks right. On hot rods, I really don't like at all painted bumpers.

So, in the end, it is a personal choice. I like both, when done tastefully. Stock, I like the blackened out headlights and wheels. The black wheels hides the brake dust, remember.

 

26 here, for me, chrome is hit and miss. I have a distaste for if on many cars (any sort of aftermarket "buick" fender things from advance auto, chrome stripping around every inch of the door seams, windshield, etc).
For my previous cars
'72 celica- chrome was left the same (it was very minimal)
'92 civic- no chrome, shell car with rollcage, 2 seats, and a hopped up motor
'03 wrx- all chome badges removed and JDM vinyl logos were applied
'04 Dodge 3500. MURDERED OUT, nothing but black, gloss black body with satin black detailing
'03 S10- debadged, only chrome was deadlight trim and bar of grill, left it
'12 CMSALL4- white/black roof, chrome will stay until it becomes a track car
'09 lexus is250- stays the same.

Its all in appearance for me, personally tho, I'd never have chrome rims or any rim component that was chrome, mirror caps, or anything extra in chrome. my light kit for the CMSALL4 was ordered in black. No chrome under the hood either, Polished/brushed aluminum, titanium, or stainless as far as the eye can see if at all possible.

 

That was a fun day at his amazing " man cave " garage in burbank. I got there at 10 in the morning and he had a Carona in his hand all day and not the same one

As for the chrome question of course it varies with personal taste. There is something for everone which is part of the Mini's appeal.

Randy

 

Great looking car Joanie !!

 

I thought that was bottled water he was drinking, but then again, he kept it well covered in his hands.

It would be nice to live in that area and beable to run into guys like Adam. The show you did was the 2nd MINI-oriented show I have seen. Alonzo Bodden was in the other one with his new black coupe. He and I have e-mailed a few times in the past few months. Anyhow, again, NICE MINI. You can tell Peter that I am still happy with my carbon fiber C-Wing. I get a lot of comments on it.

James

 

Love those lights behind the lower grill. What are they? Kit or custom? So much sleeker than the "rally light" style ones I usually see!

Finally, an explanation for Harley Davidsons... …but then, I'm a Ducati guy: If it doesn't help the machine go fast or turn fast, take it off!

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

Especially the functional difference. I think people forget the original purpose of chrome was durability: proper chrome is incredibly hard (stops rusting too, without needing to go stainless and losing strength). Chrome is a great choice for things like rocker arms in the valve train. Highly functional, nearly unbeatable.

But then, like carbon fiber today, it was picked up as a style element mimicking performance... And thinner chrome layers become vulnerable to pitting and creeping rust underneath and it becomes a drawback... Chromed plastic is solving an aesthetic problem, not an engineering one.

(I do not get carbon fiber printed vinyl. It adds weight. WTF?)

I think a car should either be modded for performance — think rear-seat delete with no cover-up and wings the size of Montana — or for pure fun — in which case, chrome it, vinyl wrap it, throw in massive subwoofers, 20" spinners, undercarriage lighting, or whatever else floats your boat!

Also: age 39. My MCS has its stock chrome but neither extra nor blackout.

Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring

 

Joanie B's quote....I can't see the appeal (for myself, though I see it for others) to take a little dark colored car and black out everything, then drive around dark city streets at night... lowered... I would feel like a bug just asking to be squashed by an inattentive semi truck.

you had me laughing Joanie.

As I said before I paid extra for my chrome inside and out...love it!