Im 54, and when I got mine the chrome had to go... just like the black on black better . . .but we also have an 06 MCS JCW thats Royal Grey and on it I like the chrome

 

Gerry, where did you get the red air duct intakes? Do they sell them at the parts counter in Chili Red or did you paint them?

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I love "chrome!"

 

Yes I like the red also. I have been thinking of doing that and red mirrors with maybe a red top. I have a white silver body and black top right now . A little crazy but with a car like this I say have fun

 

Red Plasti-dip...... very easy

 

So, do I just grab a bucket of it at Home Depot or something? What is "Red pasti-dip" and where does one get it? How does it differ from paint?

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comes in a rattle can just like paint, but it just peals off if you change your mind, check out youtube.... its amazing the way it works - for instance if you wanted to do the front emblem just tape it off leaving 1/2 inch all the way around give if 4 or so light coats , take the tape off grab the edge and peal... it will follow the edge of the emblem leaving it perfect.... its really cool ... they also have some called 'smoke' that turns the chrome into more of a gun metal look ... I used it on all the emblems to get rid of the shiny chrome rather than doing black... I found the red at NAPA otherwise you have to order it online...

 

1+ but in moderation, tastefully done. Classic MINI

 

Damn!! That's a HUGEEEE DIF.!

I like chrome too but I'm a girl I feel like it looks more girlie than all blacked out plus if I black my car out my hubby wont be as embarrassed to drive it. (R52 pepper white) and that's also part of the reason (shh)

 

That's the beauty of minis!!!! You can customize it to your liking!

 

I do not agree that the plastic chrome looks "cheap" - it just looks like chrome to me. And in that sense, plastic is better since it doesn't pit, rust. or add much weight. That said I LOVE the chrome against the Pepper White exterior. In fact, I am one of those "S" owners who likes the non-S chrome grill. I must say I'm not crazy about the plasticy black honeycomb mouth.

 

It doesn't look any different to my eye, it only feels different. Warmer, lighter and less substantial. Not that it bothers me too much.

 

+++1

 

If it's a true off-roader like a jeep, I prefer no chrome.

If it's my mini, I like chrome accents.

I love the totally blacked-out look but the s/o not so much.

We could be like Justin Bieber and chrome wrap the entire thing. I would totally hate driving around him during sunset or sunrise.

I am a female in my 40s. I think it is vehicle dependent.

 

So right!
Off road vehicles = no chrome
Hot Rods = Chrome!!
Big rigs = Chrome!!
Hondas that are slammed and over revved = no chrome
MINIs = chromed or not chromed, both are all right!
Smart Cars = where would you put it, anyway?

 

I dig the chrome mirror caps on a MINI, and don't have a problem with the other bits here and there. Other than the peeling issues, nothing about MINI chrome has ever jumped out at me as looking especially cheap or a poor choice for the car.

Mostly, when I think of bad chrome, I think of aftermarket parts like big shiny hubcaps on a POS car or those little stick-on vent things. But then, I have similar feelings about most outre mods, including the blacking-out stuff that is popular right now.

I'm 34.

 

So I fall on both sides, Im 46, my Pontiac Grand Prix STE is 90% the AMG look, debadged except for the CompG badging and a "24 valve" in blue, on the corner of the center light bar. The factory inset a very narrow chrome strip in the center of the body side rub rails, and I left that intact during the repaint.
Now my Clubman I have not removed or added any chrome except for an "R55" badge on the tail. And thats all fine, I think the MINI is quirky and retro enough that it pulls off the chrome thing okay, but an all-black is pretty vicious too, especially if the basic body color is black, grey or dark blue or green. Thats what makes these NOT "rental car Taurus's" or "bellybutton Camry's". There are prob just about no two in the world that are exactly the same and that's whats so great.

 

My husband and I both have R50's. He really dislikes the chrome, so he plasti-dipped his grille black, and painted every other piece of chrome body color (Chili Red). Those parts included the 3 chrome bumper pieces on the front and back, the door handles, the headlight surrounds and the little strip above the license plate. I don't much like chrome, but it doesn't bother me as much. I too did the grille black, and painted the headlight surrounds body color (Indi Blue). I painted all the chrome bumper pieces and plate strip black as well, but I plan on stripping it off and doing body color. I don't mind the chrome door handles, because the paint keeps chipping on hubby's handles.

All in all, I think it's just a preference thing. And since the chrome on the MINI's is "cheap", that's why I dislike it more. I just prefer body color or more subtle. I hate the little bumper pieces the R50's came with, so painting them is the only way to hide them a bit more without replacing the entire bumper

 

It's very colour and car specific. I like the chrome on my Lightning Blue:


I got the chrome mirror caps, I have the chrome line interior, I stuck with the silver headlamps, and I went with silver wheels (Challenge spokes with the summer tyres right now and these Enkeis for the snows). I'm thinking about getting the chrome thing for above the license plate on the boot lid as well. Especially on the Roadster I think it's a nice nod back to the older British roadsters like the MG Midget that had a fair bit of chrome on them.

Each to his/her own though, that's the best part of MINI ownership!

 

Wow! Spiney, I hadn't seen your car yet. That looks great! Awesome pics. if I didn't have a roadster for summer driving already, I'd have bought the Mini Roadster. So sweet looking and the blue with black and chrome is nice.

Good answers though. Definitely personal preference. The "Mini chrome is cheap" thing keeps coming up and still makes no sense to me. Really? It looks "cheap"? Once it's on the car it looks identical to metal chrome, which is hardly used in car manufacturing anymore because it's so expensive now. I just don't get how a polished surface that looks just like plated metal looks "cheaper" than black ABS plastic and what looks like electrical tape everywhere there used to be chrome. Maybe I need to start a Chrome Preservation Society or something.

 

I don't like Chrome all over the Mini, but I love the chrome driving lamps. The black ones look cheap to me, so because of that I am deciding which parts of the chrome I will leave on my Roadster so that it matches the lamps. My DH loves the chrome anywhere it can be on the Mini. We're both 35 BTW.

Now on my '71 Ghia, I have spent good money keeping the chrome looking sharp, but that's real chrome, not the plastic bits the current Mini's have.

 

I'm a MINI glutton, I love it all. Chromed out, blacked out, stock, custom. Haven't seen a MINI yet I didn't fall for.

My MINI is still bone stock, trying to decide what to do with it. It came with the chrome interior and exterior package.

My Jaguar XKR175 is black with chrome. I wouldn't dream of changing a thing on it.

I bought my 07 Vespa GTV in aviator gray with lots of added chrome. Originally I intended to remove all the chrome bumper guards for a cleaner look, but they really do serve a purpose (protect the body and paint), so they remained.

 

I love the chrome on my R59. I am 21 BTW

 

Being 60 it is possible that I am wrong but I thought alot of chrome was coming from Africa (late 70's) and it was in short supply for some time? I will take any color or trim package compared to the "jelly bean" 90's style cars. Have had my 2007 mini for 3 weeks and love it. I had the grandfather of these cars and the jeep in my 1930 American Austin. I love small cars, but this car I just picked up, so much to read up on.

 

Wow! That car is sweeeet. I honestly hate chrome but it just works on your car! How's it ride at that height?