I know there are several here who have similar taste to me, aesthetically - ImagoX, CR/PW/JB, and MiniMaybee come to mind, but all opinions, of course, are welcome...

Since I got my MINI a year and a half ago I've been toying with the idea of painting the arches and side skirts to match. I really hate the look of cheap plastic trim on a car, and on all my previous cars I would buy whatever upgraded "trim package" it took to not have it.

However, I've started kind of a theme on this car, and I want to keep it balanced and not go overboard. The MINI is PW/PW w/chrome package. I have black bonnet/boot stripes with chrome pinstripes. I also have "GP-style" lettering over the door (see my avatar). I'm also switching out the side vents to chrome ones (they look just like the stock Cooper vents, but chrome), with clear lenses. I've pulled the red/orange markers in the arches and replaced them with smoke ones. In a sense, I've removed all trace of color from the car except for the tail/brake lights...which may be on the horizon, we'll see.

So I am kind of in this monochromatic direction. I still want to paint the arches/skirts...but I *don't* want to throw anything out of balance, and I feel like I'm right at the edge of doing something to do that. On one hand, I would love to see the cheap-*** plastic gone (or at least covered up)...on the other, I feel like it balances the rain gutters and the striping.

All those changes considered, do you think I should get the painting done, or leave the arches/trim alone?

Torn.

 

Paint'em black. It looks amazing. A guy in M2C2 has his done that way. It is just plain awesome looking. Leaves that great contrast but looks very refined.

 

Gloss black, yup. That would look sweet, get rid of your plastic look and keep the balance.

By the way, would you be willing to sell your Cooper side grill repeaters and amber lenses?

 

Yup, once I get them off...waiting for the new ones to arrive. I'll PM you when I'm ready if you can wait a week or so!

 

Sweet. I sent you a PM about it.

 

Okay, so now that I have the chrome vents/clear lenses on...I'm thinking they actually should be painted PW. The small change was just big enough to tip the scales that way.

 

Not sure how the PW would look colour coded - it seems to only really work well on metallic colours. I reckon the gloss black is a good idea too...

I'm pretty sure there are a few colour coded PW's out there - you'll just need to search for pictures...

Or you can look up the white M7 car that turned up at the dragon a year or two ago - that was a new colour of white, though it would give you an idea of what a colour coded white car would look like..

 

I have seen a PW with PW arches, and it looked pretty good, but I seem to recall that it had the black roof. I'm not sure how it would look with a PW roof.