Do you like color matched side mirrors or chrome?

[Roku35]

Just as the title says...Do you like color matching side mirrors or the standard chrome side mirrors on your E24? I like both styles, but I'm thinking about going with color matching for my 1985 Schwartz baby. I just locked in on a nice set of schwartz side mirrors. Any thoughts/advice?

[Bentsdl]

Chrome for me, fits perfectly with the style and vintage of the car. Especially on the early models.

You are not going to paint your chrome bumpers too right? Just like on the modern cars.

[Zack01GC]

I say leave them. They are a nice touch to bring out the brightwork around the windows, door handles, bumpers, etc. Every car these days has colormatched mirrors, I wouldn't change my chrome ones for anything (except chrome ones in better condition, or if someone was to make brushed stainless ones...)

[BoldUlysses]

There's also the consideration that chroming them might look a little poseur-ish, as only the M-cars' mirrors were body color until the '88-'89 cars.

Only a small percentage of even the E24 community would know that, though. I like the way body-colored mirrors look, personally.

[Freshbread]

I think the chrome mirrors are one of the coolest parts of the car! All the window
trim and bumpers is like an iced out grill yo.

Seriously there is a reason the aftermarket arms of car companies like VW and Porsche (Votex, Techquipment) make chrome/aluminium mirror caps...individual accessorization....do what ya like.
I'd put an mtech bumper, spoiler etc on my euro but would not replace the mirrors JMO

[FernandoBunster]

I'm for the color match. Integrates better with rest of the car. Did this on my "86. Chrome is good on bumpers only (IMHO).

[Gunz635]

That would depend on the color of the car, the set up of the car. for example some like it classic and some like it updated. if you keep your chrome on the car then its ok to leave the mirrors chromed, but if you black out the chrome, then body color mirror would look nicer. Personally, i plan to black out my chrome, so i would opt for body color or even carbon fiber look.

[CliffyyE24]

I like chrome mirrors. Black and chrome is quite the eye candy.

[LarryM]

I'd say leave them as they're supposed to be on your car. The chrome mirrors on the E24 have an especially "rich" look to them which gives the car a classy, period-correct look. On M6's and later 635's that came with body color mirrors, I'd leave them alone too. All these cars are becoming classics and now really isn't the time to start altering their appearances too much. IMO, of course.

[Makr]

When I repainted I painted the mirrors. I like it.

[samsonevickis]

I am in the process of shadow lining the car professionally and in correct OEM colors and pieces.

I plan on painting over the anodized aluminum.

[BMarshallW]

I like the color match for most 6ers. The chrome mirrors brings you right back to the 80's and slightly dates the car in my opinion. However, if the car is flawless and presteen then the chrome could be sick!!!

[Zack01GC]

Roku - Here's an idea for you. If you can remove the chrome "caps" from the rest of the mirror assembly (not sure if you can, I've never tried), but if you can, maybe try a product called "Plasti-Dip" on them. It's a rubberized coating for metal handles like on pliers to give them a rubbery grip. It comes in black. May try coating them with that, and if you don't like it, you can literally peel it off. I just remembered that a friend and I did that to the caps on his Mini Cooper S MC40 edition a while back.

It won't be glossy black like paint would be, but it would be black like the rubber trim on the bumpers. It really doesn't look that bad, and is totally reversible (no sanding to mess up the chrome).

Here, the center bar of the grille, the GTI badge, and the VW emblem are all Plasti-Dipped.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/saucercrab/HDR1.jpg

Here is the removal:
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/357/dsci0925d.jpg