Paint chrome grill surround to match car ?

[SeanR]

Read a few pages on this and know folk do it in various ways, the point of this ? is to find out whether or not folk think it is actually worth it and will look good.

 

My car goes in next week to have stone chips repaired anyways, so the guy will have the paint. My car is dark grey.

 

Never been a big fan of chrome on the front of a car so maybe an opportunity, im not saying i cant live with it im just thinking maybe.

 

Any thoughts.

[H3XME]

1 minute ago, SeanR said:

Any thoughts.

It's a personal preference. You want the chrome surround done in the same grey as the car? Unless you de-chrome the rest of the car to match, I don't think it will look that good.. I'm not a massive fan of chrome and despite having black grill, I quite like the chrome around the windows, it doesn't make it look blacked out and tacky like people often do.. again, personal preference. Anyway, here's a quick photoshop of it could look like in grey..

[SeanR]

Thank you, yes dark grey the same as the car.

Appreciate the photoshop!

Its tacky im trying to avoid, as you mention. Looks ok, think one of those ideas that when its done and you get used to it, you forget.

Im going to have to give it some serious thought.

[H3XME]

1 hour ago, SeanR said:

Thank you, yes dark grey the same as the car.

Appreciate the photoshop!

Its tacky im trying to avoid, as you mention. Looks ok, think one of those ideas that when its done and you get used to it, you forget.

Im going to have to give it some serious thought.

Try and get a wrap in that colour, if you don't like it you can always peel it off 🙂 

[SeanR]

Thats an idea, thank you

[Mr Vlad]

Definitely go for it. Mine is blacked out and looks so much better than it being chromed. Just a word of advice regarding stone chip repair. Is the guy just doing spot repairs or the whole panel? Has the repairer got an oven? Does he have a camera that takes numerous digital photos of the paint (paint fades over time and if a brand new colour is used it'll stand out like a sore thumb, the digital camera transmits the Info to a computer which in turn mixes a perfect match to your car). If he hasn't then find a bodyshop that does.

[SeanR]

Hi Vlad,

Right on the edge of the back drivers side wheel arch there are about 5 stone chips that seem to have all begin to have joined up and created a line where the paint has chipped off, this is beginning to start to rust. Its not bad, im just picky and want it sorting out before it turns nasty.

He will definitely have to match the paint well as he has to blend it in to the wing

Im assuming he will take it back to metal and take it from there.

Ive used him in the past and he has always done a good job. Judging by some of the cars outside he was working on, folk seem to trust him, Aston Martin etc

He has an oven but i dont know if he has a camera. Would hope so, if it looks a mess he will have to do it again😉

I would assume he has, its a good set up, big unit on an industrial estate.

Will ask though

Cheers!

[Mr Vlad]

Seems like a decent place then 👍

[ahmed24]

Depending on your budget. You can get the grille bezel in black these days from aftermarket suppliers. But if you are on low budget then definately wrapping it would be my preferred option. I've wrapped the grille bezel for at least 6 people and comes out really good. Ofcourse gloss black wrap will never have the shine as paint and will have a little amount of orange peel effect. Other option is to wrap it in satin black then it looks perfect.

[SeanR]

Hello, thanks for the reply.

Just spoke with the body shop guy and he advised against painting chrome, i was unaware it would be an issue.

Been looking online at F sport grills and bezels. They say 06 to 08 in the adverts. I dont mind the price so long as i get the right fit for a 2010 car. The other thing mentioned is whether the car has pre-crash or not. 

On top of that, not too sure how a black bezel would look on a dark grey car.

Just been quoted £30 to wrap the chrome surround in satin black, seems a fair price.

Cheers all

[ahmed24]

19 minutes ago, SeanR said:

Hello, thanks for the reply.

Just spoke with the body shop guy and he advised against painting chrome, i was unaware it would be an issue.

Been looking online at F sport grills and bezels. They say 06 to 08 in the adverts. I dont mind the price so long as i get the right fit for a 2010 car. The other thing mentioned is whether the car has pre-crash or not. 

On top of that, not too sure how a black bezel would look on a dark grey car.

Just been quoted £30 to wrap the chrome surround in satin black, seems a fair price.

Cheers all

Yes painting chrome isn't a straight forward process, the proper way is to de-chrome it by stripping the chrome coating. I've done it on a few parts. The aftermarket gloss black bezels i've seen are mainly for the 2006-2009. But i've seen a few for the facelift model. I will try and dig out the link.

£30 to wrap it isn't bad as long as it's wrapped properly

[SeanR]

New plan.

 

Learned you can paint chrome, but bit of a ball ache, hence maybe why the guy i know dont want to do it.

Will get a chrome bezel from the breakers yard and take it from there, probably do it myself when weather improves.

May fit the f sport type grille whilst im at it.

Will still have original bezel if i dont like it

Like to give myself sumert do

[Mr Vlad]

Yes I believe its an etching primer used. The chrome on plastic isn't actually chrome. It's a process that when polished looks like chrome. I've mentioned this before but on one of the Car SOS programs they took a part to a place who did a process to 're-chrome'. Think it was a jag they did on this current series. 

[SeanR]

There is a few vids online where they remove the "chrome" from the plastic using oven cleaner or heat gun.

 

This worked ok on some Ford cars where it was peeling off anyway, but another vid where it just would not come off, im guessing Lexus quality will mean it wont be coming off.

Your right about the primer, needs a good sanding too.

Cheers

[Linas.P]

If you doing for it, then just get F-sport grille. It is just my personal opinion, but when you pain standard grille is just looks weird. 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/113300829603

Note: note I am pretty sure you can get it for less than £170. I posted it only for image. 

[SeanR]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply. Looking at my standard grille, i see an hole in each of the bottom corners.

I dont see this on the F sport grill images, anyone know if the F sport grille comes with the same holes?, suppose better safe than sorry.

EDIT, DIDNT REALISE THE F SPORT GRILLE WAS JUST A GRILLE AND HAD NOTHING BEHIND IT

It says it is just for 2011 onwards, mine being a 2010, im assuming it will still fit?, or am i wrong?. I assumed all facelift are the same

I suppose its an "horses for courses", if i do it and the bezel looks crap, will just swap back to the chrome, il see.

 

Appreciate your opinion and assistance

Cheers

[J Henderson]

Yes the F-Sport grille will indeed fit your car.

 

 

 

[SeanR]

Thank you

[SeanR]

I emailed a seller selling OEM F sport grilles, is advert states 2011 to 2013

Has it dont state the year of my car 2010, i send my Vin number to make sure.

The reply i get is this

Thank you for your inquire, unfortunately there is a problem with one character according to our system say the "1" 11th character

Ive checked VIN, and its correct on my document, the one i sent

Just wondering if there is a chance it may not fit before spending

[J Henderson]

If your car is a facelift model with turn signals in the door mirrors and L-shaped reversing lights, it'll have the correct bumper for it to be compatible.

2005-09 cars have a different shaped front bumper, so the F-Sport grille doesn't fit those.

[SeanR]

Thanks again

 

Yes, its the facelift version with all that you mention.

 

Actually had another seller with the same grille for sale telling me i need a new bumper, thats aftter me giving him the vin.

I guess the transition is a bit of a mystery with some part numbers

 

Cheers 

[SeanR]

Just been reading old threads on another forum,

Someone mentioned the 2009 and 2010 f sport grille is different to that of the 2011 grille.

Perhaps why 2010 dont get mentioned on this sales page.

Lexus IS250 IS350 2011-2015 OEM Genuine Front Upper F-Sport Grille 53112-53902 | eBay

Just dont want order wrong grille as cant return the item.

[J Henderson]

The grilles should be all the same size & shape. F-Sport trim level didn't exist until the facelift model came out, so it's a facelift-only part. Anything advertised for an earlier car is a fake/replica.

Unless you have ACC/PCS, 53112-53902 is the correct (and current) part number, which superseded previous # 53112-53220.

Supposedly the older part # is a darker colour than the one that replaced it, but could just be variables in picture/lighting. The top one looks more like what's on my car though (a 2011).

Top pic part # : 53112-53902

Bottom pic part # 53112-53220

 

[SeanR]

Thanks for taking the time John, appreciated

[Las Palmas]

I know that this is not what was asked, but I think the upper grille looks a lot more fitting the car than the F-Sport does.