How to Improve on Perfection - a BMW Style Guide Project

[Dr Ing]

Well you might say beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and I concur! In my eyes I have never for a second regretted buying my Le Mans Blue BMW E91 320d Sport Plus Edition. I loved this car from Day One.

So for all you enthusiasts and knowledgable BMW lovers out there or those of you who might also own a similar vehicle or have undertaken some similar venture - I'd really value your thoughts and guidance on the following project.

My own car needed a little gearbox and clutch replacement which I had carried out recently by my trusted mechanic. I have now fallen back in love with the car and would like to do a little refresh or accessorise in a sort of tasteful and classy M-Sport way.

I certainly would like to replace or get the alloys refurbed but I want something that will update or change the look or feel of the car but also be in line perhaps with the more modern BMW design trends. You will understand what I mean no doubt! Anyway I'd love some ideas on where or what you think would be best to start with.

Budget around £800. I would of course stretch further for something that captures my imagination!
Perhaps inside changes too are possible - but I think that's another project perhaps that comes later...

I'm not even sure of what is possible and am certainly lacking a little confidence - I trust the larger combined brain of this helpful community!

Please do share your thoughts, pitch me a design plan or some photos of an interesting direction to go in and also perhaps the details of any particular BMW specialists in this area you respect or who have perhaps done something really impressive for you in the past.

I'm Northern Ireland based.

Once again many thanks - I look forward to your thoughts! I've shared some pictures below...I love this wee car so be kind!

Edited by Dr Ing on Monday 3rd August 18:01

Edited by Dr Ing on Monday 3rd August 18:07

[Mattiebmw]

I want to do the same with my e90 320D msport just not sure what to do. I got some new centre caps etc for the wheels and they improved them a bit. I’ve also bought some black grills but am yet to put them on

[Court_S]

I had a Le Mans blue 330 that I also loved to bits (the Dakota lemon interior went really well with the blue).

I had my wheels refurbed at a local company. They were painted black and then the fronts were dusted with silver paint. I think they called it high power silver or something. It was quite subtle, but I think worked with the paint.



I did the usual black grilles because I hate chrome on cars, new hubcaps and new exhaust trims. The latter sound daft but do help freshen things up. I also have the diffuse / bumper insert painted gloss black.

[Mattiebmw]

Yea mines black with the Lemon leathers. Love the contrast

[Dr Ing]

Yeah I have the dark leather with the nice blue stitch in it. If I was going to completely change the car (or buy a new one), then I’d maybe get a light interior but I do have a Kerry Blue terrier who I take out on wee trips everywhere and she loves to rake about and I am also a football coach and the car is always full of gear so the lighter interior might take a battering, always be dirty or soon loose it’s natural colour.

I am wondering if getting the wheels resprayed a lot darker would change the look a lot. I’ve seen some very impressive ones lately.

Mattie: Could I do the centre caps easily myself? Did you?
Court: Ah the 330 - I would have loved the extra zoom out of that...
Alloy refurb sounds good - good any more close up pics so I can get my head round it?

Edited by Dr Ing on Sunday 28th June 13:16

[Mattiebmw]

Yea they just clip in. Took 2 minutes

[Dr Ing]

How do you work out the right size?

[helix402]

These are genuine BMW centre caps:



Lots of people buy cheap copies instead.

[Dr Ing]

helix402 said:

These are genuine BMW centre caps:



Lots of people buy cheap copies instead.

This is great thanks - I would want to get the real thing.

I would like to get floating caps - is that possible? I love that type of effect on a wheel...

Edited by Dr Ing on Sunday 28th June 15:06

[vacant-100]

Yep, they're about a tenner more on eBay. I have a set, really like the effect when parked.

[Dr Ing]

vacant-100 said:

Yep, they're about a tenner more on eBay. I have a set, really like the effect when parked.

Excellent - I need to try and find genuine versions of those then - thank you

[Dr Ing]

This is what I'm after right - is this a reasonable sort of price for these?

Edited by Dr Ing on Sunday 28th June 16:34

[Dr Ing]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Thanks Dizeee this is all great - please explain more about the pro detail

[MarkJS]

Nice car. I had a Le Mans blue coupe. I wouldn’t fiddle too much and I’d definitely not change to black grilles as I think they look a bit naff, especially on the darker colours - same goes for dark lenses IMO. I don’t think your current grilles are original spec as I’m pretty sure only 6 cylinder models got the grilles with chrome slats (not that it’s a problem). As already mentioned, I’d get the wheels refurbished with new centres or possibly look for some mint 225M 19” wheels which will fill the arches a bit better.

A new brushed stainless OEM exhaust tip would do some good too.

I hope the car gives you many more happy miles!

Loved my E92

Edited by MarkJS on Sunday 28th June 16:57

[Deep Thought]

Court_S said:

I had a Le Mans blue 330 that I also loved to bits (the Dakota lemon interior went really well with the blue).

I had my wheels refurbed at a local company. They were painted black and then the fronts were dusted with silver paint. I think they called it high power silver or something. It was quite subtle, but I think worked with the paint.


I did the usual black grilles because I hate chrome on cars, new hubcaps and new exhaust trims. The latter sound daft but do help freshen things up. I also have the diffuse / bumper insert painted gloss black.

Hyper Silver?

Its a nice effect and works well.

[Deep Thought]

As per what some others have said, i'd debadge, get the wheels refurbed - silver or hyper silver, new genuine centre caps, aero blade wipers, and new side repeaters.

The side repeaters freshen the car up nicely. Mine had went cloudy.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-3-2004-2011-SALOON-...

I always go for genuine centre caps also. I get them from these guys on ebay (who happen to be my local BMW dealer anyway)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-BMW-Alloy-Wheel...

Also, the little M badges on the alloys - you can get those on ebay for once you've refurbed.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5pcs-M-Sport-Wheel-Badg...

Edited by Deep Thought on Sunday 28th June 17:04

[Dr Ing]

Deep Thought said:

Hyper Silver?

Its a nice effect and works well.

If someone could give me like some before and after photos of their alloy refurbed in this style, it would be really helpful. I am uneducated on all this and not able to picture in my head or source the right pictures of what you are talking about...

Thanks for all the suggestions so far - it's really got the project underway for me...please keep it coming with any ideas that come to any of you!

[Deep Thought]

Dr Ing said:

If someone could give me like some before and after photos of their alloy refurbed in this style, it would be really helpful. I am uneducated on all this and not able to picture in my head or source the right pictures of what you are talking about...

Thanks for all the suggestions so far - it's really got the project underway for me...please keep it coming with any ideas that come to any of you!

Your local alloy wheel refurber will have various colours. There is the mid grey metallic that yours are but hypersilver is usually as Court S said silver paint over a dark base. Theres variations on it. TBH, the grey that your cars are looks really well. Was that M Sport Plus? I think they were the ones that got the grey alloy wheel.

Oh - and new wheel nuts. Those make a big difference with refurbed wheels.

[Dr Ing]

Deep Thought said:

Your local alloy wheel refurber will have various colours. There is the mid grey metallic that yours are but hypersilver is usually as Court S said silver paint over a dark base. Theres variations on it. TBH, the grey that your cars are looks really well. Was that M Sport Plus? I think they were the ones that got the grey alloy wheel.

Oh - and new wheel nuts. Those make a big difference with refurbed wheels.

Yes mine is a Sports Plus Edition and I did love the wheels at the time...just trying to think of how best to update them - refresh them or totally change colour

I also have Sports Plus inlays on the inlays of the door...I think.
Time to go check...

[Touring442]

helix402 said:

These are genuine BMW centre caps:



Lots of people buy cheap copies instead.

In my experience, the cheap copies corrode no faster than the genuine ones. Less than a tenner for four and replace them every year or two.