2013 Black on Black on Black RS5! Question about trim (remove black optix)

[Jamos]

Heya guys,

I've done some reading over the past few days, and watched just about every single video on youtube that I can get my hands on for the B8.5 RS5! I've FINALLY decided to jump into team Audi! :D

In short, it seems evvvvvvveryone wants to black out their cars. I get it. But I also love the look of the chrome window trim, and silver front/rear splitter accents. This car I'm getting in to (on Wednesday) is black black everything black. Is the optix something that can be removed, or am I basically screwed? EVERY search I've done has resulted in, "I want to dechrome" and nothing says, "I want to return to chrome!" haha.

Thanks!

[03TLSinCO]

I have a Moonlight Blue Metallic S5 Black Optic Plus. In darker lighting, many people think it looks black. I'm in favor of keeping it blacked out. These are sporty cars, not luxury cruisers, and I think the Black Optic treatment better fits that than chrome trim. Of course, it's all personal preference.

[carrrnuttt]

If you were closer to me, I'd gladly do a trim swap with you.

As it sits, you're crapping on all the work I did vinyl-wrapping my trim in flat black.

[ENV²]

That window trim is very hard to remove without damaging it permanently. I would leave it as is. Maybe just do silver mirrors and other items

Sent from a misfiring cylinder

[Jamos]

I knew posting this sort of thing would raise hell, I'm impressed with the calm here! :D

With my Bimmer evvvveryone wants to black out the chrome trim there too, it's probably the most common mod for most cars - dechrome all the things.

I've read that it's very tricky/dangerous removing the trim, so maybe I'll be the first to do a vinyl wrap to bring the trims out of black!? :D I need to get the car and get used to it before I really settle on this idea, I just know that the few black cars I've seen with the chrome trim really do the trick for me. Otherwise allllll the body lines are just hidden, the common problem with black cars.

I guess I was just asking if the blackout is a type of factory wrap/coating that others have had success removing. :)

*cheers

[aboone]

FWIW...I just took off the black wrap I had covering the chrome around the windows. I liked the blacked out look for maybe 3 weeks then decided the car...in my opinion...looks better with the chrome around the windows. Probably a generational thing mostly. Older people lean towards chrome, younger folks despise it. A lot of it comes down to the finish of the wheels...both choices can look nice if done right.


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[pickle.rs]

It’s very labor intensive to remove and replace trim. Also the trim itself is very expensive. You’d be better off repainting yours, or (and this will send everyone into a fit) plastidipping and seeing if you like it — no trim removal and easily reversible. Better yet, go to a shop and get it done in autoflex for a gloss treatment, unless you want it satin/more flat.

[03TLSinCO]

... Probably a generational thing mostly. Older people lean towards chrome, younger folks despise it....

Nope. Trust me, there was plenty of chrome on cars as I was growing up and even through the first 6 cars I owned. Wasn't till the '80s that chrome-delete started till become a thing.

[Neil F]

Are you really talking chrome or the OEM look? The OEM is a matte aluminum. I personally am tired of the blacked out look (errrr never liked it....I'm old). My estroil blue S5 has the alu trim, mirrors, trim and I got an OEM alu RS5 grill. Painted my rotors silver and have aftermarket satin aluminum color wheels............love the look.

Question is, what color are the wheels? IMHO you need to pull it together with other items

[purpledc]

If it has the black optics I would keep it that way unless you plan on this being a long time keeper. I have the aluminum and chrome trim on a daytona grey pearl car and even with black rims I think the car looks awesome.

[Jamos]

Car is black, with the darker OEM wheels, they're not silver and they're not blacked out.

I'm growing to like the blackout look, but the few body lines along the window, grill, and rear diffuser, really highlight the sexy curves of the car imho.

As for "chrome" I didn't realize it wasn't chrome and was aluminum, but yeah I'm after that look. Maybe I'll wrap the blackout with some aluminum wrap! :D

[carrrnuttt]

I personally am tired of the blacked out look (errrr never liked it....I'm old).

I've *never* liked chrome on anything. And I grew up with my dad driving muscle cars with all kinds of chrome accouterments.

Even when I started personally getting into cars with my 1992 Acura Integra, then a notchback Mustang, the most "bling" I ever put into my cars was the satin silver rims I had on my Integra. I prefer understated. Ever since then, I either have blacked out, bronze or gunmetal rims on my cars. All the cars I've bought new (the non-Audi cars in my sig) were all bought factory-blacked-out.

Just my personal taste, I guess. I just don't like "shiny" things accessories that much.

[wkhanna]

Older people lean towards chrome, younger folks despise it.

as Mark Twain said, "all generalizations are false, including this one".

i'm 62 and i did a vinyl blackout on mine, but to each his own.
our cars are a personal expression of our selves.
have fun with it!!!!!

you can see my build if you click the "Old Man Project" link in my signature.

[A6sport]

It was mentioned a few posts down, the Matte Aluminum optics looks fantastic on dark cars. I had the polished aluminum removed , and bought the RS5 trim and mirror covers.

It's funny, not many would notice unless you know what you're looking at. I was going for a different look on my B8 vs my C7 Sportback that has Black/Carbon optics.

[papadelogan]

As for "chrome" I didn't realize it wasn't chrome and was aluminum, but yeah I'm after that look. Maybe I'll wrap the blackout with some aluminum wrap! :D

I think this is the smart move. Removing the trim will have a high probability of damaging it. Vinyl wrap will take time, but in the end will let you reverse the change easily and minimize any chance of damaging some expensive trim pieces.