Tri-Color Grille Slat Covers/Stripes

[DenverSteve]

I see these sometimes and my wife and I were having a chat about them. She thinks they look great while I'm not sure I like them but I've seen them on black grilles that look nice. It came up after seeing a neighbor with a 550i with them and his looked okay. I've checked threads on this and the opinions are pretty mixed. However, I did not see any polls where people could answer anonymously. What say you?

[swagon]

Corny as fuck... and most are on non-M GmbH cars. But fake badging is so prevalent these days that the M stripes are the lesser evil.

I've noticed G20-style grilles are the new eBay fad now, though.

[rmanm4]

A ///M Car does not need advertisement that its a ///M car!

I still dont understand M badging on non M cars. BMW really needs to stop using the M words so loosely!

[DenverSteve]

This isn't about M badging, there's plenty of threads about that. Simply grille stripes. Did BMW ever use the grille-stripes on factory produced cars?

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by DenverSteve

This isn't about M badging, there's plenty of threads about that. Simply grille stripes. Did BMW ever use the grille-stripes on factory produced cars?

No.

[erickonphoenix]

I think early on the M stripes were kind of an homage to the brand from racing fans. I'd reckon today very few if any of the folks who deploy these colors know what they mean or even watch any motorsport.

but for the record...

The BLUE represents the city of Bavaria by using the Bavarian blue found on its flag.

The RED represents Texaco's red found in its logo. BMW partnered with the Texaco oil company during the early racing days.

The PURPLE color represents the merging of the two companies as partners in motorsport. Overlapping the blue over the red results in the color purple. This is a simple and elegant way to represent the partnership of two brands by.

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by erickonphoenix

I think early on the M stripes were kind of an homage to the brand from racing fans. I'd reckon today very few if any of the folks who deploy these colors know what they mean or even watch any motorsport. ....

I think you're right. The Motorsport stripes preceded the first M3 by over 15 years making the stripes, and use thereof, more race-associated and less M-car associated. However, I think BMW drivers and fans today still identify with BMW's racing heritage and history. Without the history, current BMW performance cars are simply nice cars.

[Germanauto]

A friend did this to his wife's new base model X5. I trolled him for it and he got a bit offended, stating it simply gives the car a "clean" look. This guy is a typical BMW image-conscious customer, not some purist.

I think it looks tacky, cheap, and try-hard. BMW M division has never put such stripes on grille slats, so what are you trying to emulate? If you want an M division product then work hard and buy one, don't try to accessorize your base white X5 to appear like something it is not.

[unluky]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

A friend did this to his wife's new base model X5. I trolled him for it and he got a bit offended, stating it simply gives the car a "clean" look. This guy is a typical BMW image-conscious customer, not some purist.

I think it looks tacky, cheap, and try-hard. BMW M division has never put such stripes on grille slats, so what are you trying to emulate? If you want an M division product then work hard and buy one, don't try to accessorize your base white X5 to appear like something it is not.

100% spot on. Same with M badges. Any non-BMW person has no idea what it is, and is therefore unimpressed. Any BMW person knows it's not an M car and is therefore unimpressed.......and thinks you are a childish posing douchebag.

It never has the desired effect, unless you wind up at Chili's and see someone else that did the same thing and thinks your cool because they did it too.

[..Rush..]

Most cars that have these stripes are non- M cars.

[paquet]

Originally Posted by rmanm4

A ///M Car does not need advertisement that its a ///M car!

I still dont understand M badging on non M cars. BMW really needs to stop using the M words so loosely!

Amen to that. M sport this, something M that - it's just brand dilution.
My 5 came with the 'M' package (but honestly, it's marketing - changing the front bumper, lowering the suspension a tad, and adding M door sills won't suddenly transform the vehicle beyond looks)

My biggest peeve is however, the amount of 'M' logos in an M car. That just seems tacky. My thought is always 'huh did you forget what you are driving and need to be constantly reminded/reassured?'

[rmanm4]

Originally Posted by packet

Amen to that. M sport this, something M that - it's just brand dilution.
My 5 came with the 'M' package (but honestly, it's marketing - changing the front bumper, lowering the suspension a tad, and adding M door sills won't suddenly transform the vehicle beyond looks)

My biggest peeve is however, the amount of 'M' logos in an M car. That just seems tacky. My thought is always 'huh did you forget what you are driving and need to be constantly reminded/reassured?'

100% true! AMG does the same unfortunately with real AMG cars. BMW charges too much for M package on non M cars and it doesnt really transform the car. They found a loop hole that makes them good money! At least the Competition package on M cars actually does something, imagine if it was just cosmetic upgrades???

[Almuliman]

Originally Posted by rmanm4

BMW charges too much [...] They found a loop hole that makes them good money!

Pretty much describes what's driving BMW's lineup strategy these days. Gran Coupé XM116d – look for it in the next few years.

[paquet]

I have to admit, I didn't know the grille slat colors was not an OEM/direct from factory thing

[Tyga11]

It looks extremely tacky will make people think you're trying way too hard...

[BMWCCA1]

Originally Posted by rmanm4

BMW really needs to stop using the M words so loosely!

We all know "M" is for Marketing these days.

[paquet]

Originally Posted by BMWCCA1

We all know "M" is for Marketing these days.

The sad thing is, when you look beyond the marketing, an 'M' car is a pleasure to drive - even more than a regular BMW (which is fun to drive, well, most of them, anyway...)

I guess the only thing would be worse would be an M car without the substance of that powerful engine and suspension dynamics... ie, hollowed out but badged as a real M

[rmanm4]

A real M car would be a Z4M with a S58 engine. It will be hard to put down all that power as I can see wheel spin even in 3rd gear maybe even 4th!

[P1]

I'm sorry, but it's a terrible "mod". Why on earth would you add cheap tacky AliExpress to your car?

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by P1

I'm sorry, but it's a terrible "mod". Why on earth would you add cheap tacky AliExpress to your car?

I guess the same reason someone adds, useless Aliexpress splitters, spoilers, ground effects, downpipes, anything carbon fibre, mirror-caps and/or exhaust or??. That's the thing with judgemental/hypocritical people - they think their choices to change things from OEM is tasteful and additive and what other's do is "terrible" or ....

However, I have no concern, interest, problem or judgement on what you do to your property. It's similar to the rude A-holes who berated a member here for his/her (don't know) choice in the color of X4 they chose to purchase. Who the hell gave them the queer-eye to decide what color car someone else should buy? I may have mentioned that I think the grille-inserts aren't my cup of tea but I couldn't care a lick what someone does to her/his car if it makes them happy.

[NeverL8]

I cringed twice today seeing X5 and 4 series with them grill stripes

Noticed most cars that have those are non-M models. Not as bad as putting M badge on a regular series BMW but right behind it.

[P1]

Originally Posted by DenverSteve

I guess the same reason someone adds, useless Aliexpress splitters, spoilers, ground effects, downpipes, anything carbon fibre, mirror-caps and/or exhaust or??. That's the thing with judgemental/hypocritical people - they think their choices to change things from OEM is tasteful and additive and what other's do is "terrible" or ....

However, I have no concern, interest, problem or judgement on what you do to your property. It's similar to the rude A-holes who berated a member here for his/her (don't know) choice in the color of X4 they chose to purchase. Who the hell gave them the queer-eye to decide what color car someone else should buy? I may have mentioned that I think the grille-inserts aren't my cup of tea but I couldn't care a lick what someone does to her/his car if it makes them happy.

This is the difference though: you're on a forum. We are here to exchange information and opinions. I won't go lean out my window and yell at a poor sap for having an M badge on his non-M BMW. But if you post it on this forum wanting an opinion, I'll give it to you straight.