Polishing stainless/matte silver OEM exhaust tips?

magnet · 09-17-2013, 02:05 AM

I ordered the “Chrome” OEM Exhaust Tips from my local BMW dealer, but these were not chrome at all.
They are matte silver/stainless steel. Almost the same colour as the car itself, which is Titanium Silver/TiAg.

The part number (18307551507) is correct.
See here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=18&fg=20

How do I go about polishing these to a nice chrome finish?

SCHMOUPE · 09-17-2013, 12:26 PM

you would have to chrome coat them and from what I have seen on Discovery channel, it is not a do it yourself kind of work. You are probably better off returning the tips and getting a different set.

dubsesd · 09-17-2013, 01:50 PM

Dimisa tips.

magnet · 09-17-2013, 02:33 PM

Thanks.

After some extensive research. (Searching the part number on ebay.) I have found a forward slash between the words "Chrome" and "Matt" on a German ebay page for the item.
My stunning conclusion is that maybe there are two different versions with the same part number? Matt and Chrome?
I'm going back to the dealer tomorrow to check.

I'm trying my best to keep everything OEM, dubsesd.

magnet · 09-18-2013, 02:15 AM

I went to the dealer. The part number couldn't contain different editions/varations of an item. They couldn't even return it, since they/I orderet with the part number -- and we got what we wished for. They are actually listed as "chrome", though.

I'll put them on the car and see how it looks. I'll make a thread in the Photos-section.

magnet · 09-18-2013, 03:08 PM

I think they look pretty good. They are the same colour as the wheels, as it turns out. This is what BMW intended, after all.

I'll take some better pictures, with an actual camera, later.

Before:

After:

drbvac · 09-18-2013, 04:53 PM

Look fine to me = all fits together

jdoublehcubed · 10-10-2013, 01:33 PM

Those look really nice, definitely an improvement from the oem single walled tailpipe.

Shame it would be $200 to add to an M.

David70 · 10-10-2013, 03:48 PM

Is the part really stainless steel with a low luster finish or is it mild steel with a coated or painted finish? Also, does it seem pretty thick or sheet metal?

If it is actually stainless you could still buff it to bright (almost chrome) finish, like most other aftermarket exhausts.

Without the right tools it could be a decent amount of work...

dubsesd · 10-10-2013, 05:39 PM

I had these on my e90 stock. They are steel and painted silver. I bought proper stainless tips

doozyj · 10-10-2013, 10:43 PM

I think they look great if not better.

09-17-2013, 02:05 AM	#1
magnet New Member 2 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Norway iTrader: (0)	Polishing stainless/matte silver OEM exhaust tips? I ordered the “Chrome” OEM Exhaust Tips from my local BMW dealer, but these were not chrome at all. They are matte silver/stainless steel. Almost the same colour as the car itself, which is Titanium Silver/TiAg. The part number (18307551507) is correct. See here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=18&fg=20 How do I go about polishing these to a nice chrome finish?
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09-17-2013, 12:26 PM	#2
SCHMOUPE Lieutenant Colonel 127 Rep 1,772 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4M Coupe Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: NJ iTrader: (7) Garage List 2007 Z4M Coupe [0.00]	you would have to chrome coat them and from what I have seen on Discovery channel, it is not a do it yourself kind of work. You are probably better off returning the tips and getting a different set. __________________ Gruppe M CAI / Euro Headers / Rogue Engineering X-pipe / RE Diablo Exhaust
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09-17-2013, 01:50 PM	#3
dubsesd #dubspec 6328 Rep 5,200 Posts Drives: G05 X5/ 2016 F80 M3 INDVL Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Ottawa iTrader: (2)	Dimisa tips. __________________ LCI ///F80 M3 Individual Atlantis Metallic / Black Full / Carbon Cermics / 6MT MPE / M Performance & Carbon package / KW v3 / 20" HRE R101LW / 20" HRE 527s / Michelin PSS / 20% tint / 3d Design / Streckenn splitters / OEM GTS hood / EAS Carbon seatbacks / Carbon RKP sideskirt / Bootmod3 / M Performance Tri color alcantara / AWE S Flow instagram: @ dubsesd
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09-17-2013, 02:33 PM	#4
magnet New Member 2 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Norway iTrader: (0)	Thanks. After some extensive research. (Searching the part number on ebay.) I have found a forward slash between the words "Chrome" and "Matt" on a German ebay page for the item. My stunning conclusion is that maybe there are two different versions with the same part number? Matt and Chrome? I'm going back to the dealer tomorrow to check. I'm trying my best to keep everything OEM, dubsesd.
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09-18-2013, 02:15 AM	#5
magnet New Member 2 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Norway iTrader: (0)	I went to the dealer. The part number couldn't contain different editions/varations of an item. They couldn't even return it, since they/I orderet with the part number -- and we got what we wished for. They are actually listed as "chrome", though. I'll put them on the car and see how it looks. I'll make a thread in the Photos-section.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-18-2013, 03:08 PM	#6
magnet New Member 2 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Norway iTrader: (0)	I think they look pretty good. They are the same colour as the wheels, as it turns out. This is what BMW intended, after all. I'll take some better pictures, with an actual camera, later. Before: After:
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09-18-2013, 04:53 PM	#7
drbvac First Lieutenant 23 Rep 347 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW M COUPE Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Charlottetown PEI, Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 Royal Enfield c-5 [0.00] 2006 BMW M Coupe [0.00]	Look fine to me = all fits together __________________ 2006 M COUPE - 380 total production, 1 of 40Imola Red produced for NA , ESS 455 Supercharger, Speedhut Gauges, VPM CLS wheels, 19" Hancooks, Stromung Exhaust, Carbon fibre accessories and black and white badging,
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10-10-2013, 01:33 PM	#8
jdoublehcubed Mechanical Engineer 96 Rep 1,025 Posts Drives: 2006 Z4MR, Imola Red Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Anaheim, CA iTrader: (1)	Those look really nice, definitely an improvement from the oem single walled tailpipe. Shame it would be $200 to add to an M.
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10-10-2013, 03:48 PM	#9
David70 Colonel 1567 Rep 2,665 Posts Drives: 06 Z4M Coupe - 13 Cadillac ATS Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (1)	Is the part really stainless steel with a low luster finish or is it mild steel with a coated or painted finish? Also, does it seem pretty thick or sheet metal? If it is actually stainless you could still buff it to bright (almost chrome) finish, like most other aftermarket exhausts. Without the right tools it could be a decent amount of work... __________________ 2006 Z4M Coupe - Stromung exhaust, ZHP knob, stubby antenna, clutch delay delete
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10-10-2013, 05:39 PM	#10
dubsesd #dubspec 6328 Rep 5,200 Posts Drives: G05 X5/ 2016 F80 M3 INDVL Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Ottawa iTrader: (2)	I had these on my e90 stock. They are steel and painted silver. I bought proper stainless tips __________________ LCI ///F80 M3 Individual Atlantis Metallic / Black Full / Carbon Cermics / 6MT MPE / M Performance & Carbon package / KW v3 / 20" HRE R101LW / 20" HRE 527s / Michelin PSS / 20% tint / 3d Design / Streckenn splitters / OEM GTS hood / EAS Carbon seatbacks / Carbon RKP sideskirt / Bootmod3 / M Performance Tri color alcantara / AWE S Flow instagram: @ dubsesd
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10-10-2013, 10:43 PM	#11
doozyj Lieutenant 14 Rep 514 Posts Drives: 2007 M Coupe Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: SoCal iTrader: (8)	I think they look great if not better.
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