Road trip story & Project thread: 2001 Titanium Silver e39 M5

[704sw]

What do we think of Techno Violet?

I think I’ll be in my bunk.

[Will]

Rims are almost home.

What do we think of Techno Violet?

Looking forward to seeing the refinished wheels. Techno violet's a very interesting color, in my opinion. When I was in high school and the car was new to market I was indifferent about it, but as I got older I started to appreciate it more and more. I like how it shifts from metallic violet to a black depending on the angle light reflects off of it.

Does it also have the S52 like the Estoril one you posted, and did you add it to your stable?

[ZHPizza]

Rims are almost home.

What do we think of Techno Violet?







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I've only seen technoviolet in person once, and it was while wandering around in Munich last year. I effing love it.




Please buy that purple car.

[san]

Rims are almost home.

What do we think of Techno Violet?







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We think you should buy it


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[Sreten]

I've only seen technoviolet in person once, and it was while wandering around in Munich last year. I effing love it.

Please buy that purple car.

I've never seen one in person but it looks really cool in pictures. I have a lot of info about this M3, it's rough around the edges but has a good base. We'll see if it goes further.
I'm having hots for S50 so if not this one, maybe a different one. I'm having an urge to put a Supersrpint on it and just rip it!

Looking forward to seeing the refinished wheels. Techno violet's a very interesting color, in my opinion. When I was in high school and the car was new to market I was indifferent about it, but as I got older I started to appreciate it more and more. I like how it shifts from metallic violet to a black depending on the angle light reflects off of it.

Does it also have the S52 like the Estoril one you posted, and did you add it to your stable?

This one is S50B32 like the Estoril one but that one is gone I believe. Gotta sell the E31 to release some funds before I can make the next move.

Rims are in transit with the worst courier service in the world - DPD. I hate them passionately, they messed up so many of my packages and last time they cost me $100 because they falsely claimed to have delivered the package even though they didn't. Sadly, there's wasn't a different option for shipping from Poland so I'm anxiously awaiting delivery.

In the meantime, here's how they look. I'll know better when I inspect them but I think they nailed the finish.

We think you should buy it

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Fingers crossed.

[Sreten]

Sitrep on the wheel refurb.

I spent more than a year searching for someone in Germany and Europe who could refinish the wheels in the original Chrome Shadow. I sent out over 50 emails to any alloy repair shop I could find in Germany.
I also talked to Lepsons in the UK since I read good things about them and their chrome shadow work. I got a great impression from them and their general manager explained to me in detail their repair process. If I was in the UK, I'd be going with them but shipping from Germany would be costly and downtime too long.

I managed to find only 2 places in Germany that were doing chrome shadow but they were rather pricey and didn't have pictures of Style 65 refinished and I was adamant on having the correct finish.

In the end, I went with Superfelgi from Poland as they have been doing this finish for some time and actually did a bunch of M5 rims plus the price was very fair, half the price of what I was quoted in Germany. After seeing pictures of their previous work, I felt comfortable sending out my rims to them.

My rims weren't particularly bad, one rim was little curbed but mainly the finish was starting to fade in places.

















In simple terms, achieving Chrome Shadows is as follows: rims stripped, powder coated black, then comes silver (depending on how much silver is added the finish can be darker or lighter) and the last step is clear coat.

Here are mine stripped.













Cleaned up.











Painted black.





The most important thing for me was to get them refinished to the correct shade of chrome shadow, I've seen them refinished too dark which gives them gunmetal look or too light and they look plain silver and that's just not what I was going for.
My instructions were sorta simple - get them to the original finish as close as humanly possible and if doubt, my preference was lighter finish as mine were like that from the factory.

From the paint booth.















The finish of the M5 wheels deviated even from the factory, some darker some lighter, but I think they absolutely nailed the finish of my rims and accomplished exactly what I wanted, not too dark and not too light just a proper Chrome Shadow finish.

Wheel porn incoming.



















Pics taken shortly before sunset, the perfect time for Chrome Shadow to pop.

























Before dropping them off at the tire shop, I treated them with this rim specific ceramic coating for protection and to make them easier to clean. They claim the protection lasts for 5 years but time will tell.





At the tire shop. I had to profoundly express myself through my Greman friend that the rims are freshly refinished and that if they scratch them, I'll be the mood to throw a fit. Luckily, it all went smoothly.





New M emblems and lock caps. I should say that these pics weren't taken on the hood of the M5 but a rather disintegrating 2002 that's in the garage. :D I'm extremely against putting anything on the paint of the car but in case of this poor 2002, it's the least of its worries.



Shame that the new caps don't have the BMW logo.



Quickly coated the lug bolts to make them look the part.



Tires are Falken Azenis FK510 that were bought new last year by the PO and I got new center caps last year as well.

And we're back in business!











The beast is due for a nice wash but I'm super stoked how the wheels turned out! The communication with Superfelgi was good and on time, his English isn't brilliant so once it got technical I resorted to google translate which worked out fine. As I already stated, the shade of Chrome Shadow is really perfect and was my main concern but there is some room for improvement in their work. Primarily with the overall finish as there are some tiny imperfections and specks of dirt if you really nitpick, but considering the price and work done I can't really complain and it's acceptable since it's not noticeable at all once on the car.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice that the pillar covers are missing in the above pictures which is the next project.

[ZHPizza]

Damn the depth that that finish adds is just astounding. I'm excited to see some pics of them on the car in Golden hour lighting.

God I hate using "that that" in a sentence. Go explain that one to a German...

[704sw]

Those look incredible. One of my favorite wheels ever, and definitely my favorite finish. I was talking with a guy at Cars & Coffee once about Chrome Shadow refinishing. He explained to me the finish could vary so much on factory wheels it was actually someone’s job just to pick from big lots to get the 4 closest matches. He also said the manufacturing process was banned (lead I think?) and was fairly toxic, and that’s why getting “factory finish” is so damn hard.

Damn the depth that that finish adds is just astounding. I'm excited to see some pics of them on the car in Golden hour lighting.

God I hate using "that that" in a sentence. Go explain that one to a German...

I took a business writing course where the professor docked points for every unnecessary “that” she found in every assignment, which is about 90% of the times “that” is used. Basically my way of saying “Damn, the depth that finish adds is just astounding” (single “that”) is correct, boo.

[az3579]

Damn the depth that that finish adds is just astounding. I'm excited to see some pics of them on the car in Golden hour lighting.

God I hate using "that that" in a sentence. Go explain that one to a German...

Well that whole sentence isn't proper anyway, which is probably why it won't make sense to a German.
I would have phrased it as such: "Damn, the depth of that finish is astounding."

I only mentioned it because you brought it up. lol



I agree with your statement. I can't believe they did such a good job with that finish. I imagine getting the finish the same on all four is the hardest part. It may just be the lighting, but it looks to me as though two of the wheels are darker than the rest. Is that the case in person, Sreten?

[704sw]

Well that whole sentence isn't proper anyway, which is probably why it won't make sense to a German.

At least we can say the word “squirrel.”

Checkmate, Germany.