What did you do to your 5th Gen?

[Eltee]

Wasn't today, but a few days ago: I had the wheel repair guy at work do the wheels on my new (to me) 2011 Explorer Limited, went from stock to Glossy Black, they look crazy!

Pics of before/after.

View attachment 96149

Your car looks amazing. I, too, had my rims painted all black and I love the results.

How do you keep the black plastic trim and bumpers so pristine looking?

 

[BradleyFord]

@Zohli and @Eltee those painted wheels look great! I have no clue, what kind of places would do this type of work? How does the paint hold up? I'm sure it's not cheap but prob still cheaper than new wheels right?

 

[Eltee]

@Zohli and @Eltee those painted wheels look great! I have no clue, what kind of places would do this type of work? How does the paint hold up? I'm sure it's not cheap but prob still cheaper than new wheels right?

My wheels were done by a body and paint shop. They dismounted the tires, blasted the surface, painted and baked the rims. Mine were 3.4 black already but I did not like the two tone look so I went with all black. The quote for a powder coat, doing the same dismount / remount, was $200.00 EACH wheel but the painting was about 1/2 that.

 

[Zohli]

How do you keep the black plastic trim and bumpers so pristine looking?

I haven't had the car all that long (it's at 75k miles though), but I keep it in a carport so it isn't exposed to the elements when I'm not driving it.

@Zohli and @Elteewhat kind of places would do this type of work? How does the paint hold up? I'm sure it's not cheap but prob still cheaper than new wheels right?

I work at a BMW dealership and we have a company that comes out and does alloy wheel repair, he can also give it a different finish while he's doing it. So basically I can change the color and the wheel is repaired so it's brand new. I got all 4 wheel's done for $200 total and only took about 3 hours. Most people would have to pay around $500 for the same service I got though.

 

[Summers22]

I haven't had the car all that long (it's at 75k miles though), but I keep it in a carport so it isn't exposed to the elements when I'm not driving it.



I work at a BMW dealership and we have a company that comes out and does alloy wheel repair, he can also give it a different finish while he's doing it. So basically I can change the color and the wheel is repaired so it's brand new. I got all 4 wheel's done for $200 total and only took about 3 hours. Most people would have to pay around $500 for the same service I got though.

I will be in KC tomorrow.......I live 75 miles away and go there all the time for softball tournaments. What BMW dealer?

 

[Zohli]

I will be in KC tomorrow.......I live 75 miles away and go there all the time for softball tournaments. What BMW dealer?

I work at Baron BMW. It's in Merriam KS

 

[Summers22]

I know exactly where it is! Small world! I will be headed up I35 north from 56 but going East on Sante Fe to Blue Valley rec for a softball tournament. Anyway I may have to get the name of the company that does your wheels as we may do ours black (I know it will cost me more than you pay, just need someone that does quality work).

 

[Eltee]

The company that supplies spotlights, etc. for our cop vehicles also makes a fog light set so I ordered my Unity 4 x 6 " fog light kit today. Have not decided if I'm going to mount it in the open space under the grill or go with a Westin Contour Bull Bar (the small one) to support them. Never knew Unity made fog lights until this week.

 

[Zohli]

I know exactly where it is! Small world! I will be headed up I35 north from 56 but going East on Sante Fe to Blue Valley rec for a softball tournament. Anyway I may have to get the name of the company that does your wheels as we may do ours black (I know it will cost me more than you pay, just need someone that does quality work).

Shoot me a PM and I can get you setup with all of their info

 

[Eltee]

Good luck, my friend.

Dealer took care of me pretty well (I just bought my Ex from them last month). Keypad seems to function and they installed my K&N cabin air filter. No charge and in and out in just a couple of hours.

 

[Eltee]

Installed PIAA headlight bulbs. Have to wait until dark to see if they improved lighting.

The bulbs I took out were made by Sylvania. Are the OEM bulbs Sylvania?

 

[Eltee]

Installed PIAA headlight bulbs. Have to wait until dark to see if they improved lighting.

The bulbs I took out were made by Sylvania. Are the OEM bulbs Sylvania?

Took a long drive tonight, including into areas devoid of street lights. Definitely brighter and whiter. Well worth the effort.

 

[pup5581]

Midwest Tint & Vinyl in St. Charles, IL. Javier and Manny. Brothers that do excellent work. Red trim vinyl wrap. View attachment 96104View attachment 96105View attachment 96106View attachment 96107

Love the look (And I am a Bruins fan) haha

 

[peterk9]

Love the look (And I am a Bruins fan) haha

No need to apologize for that.

 

[Eric F]

I brought my new 2017 XLT (202A, Sport Appearance Package) home on 3/14...

As a softball coach, a big pile of gear lives in the cargo area, and the rear bumper gets some significant abuse. Installed immediately were a BMC bumper protector and Husky cargo liner.

I know some people think caliper covers are cheesy. However, I think the rough casting of the calipers looks awful, and painting them draws attention to their roughness. Besides...My car. My rules. I ordered a semi-custom set of MGP caliper covers in red with "EXPLORER" in black letters, without the fake bolt heads on their stock covers. They will be installed this weekend.

For the first time in 20 years, I'm driving a vehicle that I'm excited about...and my kids think daddy's car is pretty badass

 

[jonnoriega]

Congrats on the ride! As for he calipers being painted, there's quite a few of us here that had them done. Looks pretty cool to me but to each their own.

Love that murdered out look. Good job.

I brought my new 2017 XLT (202A, Sport Appearance Package) home on 3/14...

As a softball coach, a big pile of gear lives in the cargo area, and the rear bumper gets some significant abuse. Installed immediately were a BMC bumper protector and Husky cargo liner.

I know some people think caliper covers are cheesy. However, I think the rough casting of the calipers looks awful, and painting it draws attention to its roughness. Besides...My car. My rules. I ordered a semi-custom set of MGP caliper covers in red with "EXPLORER" in black, without the fake bolt heads on their stock covers. They will be installed this weekend.

For the first time in 20 years, I'm driving a vehicle that I'm excited about...and my kids think daddy's car is pretty badass

 

[Eric F]

Congrats on the ride! As for he calipers being painted, there's quite a few of us here that had them done. Looks pretty cool to me but to each their own.

Love that murdered out look. Good job.
View attachment 96285

I've looked though lots of pics of painted calipers - including on your sweet Ex - and read the debates and hater rants against covers. I just don't care for the way the paint looks on the rough iron casting of the Ex calipers. It's a personal preference thing.

On an unrelated note...I'll be 3 rows off the glass for the final home game of the season at Staples Center next weekend to watch your 'Hawks play my Kings. Go, Kings!!

 

[peterk9]

I've looked though lots of pics of painted calipers - including on your sweet Ex - and read the debates and hater rants against covers. I just don't care for the way the paint looks on the rough iron casting of the Ex calipers. It's a personal preference thing.

On an unrelated note...I'll be 3 rows off the glass for the final home game of the season at Staples Center next weekend to watch your 'Hawks play my Kings. Go, Kings!!

Welcome to the Forum Eric.
My Senators are having a tough time lately. Too many injuries to key players.

Peter

 

[Eric F]

Welcome to the Forum Eric.
My Senators are having a tough time lately. Too many injuries to key players.

Peter

Thanks, Peter. Good luck to the Sens next year.

 

[supr squirrel]

I brought my new 2017 XLT (202A, Sport Appearance Package) home on 3/14...

I know some people think caliper covers are cheesy. However, I think the rough casting of the calipers looks awful, and painting them draws attention to their roughness. Besides...My car. My rules. I ordered a semi-custom set of MGP caliper covers in red with "EXPLORER" in black letters, without the fake bolt heads on their stock covers. They will be installed this weekend.

First off, how could I not like your ride? Congrats on your purchase.

In regards to painting the calipers, as @jonnoriega has already mentioned several of us have done it. Are they perfectly smooth after painting with G2? No. G2 is a self leveling paint, though, so they are much smoother looking after the process than they were previously. It's different strokes for different folks, obviously. A word of warning, though. I also did a lot of research before going with the G2 kit. A ton of it. And if you want the calipers to look 'right' with the covers you're still going to have to paint a portion of the calipers as when you look from certain angles you still see portions of the calipers. That's ultimately what steered me in the painting direction (that and to get the 'custom color' of orange was going to cost me in the neighborhood of $400 .)

Not trying to 'hate' on them (like I said, I nearly pulled the trigger on them myself), just trying to prepare you for that possibility (if you hadn't come across that in your research.)

Welcome to the forum and can't wait to see your upcoming mods.