I'm getting my car painted by the bodyshop in a couple days and i'm deciding if they should paint the black side mouldings and/or the tail lights the same color as the car? the color is going to be the stock s4 maroon/burgundy color...

should i paint the mouldings only or tail lights as well?
or nothing?

 

leave it black, it has a nice contrast with that color, jon88se has it on his car and it looks awsome.

 

Leave'm black.

 

Personally, I'd leave the tails black and paint the side moldings. IHMO, it makes the car look cheap if they are left black.

 

I'd paint the side mouldings if i were in your position. Personally, I like the kouki-ish look of matching mouldings with the car's colour... IMHO ^^

 

BRING THE CAR OUT OF THE EIGHTIES!!! PAINT THE TRIM!!!

Then again, if you're keeping the stock maroon color... I don't really know... You might NEED the black to darken up and contrast that color.

The black trim is typically unacceptable (to me, lol)

 

Leave it Black, thats the way its supposed to be, if theyr'e in good condition it makes for a great contrast

and eriksseven, cars from the '90s and current still have black trin and taillight surrounds, not just the '80's actually in the 80's they had the woody station-wagon and chrome trim/bumpers as problems, i think black trim is just dandy.

 

^ haha, lol

I know, it's just we're dealing with a car that opitimizes the phrase "80's sportscar".

My opinion, when it comes to the way another person's car looks, is of very little value.

lol

 

first, sorry if im taking your thread. i also want to paint my trim, but the car was re painted red before i got it. so i dont have the paint code. i heard shops who do paint have a machine that can look at your paint and just spit the code out. is that true? and how much would it cost to get the trim painted to match the car?

 

If you are painting it the "stock maroonish burgundy" color known only on s4's as claret mica, then leave the mouldings black- that color was not available on s5's and would look odd with body color mouldings, IMHO.

 

this guy has a nice lookin fc with painted side mouldings and tail lights

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1-vS4NUwyk

 

I'd leave them black (or rather paint them black, so they're not all faded). Colored S4 moldings just don't look right, it might have something to do with the fact that they're thinner that S5 moldings. They just look wrong painted IMO.

 

Another one down for black trim. ***** ugly.

 

I plan on painting mine.

 

My 88 came (to me) with them painted to match. of course the car was a metallic graphite color and it looked great.

 

Been down this road a number of times trying all all you said. My conclusion:

If your car is a stocker otherwise cosmetically as it sounds, leaved the side moldings alone and leave them black. That way all you need is a little armorall to them when you're detailing your car later. If you paint them then you run the chance of paint peal of chipping later.

If the plastic around the tails is fadded or weathered, what I would suggest if have the body shop lightly the plastic then paint black to restore them back to original. Fadded tails against brand new paint will really stand out.

If your car isn't so stock, then I'd still leave the moldings alone BUT I would paint the trim around the S4 tails.

 

whats your car look like? any aftermarket wheels?
if its mostly stock, keep the molding black in my opinion. If you got some wheels and it is lowered, then it may look good painted.

 

i painted mine but i have a black car and it looks better than faded trim if i had any other color i wouldn't paint it and yes i would paint the tail lights black not color matched.

 

It really comes down to what you like. I mean, you have to drive the thing. There is not right or wrong. It comes down to what you are comfortable with. I'm sure it will look nice either way.

 

moldings yes, lights black or S5 tails

 

keep it stock, S4 pride!

 

i removed the trim and filed it with body filler then painted the car looks way better

 

I like the look of the s4's with painted moldings/tails.

 

There's some mega thread resurrection going on here, but I've been very happy with the look of my S4 since I had the trim painted. It doesn't look so 80's anymore.