Grey Removal

[Sagan]

Need some help in figuring out what to do about my sideskirts. The regular grey with which the car was painted with is not too incredibly bad... but I've only got one side that stayed that color. I dont know what the hell the previous owner did... but it ended up looking like this:

Anyways, I saw a thread talking about removing this grey and painting it black. I feel like an ass posting another thread about it, but It didnt help my problem.
Im just wondering if the degreaser does really work or if I just have to scrub it down, also wanna know if it will have the same color underneath, or if its better to remove the grey and have it painted. I have a feeling I need to get the front painted inevitably, unless of course I go with the M-3 Body Kit and have that installed and painted. Unfortunetly I dont have the cash for that, and Im not sure if I want to "pose" and make it seem like my 325is is an M3. Just doesnt seem right for BMW, thats more of a Honda "rice". Pretty much lik e sticking a "Type R" sticker on a standard sedan.
All in all, I need to know if that actually works, and even if, I was wondering what I'm looking at in Painting costs.
Thanks.

[007ben]

same color under the gray. bumbers will need paint though.

[brien4787]

http://www.geocities.com/e36rulz/sideskirts3.html

if that link doesnt work, just got to http://www.geocities.com/e36rulz , then go down to Side Skirt (grey removal)

i myself havnt tried this. my sideskirts are not nearly as bad as i have seen on this board.

[uber e36]

I read a post where the guy soaked the skirts in a solution... then stuck paper towel on them... and soaked them more.... and the paper towel held the moisture against the skirts (he sprayed them like every 20min though). He did this for almost 2 hours... but then when it got to scrubbing, he coud use something soft and it took almost no effort....

In response to the "posing" comment...

Ricers do pose by putting Type R badges on shitty ass Corollas... But putting an M3 kit on your car is not posing at all... as long as you don't badge it with M3 decals... I think it just makes the car look way more hot!

[El Presidente]

in the meantime, try rubbin peanut oil on the gray.

I know, just trust me.

[Sagan]

Thanks, I gonna have to try that out when it gets nicer out here, we've had nothing but damn rain.
As for the "poser" comment, I did mean putting the badges and everything else on it. I know what you mean with making it look hotter with the new bumper.

[Kevin325i]

I put some wax on them, it looks decent when they're darker instead of so light grey.

Kevin

[Mark31186]

Hey i got a decent solution ... M3 side skirts are frieking $$$$$$ so i was desperate and tried something. My car is a dark maroon color and the grey wasnt helping so i tried this stuff from www.bavauto.com called forever black. Its basically this little bottle with an applicator you paint on. The first two coats you'll get streaks but let it sit for a day and apply some more the next day. Its basically a really dark grey color that actually looks rather nice... instead of grey/white :P The bottle is like.... 13 bucks or something... VERY nice investment until you save up all that money for M3 body kit

The rear and front bumpers are a different texture, but on the front i managed to get it to work but the rear i painted the sides and left the back grey ( u dont notice it trust me ). I got frustrated at first but after i saw what it did i felt like kicking myself in the ass by letting it upset me lol. Now i just apply a quick coat whenever i feel like it. Give it a shot u got nothing to lose

-Mark

[camnipotent]

I have the same stuff. It works really well on the black trim. Like a charm.

[Silver4evr]

If it's actually painted grey, the Forever Black won't work. I don't really see why it would have been painted grey though. Maybe it just looks like it was painted grey.

[CiscoKid]

forever black it a dye, and it will jsut wipe off of the grey

[Mark31186]

If it is the orignial side skirts, not painted, the forever black will work and it wont wash off at all.... but if they were painted grey then the previous owner had some shitty taste and yeah it might not work then.

[uber e36]

I think people confused the term "painted".

Maybe they said "painted grey" when what they were talking about is how the grey on the skirts is sprayed over top of the body to protect against chips. As opposed to the front and rear bumpers which are actual grey plastic pieces along the bottom.

That might be the confusion.... might also not be :P