what's going on with these exhaust tips?

[HalfJobHarry 106]

So my exhaust tips don't look great. I set out to clean and polish them today but it appears they may not have intended to have been stainless finish...there seems to be some kind of black/glossy finish similar to the plastic look on the shadowline trim...

Is that even a thing? If so what to do? Presumably I could polish off whatever paint is on there assuming the tips themselves are stainless? Polish them up silver? 

Or am I seeing something that doesn't exist and they are just filthy  

[Eagle 1679]

To me it looks like they are are chrome plated and the finish is wearing off

[qube 3570]

afaik they are stainless and the black stuff is just the carbon build up, and the grey stuff on top is just years of dirt and what not. it *should* clean/polish up nicely with elbow grease.

If it is chrome plated steel... then I would just get some new tips haha

[HalfJobHarry 106]

15 minutes ago, qube said:

afaik they are stainless and the black stuff is just the carbon build up, and the grey stuff on top is just years of dirt and what not. it *should* clean/polish up nicely with elbow grease.

If it is chrome plated steel... then I would just get some new tips haha

Hence my confusion...it does in parts look like it's been coated with something...

I'll get the wire wool on it and see how they come up after a polish. 

Mistreated tips make me sad. 

 

[HalfJobHarry 106]

Here is a another view....and it really feels to me as if there is some treatment or glossy paint of some kind on these tips....they don't look *normal* somehow to me.  They look, black or dark grey...not how dirty stainless usually looks.  

Edited September 3, 2020 by HalfJobHarry

[KwS 2429]

Didnt some 135i come with black exhaust tips?

[Jdm135i 4]

9 hours ago, KwS said:

Didnt some 135i come with black exhaust tips?

Mine did. Although one of the tips came off at some stage. 

[HalfJobHarry 106]

1 hour ago, Jdm135i said:

Mine did. Although one of the tips came off at some stage. 

Ahhh so I'm not going totally crazy. That must be what these are. 

What to do..I've no idea how to refurb tips finished this way....doesn't look as if they are stainless underneath.  

[B.M.W Ltd 950]

Polish the tips with Auto-sol Metal Polish. Good for headlight lenses too

Edited September 5, 2020 by B.M.W Ltd

[Olaf 3341]

I did mine with Autosol as well, worked well.  You should find they pull-off.  They do in the e60.  Makes it easier to do.  Then slide back on afterwards.

[Navin 180]

Yep all 135i's came with the black tips unless the car had the m performance exhaust installed. Then it'll be stainless

[HalfJobHarry 106]

2 hours ago, Navin said:

Yep all 135i's came with the black tips unless the car had the m performance exhaust installed. Then it'll be stainless

Any idea what the black is ? Some kind of paint?

[Navin 180]

Yeah it was some sort of black chrome paint. Mine was still perfect when I sold the car. 

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/black-chrome-exhaust-tip/18307559999/