[elijah90s]

Guys, I am in a huge dilemma mode and need your opinions.
We have a white 2022 Tech and I wanted to spice some things up externally.
I hate the new MDX plastics around the wheels and all around under bumpers, it drives me nuts.
I decided to slap an OEM lip for front and rear as well as running boards but it made the look even worse.
Tried my best to photoshop the black wheel arches and trim & moldings to see how it would look when all is painted.

IMHO it made the wheels look subconsciously bigger and/or the vehicle lower than it really is and I like it.
Any thoughts? Does all white trim make it too mini-van-ish?

 

[mdxstang]

I like it better with the contrasting colors - it gives it more interest for me. A monotone scheme is too dull for me and all white everything is just too generic. The contrasts add at least some character.

But it's what you like that's important since it's your vehicle.

 

[mrgold35]

My guess is Acura will paint those areas when the MMC rolls out in a few years. My 19 MDX hybrid came with color matched painted lower trim compared to the black plastic for the 14-16 MDXs. I think it makes the MDX looks more upscale towards the luxury range with the color matched trim or even with contrast painted trim.

 

[elijah90s]

It’s almost as if they have a strategy when it times to exterior styling?

 

[Chazzy J]

The new MDX Type S Advance comes with gloss black molding in the areas you’re pointing out. Personally I like those areas painted. The ABS plastic works quite fine, but for me, there’s still a component of cheapness when I look at the ABS plastic stuff on a $60k car.

You could ultimately paint the plastic through the use of adhesion promoters and plastic bonding chemicals. It’s been done on another MDX, but it was an instagram post, not a member of the forum. If you painted the current ones on your car, I doubt the finish would be very smooth once you get close to it.

So best I could recommend is order the Type S Advance pieces, take them to a body shop and have them body match those pieces. I presume those pieces have been designed to have smooth finish and accept whatever type of paint you want to put on it. I personally plan on doing it, but not right now

 

[MDteX]

I was not a fan of the black wheel well openings and that is one of the reasons I chose a white A-Spec so those black pieces will blend in with the A-Spec's styling.

 

[elijah90s]

The new MDX Type S Advance comes with gloss black molding in the areas you’re pointing out. Personally I like those areas painted. The ABS plastic works quite fine, but for me, there’s still a component of cheapness when I look at the ABS plastic stuff on a $60k car.

You could ultimately paint the plastic through the use of adhesion promoters and plastic bonding chemicals. It’s been done on another MDX, but it was an instagram post, not a member of the forum. If you painted the current ones on your car, I doubt the finish would be very smooth once you get close to it.

So best I could recommend is order the Type S Advance pieces, take them to a body shop and have them body match those pieces. I presume those pieces have been designed to have smooth finish and accept whatever type of paint you want to put on it. I personally plan on doing it, but not right now

I concur.

I don't think I will find any MDX S-Type parts yet so I'll just have a local shop do the work for me. I assume they will sand down the texture and then paint match the plastic trims.
I did make a slight mod to the rear lower trim, will leave the hitch hitch black, makes it look a lot better.

I will post pictures of my the final results once the shop is done. Maybe sometime in the next month.

 

[nsxtasy]

It's your car, of course. But to me, the idea of repainting parts on a brand new car, well... not something I would do. Wait until you've had it a while and it's not so immaculate.

 

[elijah90s]

It's your car, of course. But to me, the idea of repainting parts on a brand new car, well... not something I would do. Wait until you've had it a while and it's not so immaculate.

it wasn’t so immaculate the minute I drove it off the lot 🤣 already has 8k miles, it’s our long term car and I wanna make it “right” sooner than later 😅

 

[Chazzy J]

it wasn’t so immaculate the minute I drove it off the lot 🤣 already has 8k miles, it’s our long term car and I wanna make it “right” sooner than later 😅

I’m with you 100% on this one. Very excited to see your results because I’ll be doing the same thing. Love your enthusiasm! Let us know when you get the part numbers!

 

[AcuraSLMIKET]

 

[mrgold35]

That looks perfectly done!

 

[Chazzy J]

@AcuraSLMIKET

Oof! Gorgeous. Well done. Is this your MDX? When I tried to have plastic painted on another car back in the day the body shop gave me a ton of flak and told me it’s going To be subject to chipping and look like crap in a couple years. Did this shop give you any crap about painting those pieces? Any insights or wisdom you can share for when I approach my local body shop about this job?

 

[AcuraSLMIKET]

@Chazzy J
Yes it is, I took the risk it's not perfect but the contrast looks better then before. I recommend you wait until there's a person willing to take off the trim to sand it , prep it correctly . A blue like yours def would have to be done properly the paint won't stick to the method I used temp for me hope that helps

 

[Chazzy J]

@Chazzy J
Yes it is, I took the risk it's not perfect but the contrast looks better then before. I recommend you wait until there's a person willing to take off the trim to sand it , prep it correctly . A blue like yours def would have to be done properly the paint won't stick to the method I used temp for me hope that helps

Thank you sir. I completely understand and agree. I really appreciate your feedback

 

[Chazzy J]

I concur.

I don't think I will find any MDX S-Type parts yet so I'll just have a local shop do the work for me. I assume they will sand down the texture and then paint match the plastic trims.
I did make a slight mod to the rear lower trim, will leave the hitch hitch black, makes it look a lot better.

I will post pictures of my the final results once the shop is done. Maybe sometime in the next month.

So I did some sleuthing. Here are the type-S paintable part numbers for the right and left front arches, right and left rear arches, left and right rear door half arch, front and rear door trim sills.

Front arches:
74115-TYA-A20
74165-TYA-A20

Rear Aches:
74410-TYA-A20
74450-TYA-A20

Rear Door Half Arches:
75390-TYA-A11ZA
75395-TYA-A11ZA

Right Door Sills:
75312-TYA-A11ZH
75313-TYA-A11ZH

Left Door Sills
75332-TYA-A11ZH
75333-TYA-A11ZH

The sills and half arches indicate paint code NH547 (Berlina Black) in the parts catalogue, the wheel arches do not indicate paint code NH547, but they’re double the price, so I’ve got to imagine they come painted too.

While I’ve confirmed the rear bumper skid (diffuser) is part number 04716-TYB-A20ZZ, it is unable to be ordered separately at this time (back order). School of thought is you’d have to order the entire rear bumper to get you hands on that piece.

I do not have any information on the front bumper Type S skid; however, I think your intention is to use the accessory lip kit anyway.

All parts (minus rear bumper skid) are about $825 at full retail.

I did have these part numbers confirmed by a parts manager for Acura.

 

[Kayslay]

I concur.

I don't think I will find any MDX S-Type parts yet so I'll just have a local shop do the work for me. I assume they will sand down the texture and then paint match the plastic trims.
I did make a slight mod to the rear lower trim, will leave the hitch hitch black, makes it look a lot better.

I will post pictures of my the final results once the shop is done. Maybe sometime in the next month.

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View attachment 119068

This looks good. I like the rear ptm but leaving it black at the bottom ‘diffuser?’ between the tips. +1 on wheel arches ptm. I thought on the white a spec the Grey arches stood out too much, so I went for a black one.

 

[Kayslay]

View attachment 119074
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Front and rear trim looks great. I just asked the dealer to order it for my black a spec
On the US site and another thread I saw here it looks like it comes in a flat grey and then you have to paint it. My dealer (in Canada) told me it comes in black and ready to go which I’m hoping cause it can bolt right on without any extra prep. It doesn’t show the accessory on the cdn site either. How did yours come? Did you paint before or after install and approx how much thx

 

[Hogan773]

Y'all got lots of time and money on your hands apparently!

Next step, paint the exhaust system under the car bright red even though nobody will see it haha. 😂

 

[Kayslay]

Y'all got lots of time and money on your hands apparently!

Next step, paint the exhaust system under the car bright red even though nobody will see it haha. 😂

Haha I haven’t taken possession of mine yet but did have a quick look on the lot under the rear tips to see if they could be removed easily to power coat to match 😄 seem to be spot welded on though so they’d have to be cut off and re welded. Probably pass on that for now hahah