Chrome delete from the rocker panels on the 2.5i sport

[CGchick27]

If anyone is like me and thought the chrome accents on the rocker panels with the 2.5i sport were a bit excessive, there is an easy and cheap solution.

 

The rocker panels are easy to pop off. Here is a link for a rocker panel being taken off and on with a WRX, but the layout of the clips are identical.

 

Once the panel is removed, there are several white clips on the inner side of the rocker panel that hold the chrome piece in place. After carefully removing the white clips (can easily be done with a small flat head screw driver and depressing the part of the clip holding it in place and pulling it out). The 2-piece chrome strip can then carefully be pulled out from the panel.

 

I personally initially attempted the paint method by roughing the chrome slightly with high grit steel wool, using automotive primer paint, then using a low gloss black spray paint to delete the chrome. The paint was inexpensive and I was able to complete the project within a few hours of an afternoon.

 

Even though it definitely did the job, I wasn't fully happy with the look of the paint because I didn't want to take the time wet sand it enough to smooth out the paint. Instead, I've decided to strip the paint back off the chrome and instead go vinyl. I went with a silk flat matte color that seems to match the black panels around the side windows. Here's a link for the vinyl and a video to help with applying the vinyl.

Vinyl: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NNS9W2H/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_03CWBPEFZNBZ69J7S3G5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Applying vinyl (the video is for interior pieces, but the techniques can be used for the chrome accent piece for the rocker panel as well):

 

Hope this helps anyone that dislikes the lower chrome and wants options to get rid of it without having to purchase different rocker panels.