Door handle / pull colours - I'm confused, help!

[Rossi1001]

So I've been buying some bits to tidy up the interior of my Z4, including a gear selector surround and new door handles.

Enuff_zed only had the passenger side door handle in his storage cupboard, which I purchased, then Umfaan advertised a pair, and I bought both, even though I only needed the drivers door, given it wasn't expensive (and it would have been mean to ask Umfaan to split them!).

I was confused when I got the second pair though, as the door handle seemed to be a slightly different colour. I'm aware of this 'Chrome Line interior' option, though this isn't shown in my car on any VIN decoder for the options list.

Have a look at the picture below and you'll see what I mean. The single door pull (left hand side of the image) has a brighter, plain silver finish, whereas the pair (the second one is cut off the image to the bottom right) have a darker, almost grey type finish. The difference is even more obvious in person - the camera doesn't pick it up as well as the naked eye.

20240328_095821.jpg (120.7 KiB) Viewed 278 times

I am hoping the power of the combined brains of this forum can answer the following!

• What is the OEM correct one for my 2003 (2.5i car)? (the tired / scratched ones already fitted on mine match the darker pair)

• If there are two different colours, why does RealOEM only have 'Beige' and 'Schwarz' options?

• The door pull covers on my car would seem to match the silver of the single door pull handle pictured above, should the door handle and door pull cover not match?

The last one seems odd, but I want my car to be 100% OEM, hence the questions. Thanks in advance for your help!

P.S. If it should be the silver one, I will still need the drivers side door!

[Rossi1001]

This second photo might show the difference a bit better (silver one on the right now, darker grey(ish) type on the left....

20240328_095839.jpg (106.27 KiB) Viewed 276 times

[Phippy]

Not sure if anyone’s going to notice as long as they are both the same colour. I replaced one of mine when I got my car as paint had started cracking/chipped on the edge. Ordered from BMW directly and it didn’t match the original one so I ordered the other side as well and replaced both. I think maybe they just spray the parts differently or with different machine since the car was made.
Either way I would t loose too much sleep over it, fit them and go for a ride

[Usel]

Across the life of the Z4 there are about 5 or 6 different versions of black surround and grey/silver/chrome handle.

I'd say the grey with the metallic type finish are pre facelift and the other is a facelift handle.

[paddy wright]

Pre facelift were the darker ones- same with the door pulls.

[Zedebee]

If there are two different colours, why does RealOEM only have 'Beige' and 'Schwarz' options?

Look more carefully on the realOEM page. There are chromeline and standard versions for both black and beige.

IMG_0050.png (236.87 KiB) Viewed 230 times

[Rossi1001]

If there are two different colours, why does RealOEM only have 'Beige' and 'Schwarz' options?

Look more carefully on the realOEM page. There are chromeline and standard versions for both black and beige.
IMG_0050.png

REAL OEM.png (40.51 KiB) Viewed 205 times

I don't get those options for my car / year on Real OEM, so I guess they didn't exist in March 2003 (so an early car) when it was built?

[Rossi1001]

Pre facelift were the darker ones- same with the door pulls.

That makes sense, as the tired ones already on my 2003 car are the darker ones. Though the door pull covers are the lighter silver. I know they break easily, so presumably they've been replaced at some point in the cars life.

Given the lighter silver one would match the existing door pull covers, I think I'll go with that. Though that does mean I now need a matching drivers side handle.....!

[paddy wright]

Sorry my mistake- early cars dark handles and lighter door pulls

[x-driver]

My '03 originally had dark grey handles and door pulls (dark but shiny). According to VIN the car has Chrome line interior option but I don't know what should be included. The seat belt guide on top of the seats are beige, not chrome.
I replaced my door pulls and handles due to scratches and broken pulls with lighter silver variant. I'm not sure if you can even get the dark grey variant anymore.