[Tripp Knightly]

New EX-L Gen V owner (pearl white color). I'm thinking about adding roof rails but I want them to be black. There is an aftermarket option of uncertain quality. Or, I could paint / plastidip the OEM ones, sacrilege as that might be. I'm thinking black will look better in particular with a white CRV. Thoughts / experiences?

 

[racoon]

If you go that route, I'd suggest PlastiDip over paint.

 

[Carbuff2]

Won’t plastidip be subject to coming off if you actually load cargo on the roof?

If it’s just for cosmetic purposes no issue.

 

[Tripp Knightly]

Won’t plastidip be subject to coming off if you actually load cargo on the roof?

If it’s just for cosmetic purposes no issue.

I agree that the PlastiDip is (whatever the opposite of putting lipstick on a pig is). Most of the loading I would do (cargo box, for example) would straight to the cross bars which will be black to begin with. But yeah the occasional ikea box or something would probably involve lashing to the rails. The one from Amazon that starts black is probably a better bet than any fish I'd apply -- assume it should be the same finish you see on most other black roof rack components. We'll see maybe somebody who has the black one (there are a few "manufacturers" on Amazon all probably with the same product) will chime in here.

 

[2ndHonda]

I have an EX-L and it has the grey/ silver ones and I think they look fine. I think the crossbars look funny. I don't have those.

 

[williamsji]

I have an EX-L and it has the grey/ silver ones and I think they look fine. I think the crossbars look funny. I don't have those.

Yep. Touring here, pearl white, with the factory rails installed, and I think they look great as is. Black would look... wierd to me actually.

 

[Tripp Knightly]

Aesthetics is always personal. Maybe I’m just old-school that sport racks and rails are black, contrasting especially better on a white car consistent with some of the elements elsewhere on the car. Admittedly, there is chrome adornment too, arguing for silver rails. The silver rails look good too.

 

[2ndHonda]

Aesthetics is always personal. Maybe I’m just old-school that sport racks and rails are black, contrasting especially better on a white car consistent with some of the elements elsewhere on the car. Admittedly, there is chrome adornment too, arguing for silver rails. The silver rails look good too.

That is true it is personal. I have a white CR-V and I think the silver blends in pretty well. You can see the pic as my profile picture

See the attached picture

 

[racoon]

Won’t plastidip be subject to coming off if you actually load cargo on the roof?

Possibly. But so will rattle-can applied paint, and it's easier to touch up a spot with some plastidip than either removing the rail again to repaint it, or correctly mask off the section to be painted.

 

[Tripp Knightly]

That is true it is personal. I have a white CR-V and I think the silver blends in pretty well. You can see the pic as my profile picture

See the attached picture

Thx yup have seen silver and you can see black on white in the product I linked in OP. There’s enough black on the lower part of the car that black rails “frame” the car. I saw somebody post in another thread they want the StormTrooper look, LOL.

 

[2ndHonda]

Thx yup have seen silver and you can see black on white in the product I linked in OP. There’s enough black on the lower part of the car that black rails “frame” the car. I saw somebody post in another thread they want the StormTrooper look, LOL.

Gotcha thanks for clarification. Best of luck

 

[williamsji]

Thx yup have seen silver and you can see black on white in the product I linked in OP. There’s enough black on the lower part of the car that black rails “frame” the car. I saw somebody post in another thread they want the StormTrooper look, LOL.

The reason I think Honda chose silver rather then black on the OEM rails is because it compliments the upper trim appearance of the vehicle (see the chrome window framing in particular) AND it works well with all colors the CRV is offered in... not just pearl white. If you look objectively at the styling of the gen5 CRV.... it's muted and black low to the ground, and more vibrant with chrome trim and similar features higher up in the vehicle. It does actually make esthetic sense.

Of course anyone is free to go with a different finish on after market rails.... so.. by all means go for it.

 

[Azitlies]

This might be a little helpful. I had a silver lic frame (tab-less type) but thought a black frame might look better. These 2 pics show the difference between them:

I decided on the silver one. It seems to me, if yer gonna do black, all the trim should be that color? Mixing and matching just doesn't seem to work. And there's way to much chrome trim to ever want to change, assuming you could change it to black somehow.

Hey to ea their own. I like the silver better myself.

 

[Tripp Knightly]

Thx. You must have a vanity plate because you went to the trouble to remove an emblem yet promote your plate. If you're going to have a plate frame given the chrome directly above yes I see choosing chrome for a plate frame.

I see plenty of white cars with both black and silver in the mix. It can come down to function. The protective trim near the bottom / bumper (even some on grill), fender flares: black. The sport-functioned stuff: black. Other things get chrome / silver. And I do think white in particular is where this can be done well (based on Subarus and a Lexus NX I saw yesterday which somehow had black rails).

So far this thread has been more about about color choice, less on aftermarket rail quality (not that I've helped, plus I want input on both).

 

[williamsji]

I see plenty of white cars with both black and silver in the mix. It can come down to function. The protective trim near the bottom / bumper (even some on grill), fender flares: black. The sport-functioned stuff: black. Other things get chrome / silver. And I do think white in particular is where this can be done well (based on Subarus and a Lexus NX I saw yesterday which somehow had black rails).

That black plastic on the lower levels of the vehicles that is so common with todays SUVs... is black and fairly tough specifically because it is designed to minimze showing any damage from anything poping up from the road as you are driving, particularly pebbles from the vehicle in front of you. I don't know exactly what plastic compound they use, but it will resist denting, scratching and abrasions..and even if it gains any.. it will not show it well except under very close inspection under bright light. Personally I love the stuff and wish there was more of it.. though I see the 2020 CRV front bumper design has even more of it and I don't appreciate the asethetics in that particular case.

 

[HOTELLJACK1]

New EX-L Gen V owner (pearl white color). I'm thinking about adding roof rails but I want them to be black. There is an aftermarket option of uncertain quality. Or, I could paint / plastidip the OEM ones, sacrilege as that might be. I'm thinking black will look better in particular with a white CRV. Thoughts / experiences?

**What you have to be careful about is that paint over chrome is not likely to hold and the paint will peel off over time. From time to time you will see a model where a car manufacturer used black paint over chrome as a money saving method and it never holds up well--but it looked great when sold.

 

[robrandon]

Tripp Knightly,
I purchased a pair of rails and crossbars off ebay last year that were black. It is obvious the rails were painted over. Did the install myself. There are small metal pieces that lock into place after installing the rails. Next to those the paint chipped a bit. I purchased a touch-up paint and all is well.

I didn't want the chrome/silver either. My CRV is the gunstock black/grey and I didn't think it would look good.

So far I'm happy with my decision. Color is good. Install was easy. Much cheaper than purchasing from Honda, and much cheaper than paying Honda to install. Used it last winter for a ski rack.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[Tripp Knightly]

I thought those rails aren’t really chrome but either just finished (aluminum? steel?) or anodized aluminum. But your point remains ... as a former painting contractor I know all about failed substrate adhesion.

 

[hugo0612]

Tripp Knightly,
I purchased a pair of rails and crossbars off ebay last year that were black. It is obvious the rails were painted over. Did the install myself. There are small metal pieces that lock into place after installing the rails. Next to those the paint chipped a bit. I purchased a touch-up paint and all is well.

I didn't want the chrome/silver either. My CRV is the gunstock black/grey and I didn't think it would look good.

So far I'm happy with my decision. Color is good. Install was easy. Much cheaper than purchasing from Honda, and much cheaper than paying Honda to install. Used it last winter for a ski rack.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Hello, I just purchased a 2016 CRV EX and does not have the roof rails.
Can you please send me the link? Thank you

 

[TroyShaf13]

Hello, I just purchased a 2016 CRV EX and does not have the roof rails.
Can you please send me the link? Thank you

Here for the link to rails that work with bare roof as well