Model 3P 2021+ chrome delete (UK)?

[Pipps]

Was chrome delete (black window trims and door handles) mandatory or optional from 2021 onwards in the UK?

I ask, as I see a lot of facelift-age Model 3Ps for sale in the UK that still have chrome window trims and door handles, yet still have black wheels.

Personally, the chrome delete trim looks far better. So I cannot understand why so many facelift vehicles still have full chrome trim. Was it simply not an option for many first time facelift Model 3P buyers?

This inconsistency in the market is making buying a suitable Model 3P unnecessarily difficult. I do not want to vinyl wrap trim myself later.

 

[LiamPope]

Maybe best to ask in the UK section for more accurate UK knowledge and experience.

I don't think the chrome/black trim was ever an option. Officially 2021 models (so made November 2020 onwards) should have all the refresh goodies - de-chrome, power trunk, heated rear seats, double glazing, heat pump, new interior, etc. But like you I see in a quick browse of Autotrader a few 2021 models (mostly 70 reg but even one 21 reg) claiming to have some of the refresh stuff like heat pump, power trunk, but still rocking the chrome and old interior! That piano black old interior is a bigger sin to avoid than relatively easy to swap exterior trims, imo!

I guess it's a case of a typical fuzzy transition and they used up stocks of chrome trim and old interiors for a while into the refresh, so you get some mongrel cars? So not much you can do about it - you should keep your search open to including 2021 onwards and just weed out the chrome ones if you don't like them.

Another thing you may want to consider is your search potentially includes both US and Chinese built cars. Chinese built come in early 2021 for UK market. Advice I got here was Chinese built cars are much better put together on average. US VIN starts 5YJ, Chinese VIN starts LRW. Hmmm I wonder if these chrome 2021 anomalies were just the last of the cars from US?

One other thing is the MCU upgrade from Intel Atom to AMD Ryzen is another nice-to-have, but you have to go well into 2022 to get that, so reduces your options somewhat. I bought a 2022 LR earlier this year but sadly just missed out on the Ryzen.

 

[Pipps]

Thank you for this brilliant advice.

That piano black old interior is a bigger sin to avoid than relatively easy to swap exterior trims

You have nailed it here here. As a 2018 M3 owner, I totally agree.

Only the M3Ps with the new matt interior seem to be true facelifts.

All of these ones seem to have 20" Uberturbines and chrome delete.