Not everyone has the same taste, whether or not they paint it or not is their preference. Also, not everyone prepares for an event of an accident, you speak as if an accident is inevitable. Just to let you in on a secret, more people do not incur accidents than those who do. Lastly, once you get into an accident, you think that your replacement bumper comes painted? It is a flexible Polyurethane bumper just like the black pieces, and it also has to be finished by the bodyshop, just like the black trim we are talking about.

Also food for thought, who says your bumper is only going to be scratched in the area of the black trim, what if a shopping cart avoids the black trim and hits the side where there is paint, your argument of just replacing just the black skin for $400-$500 is null at that point. Also what about the new LCI 2011 X5 with painted bumpers, with your argument, everyone should be putting on a clear bra since it is painted and there is no black pieces.