How does BMW paint hold up?

[swanson]

Originally Posted by W Cole

BMW paint is exceedingly soft and very susceptible to rock chips and swirl marks. If I buy another bmw it will not be Black. I'm surprised the paint on your Camaro is so bad. The paint on the corvettes is very hard.

100% correct. My MR M3 used to get scratches very easily. Very soft clearcoat. I also noticed that they dent easily, too.

[IFX]

Originally Posted by swanson

100% correct. My MR M3 used to get scratches very easily. Very soft clearcoat. I also noticed that they dent easily, too.

I don't understand the last part of your statement, your blaming BMW for dents in your car. Are you serious?

I've owned 3 cars within the past 4 years, and you can bet your ass I didn't have any dents. And i'm sure there are numerous members here who will agree. I thought i've read it all on this forum, but it continues to amaze me.

Learn to take care of YOUR CAR.

[swanson]

Originally Posted by IFX

I don't understand the last part of your statement, your blaming BMW for dents in your car. Are you serious?

I've owned 3 cars within the past 4 years, and you can bet your ass I didn't have any dents. And i'm sure there are numerous members here who will agree. I thought i've read it all on this forum, but it continues to amaze me.

Learn to take care of YOUR CAR.

No man, relax. I was just pointing out that I notice the metal is very thin as well. Thats why it dents easy. I know with my M, the doors, and quarter panels were very thin and I used to get small dents often. And learn to take care of my car? Are you retarded? I cant put my car in my pocket and take it everywhere i go. I cant help the asshole that parks too close to my car and swings their door open and leaves a dent on my car.

[sycd]

Originally Posted by Invadermoose

...

I'll either be getting Melbourne Red or Jarez Black, and I'm wondering how bad will a car wash ruin my paint? Most of the pre-owned BMWs I've looked at including my own families are covered in waterspots, but never any swirl marks that I can see. There's a touchless wash by my house, and a normal wash where after you leave the wash bay people dry your car and wax it or whatever you paid for.

I have two jet black BMW's, one M3 and one 535i. If you're not careful they'll show swirl marks, have watersports, and scratch as easy as any other car.

I don't want to spend all my life cleaning cars, so I wash them every 2-3 of weeks. I've applied a few coats of good polish which helps getting that deep black shine, and follow every car wash by a gloss enhancer that bonds with the polish. That last step helps keeping the dust down also.

So in my opinion it's not so much which car you drive, but how you take care of it.

[Arben72]

My sister has a camaro in god awful yellow, not only does it get so dirty do quickly, it's a pain to clean. I gave up on it from the brake dust ,rock chips ,and swirls. You will be good in the m3, just do a full detail every 6 months.

[markjord]

I have Jerez Black and can confirm that it takes a lot of tender loving care to keep it looking good. The most important thing is when you go for a service tell them that under no circumstances may they wash it for you. Then get them to pull it out of the queue for the car wash when they ignore your instructions (three times now!). When I bought it (used) the dealer prepared it for me by applying the biggest bunch of swirls ever seen. I managed to clear them up using 3M finishing compound. JB does look fabulous though for the first 10 minutes after you polish it.

[jonasaurus]

Given the amount of rain we get here I don't wash it for weeks sometimes! Orange peel effect is very obvious though as are the little chips I've picked up on my front bonnet and bumper.

Just clearbra the front and be done with it!

[bigjae1976]

I think BMW paint holds up pretty good compared to other cars. I know Mazda's paint is terrible in comparison.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by IFX

I've owned 3 cars within the past 4 years, and you can bet your ass I didn't have any dents. And i'm sure there are numerous members here who will agree. I thought i've read it all on this forum, but it continues to amaze me.

Agree 100% - difficult to blame BMW for dents on your car especially if the cause is someone opening their car/suv door into the side of your car

[Invadermoose]

For the dealership, I'd just put this on my mirror:

[MichaelMarsal]

I have a Interlagos Blue BMW and it had such bad swirls and orange peel that I had it wet sanded and buffed. Once I had that done it looked beautiful. I keep a regular waxing schedule and wash the car the right way. other than the occasional rock chip (which is unavoidable where i live) the paint has held up great

[Wiretowner]

Guys,

Just wanted to share this from a UK detailing site.

Ultimate M3 fugly orange peel removal.
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=141365

[DesertEagle50]

I've had a Mel Red and two Jet Blacks in the last couple years. My next is going to be Alpine White not because of BMW paint but because even small amounts of dust makes black look filthy.

[M3PO]

Originally Posted by Wiretowner

Guys,

Just wanted to share this from a UK detailing site.

Ultimate M3 fugly orange peel removal.
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...d.php?t=141365

That looks fantastic but it's also very expensive. A car that costs this much should have come from the factory looking like that.

[767IJP]

When you getting it, you've been talking about it for awhile now.

[IFX]

Originally Posted by swanson

No man, relax. I was just pointing out that I notice the metal is very thin as well. Thats why it dents easy. I know with my M, the doors, and quarter panels were very thin and I used to get small dents often. And learn to take care of my car? Are you retarded? I cant put my car in my pocket and take it everywhere i go. I cant help the asshole that parks too close to my car and swings their door open and leaves a dent on my car.

I take back what I said, i saw your location.


I wouldn't be caught dead with a car in NYC. Let alone an M3. I despise NY drivers, and their roads. I sincerely apologize. I would consider owning a car if i lived in the Catskills or something, that's about it.

No offense

[swanson]

Originally Posted by IFX

I take back what I said, i saw your location.


I wouldn't be caught dead with a car in NYC. Let alone an M3. I despise NY drivers, and their roads. I sincerely apologize. I would consider owning a car if i lived in the Catskills or something, that's about it.

No offense

non taken

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by IFX

I take back what I said, i saw your location.


I wouldn't be caught dead with a car in NYC. Let alone an M3. I despise NY drivers, and their roads. I sincerely apologize. I would consider owning a car if i lived in the Catskills or something, that's about it.

No offense

AHH..welcome to my world..of having a DD for all your A-B shit drives and using the M3 on weekends in selective areas and then only parking it in lots where it will be watched by valets whom I know.

In really is a major PITA caring for a nice car in NYC

[Scrappy]

OP I have a red 00 Camaro SS and Mel red 09 M3 and I will say without question that the paint is waaaay softer on the M. I have become an expert on touching up rock chips. Not sure what year Camaro you have but if it's a 4th gen the paint is harder than the E92 paint.

[2012m3dave]

I think my old 2000 S4 had the hardest paint of any car I owned, havent owned the M3 long enough to have an opinion, but live in an area that it shouldn't take long to tell.

[IFX]

Originally Posted by tibra1

AHH..welcome to my world..of having a DD for all your A-B shit drives and using the M3 on weekends in selective areas and then only parking it in lots where it will be watched by valets whom I know.

In really is a major PITA caring for a nice car in NYC

I agree man, props to you guys. Seriously.

[nchan50]

Originally Posted by tibra1

AHH..welcome to my world..of having a DD for all your A-B shit drives and using the M3 on weekends in selective areas and then only parking it in lots where it will be watched by valets whom I know.

In really is a major PITA caring for a nice car in NYC

Agreed - you just have to accept that there may be dings and dents even if you park in a nice garage in Manhattan (do not street park). Even if you have a good relationship with all your parking attendants (I do), all it takes is one temp guy you don't know backing your car into something or bumping your car while moving another one. I don't really care what anyone says, I think it is unavoidable but everything can obviously be fixed. That being said, taking the car out for a spin on weekends is so much more enjoyable given I don't drive at all on the weekdays.