help! Where can I source pre-painted in Germany rear bumper?

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by signes

Last I check they can only get the Euro parts but not factory painted versions (then again their paint shop is so good you couldn't tell without a paint meter...) Ilya or Nate, can you confirm either way?

IND can get pre-painted euro parts, but it will be expensive.

Originally Posted by christopherchenm

sorry to hear that. You should go to a good body shop and they will do the job.

This is a possibility too if the shop does good work. IND can paint a bumper and ship it to you....... Just send them your bumper plug or front license plate mount to match it with along with the paint code.

Originally Posted by J08M3

wrong. as I said there are variations in each paint color. all you have to do is go to a local body shop or certified BMW auto body shop and ask them to show you the book of colors. You'd be surprised how many variations there are, especially of AW. ...... just saying as a little advice, you don't have to believe me if you don't want too. good luck

The Paint code and VIN will tell the variation of the paint.

Originally Posted by Templar

If you order it prepainted, chances are it won't match when you get it. I'm telling you. I'd put money on it not matching.

When someone hit my car, it was a week old. I took it to the dealership and they ordered the new bumper and painted it to match at their body shop. It matches fine that way.

My factory painted Euro-bumper matches my car perfectly.

Originally Posted by Leonardo629

Wait a minute, shouldn't the paint match perfectly if it was painted in Germany at the factory? As demonstrated by many fellow owners who got their pre-painted euro front bumper

Matches perfectly!

Originally Posted by J08M3

Like I said. There are variations of each color.

Also many members have no idea what they are looking at. Just go to any meet and that becomes obvious. But those who know what to look for clearly see it.

I have an idea, I was a detailer for quite a few years and am so particular that I can see imperfections that aren't even there. My factory painted euro-bumper matches perfectly.

Originally Posted by bmw_enthusiasm

who got their pre-painted euro number?
could you point us please? it will be really helpful to know this..

I did, IND sourced it from Europe for me and had it drop shipped right to my door!

Originally Posted by Chris'_m3

I understand your thinking and I too would want it to be perfect, but pre-painted is not the way IMHO. Paint just doesn't materialize as a specific color, it's made up of a mixture of chemicals and pigments. No matter how hard a supplier tries, there will be slight variences in mixtures. Couple that with conditions in applying the paint (temp, humidity etc.), it would be nearly imposssible to guarantee a perfect match.

A little story to get my point accross. My father retired from Buick in 1976 after 42 years building cars. Now I know people are going to say, Buicks are not in the same category as Buicks and I agree, but this will still hold true. Before the late 70's (?), Buick basic bodies (roof, ab&c-pillers, rockers,floor-panel) were produced and painted by Fisher Body in Flint, MI using factory paints. Down the block at the Buick plant, they would produce and paint the hood, fenders etc (components not part of the unibody) and assemble them to the car. When my parents would go shop for a new car, we could see variations between the panels and this was more pronounced on certain colors and finishes...metallics were the worst.

Now most manufactures send all body panels to paint at the same time so that they are all painted with the same batch of paint and with the same conditions. When you order a prepainted body panel like the Eurobumpers, I sincerely doubt it was painted on BMW's normal line. Most likely it was painted by either the supplier in Europe or a distributer somewhere else.

IMHO, I would find the very-best body shop in your area and tell them that you want a replacement BMW panel painted perfectly and you will not settle for less! I honestly think you will get better results this way. Just my 2 cents, good luck!

The painting process has changed a lot since your Dad worked at Buick. FYI, bumpers and plastic parts are not painted at the same time as the car...... the unibody, hood, doors, trunklid, basically anything metal goes through the paint booth and is electrostatically charged to attract the paint and minimize wastage (hence the extremely thin paint nowadays). Plastic parts including the bumpers are painted separately and are actually usually delivered prepainted by the suppliers, if you take the hood vents, door handles, fenders, etc off of your car you will notice stickers with the paint code on them that was applied by the suppliers/BMW after they were painted so that they go on a car with the same code.

To the OP....... call IND and discuss your options, they will devise a solution that works for you, even if it means shipping your car to them. I really recommend you having them fix your car, I have seen work come out of lots of shops in my day and IND is without a doubt the best shop I have seen when it comes to paint. I will give you an example.... I watched them pull the hood off of an AW car paint it and once they were done and it was bolted back on it looked like factory paint. The match was perfect and even the orange peel matched, no blending or buffing on the rest of the car. To be honest they actually put the paint on rougher than they like to just so the texture matches OEM.

Give them a call you won't go wrong.

[Chris M4CS]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

FYI, bumpers and plastic parts are not painted at the same time as the car...... the unibody, hood, doors, trunklid, basically anything metal goes through the paint booth and is electrostatically charged to attract the paint and minimize wastage (hence the extremely thin paint nowadays). Plastic parts including the bumpers are painted separately and are actually usually delivered prepainted by the suppliers, if you take the hood vents, door handles, fenders, etc off of your car you will notice stickers with the paint code on them that was applied by the suppliers/BMW after they were painted so that they go on a car with the same code.

If this is true, and it does sound reasonable, then I would think it would be as easy or easier for your local BMW dealer to supply pre-painted parts than unfinished ones?

[BMRLVR]

Originally Posted by Chris'_m3

If this is true, and it does sound reasonable, then I would think it would be as easy or easier for your local BMW dealer to supply pre-painted parts than unfinished ones?

Pre-painted parts are readily available in Europe however for some weird reason BMW North America don't offer pre painted pieces. If you have a minute go on realoem.com and look up parts for european model cars....... You will see that that along with most trim pieces their is a part number for primed or painted (their is a note to include paint code for painted parts). In the NA parts lookup it don't even give the numbers for anything other than primed parts.

[vfour]

Go to a certified or approved BMW body shop that uses BMW paints and it will match perfectly. I had a certified shop do my front bumper without my car and when it was installed it was perfect. The trick is to find a genuine BMW certified or approved shop. There are not many around at least in my area. Chances are your dealer uses a certified shop and should be able to identify it.

[Malek@MRF]

Originally Posted by vfour

Go to a certified or approved BMW body shop that uses BMW paints and it will match perfectly. I had a certified shop do my front bumper without my car and when it was installed it was perfect. The trick is to find a genuine BMW certified or approved shop. There are not many around at least in my area. Chances are your dealer uses a certified shop and should be able to identify it.

A certified BMW Body shop does not use OEM BMW paint, they use BMW approved paints.

OEM BMW paint is electrically charged and applied to the body. Paint is applied via a Rotational bell applicator that is electrostatic charged. The body is grounded and the paint is positively charged to increase adhesion and uniformity and reduce waste.

There is no doubt there are a plethora of body shops that can do good work, especially shops like IND (I have seen their work up close and personal and I enjoyed looking at it), so I am sure you guys will be ok. I was just trying to explain that BMW paint is not bad or weak paint.

[Leonardo629]

thanks for all the inputs so far guys, I think I'm gonna take my car to New Century's BMW certified collision center.....since Nate from IND just pm'ed me saying it's not possible to get pre-painted body pieces at this time...

[Grail05]

since your local call C&C or DTM autobody... the only body shop i recommend.

[Moxie]

Tell 'em not to forget the orange peel.

[J08M3]

Originally Posted by BMRLVR

The Paint code and VIN will tell the variation of the paint.



My factory painted Euro-bumper matches my car perfectly.



Matches perfectly!

Believe as you wish. It's not my car so I really don't care that much. But I've seen enough real life evidence to know your lucky if it matches.

[J08M3]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

A certified BMW Body shop does not use OEM BMW paint, they use BMW approved paints.

OEM BMW paint is electrically charged and applied to the body. Paint is applied via a Rotational bell applicator that is electrostatic charged. The body is grounded and the paint is positively charged to increase adhesion and uniformity and reduce waste.

There is no doubt there are a plethora of body shops that can do good work, especially shops like IND (I have seen their work up close and personal and I enjoyed looking at it), so I am sure you guys will be ok. I was just trying to explain that BMW paint is not bad or weak paint.

So they are electrically charging the plastic bumper to attract the paint?

No disrespect to IND, but a couple years ago I bought a pre-painted lip from them in AW and it wasn't even close to matching the AW on my bumper.

Don't fool yourself, if they don't have your car, they cannot match your color.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Let me get this right .... you posted .... "question is: Is it possible to source apre-painted in Germany AW rear bumper?"

Are you in Germany now? I would think that if you go to any BMW dealership they can order you a painted bumper with the colour code as it is stamped under your hood. I'm sure when you do get it it will be a perfect match.

[burnsniper]

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

Let me get this right .... you posted .... "question is: Is it possible to source apre-painted in Germany AW rear bumper?"

Are you in Germany now? I would think that if you go to any BMW dealership they can order you a painted bumper with the colour code as it is stamped under your hood. I'm sure when you do get it it will be a perfect match.

Also, if you are doing Euro delivery, don't they repair the bumper for free (covered under the insurance policy) at the VDC?

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Originally Posted by burnsniper

Also, if you are doing Euro delivery, don't they repair the bumper for free (covered under the insurance policy) at the VDC?

For sure, if he is indeed in Germany now a call to "Die Welt" and the individual that handed the car over to him (a business card he can find in his manual folder) would be only to happy to replace the bumper for him. What about the trunk? he mentioned nothing about the trunk damage?

[Malek@MRF]

Originally Posted by J08M3

So they are electrically charging the plastic bumper to attract the paint?

No disrespect to IND, but a couple years ago I bought a pre-painted lip from them in AW and it wasn't even close to matching the AW on my bumper.

Don't fool yourself, if they don't have your car, they cannot match your color.

I said in my first post that the bumpers and rockers are all painted separately from the car at an entirely different time.

IND would not have a problem matching the paint as long as a valid paint sample to be matched was sent. If they didn't match it then either, then something wasn't done right.

[J08M3]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

I said in my first post that the bumpers and rockers are all painted separately from the car at an entirely different time.

IND would not have a problem matching the paint as long as a valid paint sample to be matched was sent. If they didn't match it then either, then something wasn't done right.

Now how do you send them a valid paint sample?

Doesn't matter where bumpers and rockers are painted in the first place. Point is, if you want your new one to match you need a local shop that can see your car.

[ManAndMachine]

Originally Posted by J08M3

Now how do you send them a valid paint sample?

Doesn't matter where bumpers and rockers are painted in the first place. Point is, if you want your new one to match you need a local shop that can see your car.

You can always send your fuel filler door for a perfect match.

[J08M3]

Originally Posted by KTM505SX

You can always send your fuel filler door for a perfect match.

That might border on insanity

[OSAB1]

BMW does not sell pre painted parts. Go to a good body shop and drive the car. Don't stress so much over it. Enjoy the car. You will get more dings and scrapes overtime.

[Malek@MRF]

You can send in your front tow hook cover since you are trying to match the bumper. The fuel door was not painted the same time as the tow hook and color may vary.

[Leonardo629]

latest development:

Okay guys, the at fault party's adjuster called me, and she said since the driver that rear-ended me is not on the policy (his daughter is on the policy), the insurance company will not be able to cover him. His Chevy truck is on the policy though.

Good news: According to my ins. agent, I have uninsured motorist coverage and collision deductible waver, so now I just need to find a good body shop to have my rear bumper and the trunk lid replaced. After some searching online, I think I'll bring my car to New Century BMW collision center, they are certified by BMW...so I expect good result.

BEWARE: If you ever get hit by a driver insured by "Fred Loya", you are f**ed....because they will do anything to deny coverage, just google "Fred Loya insurance" and you will read about all the horrible stories...

[J08M3]

Just an FYI for those who thought pre-painted is a good idea
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showpos...07&postcount=1