To paint or to wrap?

[aswy6]

Hello everyone,

So i keep messing with my M3 in terms of mods and cosmetic upgrades. Next step before rod bearings is to make it look acceptable. Overall my paint is in great condition except the front of the car. It is absolutely trashed out because of rock chips that the car has (previous owner had it as a daily driver and put 60+k miles in 3 years and it was used on the highway 90% of the time). Rock chips are located all over the bumper and a lot of them are on lower part of the hood around an emblem where it curves down.
I will be calling different collision centers around me tomorrow to get a quote for bumper + hood respray and blend into fenders. However, is it possible to paint just the bumper and blend into the hood so that i get rock chips on the hood fixed, since they are located where hood connects to the bumper? Did anyone had an experience of respraying Space Grey hood and bumper + blend into fenders?

Second option is this. Leave the rock chips alone and just wrap the whole car is xPel matte clear film so it would convert my space grey car into frozen grey. What do you guys think?

[rdoctor]

I'm in the same situation with my 09...but with a much easier color to fade in to (jet black) if I go the respray route. I'll let some paint pros chime in on respraying SG. I also looked into the wrapping option for my car and heard that with most films you would still see the significant chips through the wrap. Maybe that's wrong (I hope) or maybe there are different types of wrap material that would hide the chips. Hopefully someone will confirm if that's the case or not.

[scoale]

Originally Posted by aswy6

Hello everyone,

So i keep messing with my M3 in terms of mods and cosmetic upgrades. Next step before rod bearings is to make it look acceptable. Overall my paint is in great condition except the front of the car. It is absolutely trashed out because of rock chips that the car has (previous owner had it as a daily driver and put 60+k miles in 3 years and it was used on the highway 90% of the time). Rock chips are located all over the bumper and a lot of them are on lower part of the hood around an emblem where it curves down.
I will be calling different collision centers around me tomorrow to get a quote for bumper + hood respray and blend into fenders. However, is it possible to paint just the bumper and blend into the hood so that i get rock chips on the hood fixed, since they are located where hood connects to the bumper? Did anyone had an experience of respraying Space Grey hood and bumper + blend into fenders?

Second option is this. Leave the rock chips alone and just wrap the whole car is xPel matte clear film so it would convert my space grey car into frozen grey. What do you guys think?

Re-sprayed hood and front bumper on my space gray 535 Msport and it looks perfect. I put film on after painting and 1.5 years later still perfect

[ItsGary]

Why not fill in the rockchips and get the car wrapped in frozen(Satin) grey?

[aswy6]

Originally Posted by scoale

Re-sprayed hood and front bumper on my space gray 535 Msport and it looks perfect. I put film on after painting and 1.5 years later still perfect

My main concern is that I will see a color difference after. How much did you pay for the hood and bumper? Did you blend into fenders?

[ricardofors68]

Originally Posted by ItsGary

Why not fill in the rockchips and get the car wrapped in frozen(Satin) grey?

This is what I would do.

[jiggz]

I think it depends on what your long term plans are with the car? If you're gonna drive this thing for years to come, do what you want, even if that means wrapping it.

If you're gonna sell it at some point in the next year or two, I think wrapping it is a total waste of $. You'll need a unique buyer to purchase a wrapped M3.

I like the idea of respraying the front end space gray, then doing PPF. But it's not my car...

[6ixSpd]

Originally Posted by aswy6

My main concern is that I will see a color difference after. How much did you pay for the hood and bumper? Did you blend into fenders?

Any reputable bodyshop should be able to make it 99% indiscernible. Ask around locally from other enthusiasts and you'll have better luck with who to hand the work.

[DSilk]

The chipped paint needs to be repaired at some point. Paint it first, and then decide if you want to have it wrapped.

[eatsleepboost]

Originally Posted by DSilk

The chipped paint needs to be repaired at some point. Paint it first, and then decide if you want to have it wrapped.

Exactly what I was thinking. Regardless of the owner being you or if you decide to sell it nobody wants chips all over the front of the car. I would say resolving that first is the best option then can always wrap it any time after that if still desired.

[m235boy]

Originally Posted by DSilk

The chipped paint needs to be repaired at some point. Paint it first, and then decide if you want to have it wrapped.

When I bought my car the hood was wrapped with some carbon fiber wrap.... Was a total risk to buy without removing it,but I took a chance. I imagined the worst and figured its keyed and/or all sorts of rock chips on the hood.. Removed it and sure enough it kept the paint underneath perfect from factory lol

[nrubenstein]

Here's the thing: Wrap isn't going to hide a crap ton of paint damage. Meaningful paint chips show through.

If the front end of the car really is trashed, then it's going to take paint to fix it.

[burtonsbs5114]

I would correct the paint and then if you want to wrap it, go for it.

[ItsGary]

Originally Posted by nrubenstein

Here's the thing: Wrap isn't going to hide a crap ton of paint damage. Meaningful paint chips show through.

If the front end of the car really is trashed, then it's going to take paint to fix it.

That’s why any reputable shops that do wraps will tell you they need need to fill in the rock chips, plus if OP is going for a frozen look it doesn’t really matter how accurate the paint is underneath

[aswy6]

Thank you very much guys for input. I guess, I will be looking for a quote now. How much is reasonable for full hood, bumper and blend into fenders?

[Townending]

Originally Posted by aswy6

Thank you very much guys for input. I guess, I will be looking for a quote now. How much is reasonable for full hood, bumper and blend into fenders?

I'm more or less in the same boat as you. I'm looking for a full front end respray. I was given a rough estimate from a local shop for $1500-2000 to respray the hood, fenders, and bumper.

[burtonsbs5114]

I got the bumper cover on my old '08 Jarez Balck M3 resprayed and the shop did an amazing job. It cost me $750, for what its worth.

[scoale]

Originally Posted by aswy6

My main concern is that I will see a color difference after. How much did you pay for the hood and bumper? Did you blend into fenders?

Zero discernible color difference. Yes, blended into fenders. Can't remember what I paid, but it was reasonable. Very happy with result.

[ItsGary]

I'd still go with a wrap because you can choose whatever colour and get paint protection at the same time

[OzCoE92]

I actually just saw a really amazing color matched vinyl yesterday while looking at the Ammo NYC website. It was an OEM color match to your paint code, or any other OEM color you may want to try. Check it out, it sounded really interesting to me.