Is this a sign my hood has been re-painted?

gfisher99 · 11-21-2016, 05:56 PM

Check out this image. Is this a sign the hood has been re-painted, or is this a common defect? You can see the paint is starting to chip away right at the edge. Nothing else seems like it's been re-done, the paint seems to match perfectly. I'm just concerned that this may become a bigger problem.

Not sure what can be done. Anyone have experience with this?

View post on imgur.com

GeorgeA · 11-21-2016, 05:57 PM

Cant really tell from the picture but it might be rock chips?

GRUESOM3 · 11-21-2016, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeA

Cant really tell from the picture but it might be rock chips?

Looks like rock chips .

What you could do is get some touch up paint and touch it up and then wet sand to like 1500-2000 until it's all flat and compound and polish and you could barelly see it

Ink09 · 11-21-2016, 06:07 PM

Looks more like rock chips from what can be seen in the pics, what makes you think it might be repainted?

gfisher99 · 11-21-2016, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRUESOM3

Looks like rock chips .

What you could do is get some touch up paint and touch it up and then wet sand to like 1500-2000 until it's all flat and compound and polish and you could barelly see it

Really tough to get a good pictures of it, but seems an odd spot to get chips. The rest of the hood has no chips, either. This is the leading edge right above the headlight. I may try the touchup method, just scared to wet sand around good visible paint.

Here is another picture:

View post on imgur.com

6ixSpd · 11-21-2016, 07:02 PM

That spot gets chipped more than you may think. My old 3325i had plenty along that edge, as does my 328i.

dparm · 11-21-2016, 08:10 PM

If the hood's leading edge is pointing straight forward like that, it's inevitable. Don't tailgate so much and you'll get fewer rock chips. :-)

Manda Mew · 11-21-2016, 10:01 PM

Do you own a polisher? Best way to tell is lightly polish two panels, see which one gets rid of swirls easier. Then go over with a dry microfiber back and forth with some force and see if swirls can be put in just as easy on both panels. Shops can paint match really well these days, but paint hardness is very difficult to match. I've found repainted panels can swirl much easier.

gfisher99 · 11-21-2016, 10:33 PM

Thanks for all of the info, everyone. I will apply some touchup and polish it up and see how it comes out.

Manda.. I did find that the hood does swirl pretty easily. I've done it before while drying. A simple polish removes them. Maybe you're right, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the end. Just hate the feeling that this car may have been in an accident that isn't documented anywhere.

USCTROJANSFIGHTON · 11-21-2016, 10:37 PM

take a better picture. that is barely in focus

gfisher99 · 11-21-2016, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USCTROJANSFIGHTON

take a better picture. that is barely in focus

Did you see the better pic in post 5?

USCTROJANSFIGHTON · 11-21-2016, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gfisher99

Did you see the better pic in post 5?

Yes. Thanks.
It looks a lot of damage from just rock damage. Possible it could have been repainted...and now it's chipping away from light impact...or just peeling away.

Get a paint thickness gauge meter. About 175-200 on ebay. BMW paint is 120 micron. Anything in 200+ has been repainted.

This is the only way you will have piece of mind. Yes..I have a paint meter for plastic and metal... That's what I used when I purchase my car...to see if it was been repainted.

Anything else..youre just speculating/guesting. Hope that helps

W Cole · 11-23-2016, 12:14 PM

The most surefire way is to look at the orange peel texture of the paint and compare it to the rest of the car (but not the bumpers as these always have different texture and color). I have never seen a body shop be able to match this perfectly.

Look for fisheyes or dust in the paint, factory paint may have a couple on the entire car but a re-paint will have more.

Also, look around the edges of the hood for dry spots, compare to a known BMW painted hood.

11-21-2016, 05:56 PM	#1
gfisher99 Lieutenant 287 Rep 562 Posts Drives: '11 E92 M3, '18 M2, '22 X3M Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Is this a sign my hood has been re-painted? Check out this image. Is this a sign the hood has been re-painted, or is this a common defect? You can see the paint is starting to chip away right at the edge. Nothing else seems like it's been re-done, the paint seems to match perfectly. I'm just concerned that this may become a bigger problem. Not sure what can be done. Anyone have experience with this? View post on imgur.com
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11-21-2016, 05:57 PM	#2
GeorgeA Major 758 Rep 1,408 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (3)	Cant really tell from the picture but it might be rock chips?
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11-21-2016, 06:07 PM	#4
Ink09 First Lieutenant 44 Rep 323 Posts Drives: 08 E92 M3 DCT / 84 E30 318i Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: North Carolina iTrader: (0)	Looks more like rock chips from what can be seen in the pics, what makes you think it might be repainted?
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11-21-2016, 07:02 PM	#6
6ixSpd Save the manuals! 6015 Rep 6,745 Posts Drives: '16 M3, '23 718 Spyder Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: 416 iTrader: (4)	That spot gets chipped more than you may think. My old 3325i had plenty along that edge, as does my 328i. __________________ '16 M3 \| '23 718 Spyder Past: E92 M3, F87 M2, E39 M5, etc
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11-21-2016, 08:10 PM	#7
dparm Stop the hate, get a V8 3850 Rep 8,625 Posts Drives: C7 Corvette GS, AMG C63 S Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Frisco, TX iTrader: (1)	If the hood's leading edge is pointing straight forward like that, it's inevitable. Don't tailgate so much and you'll get fewer rock chips. :-) __________________ Now: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, 2021 AMG C63 S sedan Past: 2011.5 M3 sedan ZCP
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11-21-2016, 10:01 PM	#8
Manda Mew Dog Lover 258 Rep 246 Posts Drives: E92 DCT M3 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Orange County iTrader: (0)	Do you own a polisher? Best way to tell is lightly polish two panels, see which one gets rid of swirls easier. Then go over with a dry microfiber back and forth with some force and see if swirls can be put in just as easy on both panels. Shops can paint match really well these days, but paint hardness is very difficult to match. I've found repainted panels can swirl much easier.
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11-21-2016, 10:33 PM	#9
gfisher99 Lieutenant 287 Rep 562 Posts Drives: '11 E92 M3, '18 M2, '22 X3M Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Austin, TX iTrader: (0)	Thanks for all of the info, everyone. I will apply some touchup and polish it up and see how it comes out. Manda.. I did find that the hood does swirl pretty easily. I've done it before while drying. A simple polish removes them. Maybe you're right, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the end. Just hate the feeling that this car may have been in an accident that isn't documented anywhere.
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11-21-2016, 10:37 PM	#10
USCTROJANSFIGHTON Second Lieutenant 24 Rep 217 Posts Drives: Car. Vrooom. Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: San Diego,VEGAS,IRVINE,LA,MOON iTrader: (1)	poor pic take a better picture. that is barely in focus
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11-23-2016, 12:14 PM	#13
W Cole Major 145 Rep 1,130 Posts Drives: 2009 M3 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Newport Coast, CA iTrader: (5)	The most surefire way is to look at the orange peel texture of the paint and compare it to the rest of the car (but not the bumpers as these always have different texture and color). I have never seen a body shop be able to match this perfectly. Look for fisheyes or dust in the paint, factory paint may have a couple on the entire car but a re-paint will have more. Also, look around the edges of the hood for dry spots, compare to a known BMW painted hood.
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