[agentf1]

I am not happy with the BMW paint. I noticed within a few days of ownership there seemed to be some very very slight water spots on the paint most likely from being transported. Only good thing was you could not see them unless it was in the garage under the flourescent (I have a ton of flourescent lights in the garage). I practically Zaino the car every other week so it is always protected but it seems like it is prone to getting these acid rain type of spots. My last two cars were black MB's which were treated the same way and they never got a water spot anywhere which also brings me to could it be the color is more suspectable to this type of damage? The car is Space Gray.

Do any of you notice this with your paint? It is very hard to see and you gotta look at the right angle under the right lighting. I also notice it at night under parking lot lights.

I have tried to buff them out to no avail which actually makes me wonder if it is under the clear.

Other than that I freaking love the car. It is fast, every knob and control is perfectly placed, sounds and runs awesome, etc etc...

[DSXMachina]

You are probably right about the source of the water spot etching. Getting them out won't be easy but must be done if you're looking for the perfect finish. Unfortunately you're going to have to start with bare paint so that means getting out the diswashing liquid for your next wash.
There is lots of info on this board in regard to removing etching, and even a few threads running right now showing etch from hell in the before pictures and nothing in the after pics. I'm an amateur and have done it with 3M products and a high speed buffer with foam pads. I'll let the pros tell you how they do it.

[JOYRIIDE1113]

What thread right now is talking about etching?

Water etching is sometimes harder to remove than actual swirls. Are you sure its water etching. Water Spots and etching are two different things. Etching goes deep into the paint. I have etching on a part of my hood and have not been able to remove it, even with a purple LC Wool pad on a rotory @ 2000rpms. Only other option I have is wetsanding, but I've decided to just live with it.

If its water spots, Vinegar and water mixed 1:1 will easily take it off. It'll remove you protection as well, but you'd be applying new wax afterwards anyway.

JOY

[JacobT]

Yep, I saw exact the same thing you talked about. It's only visible under fluorescent light. My car is only 3 week old and has not even been washed yet. I noticed this a couple days ago and thought the dealer did not prep the car well and left those marks there. Under the sun light, it's perfect but under the fluorescent at certain angle, it's all over the whole car except the PU bumper parts. I have tried 3M swirl remover, Maguires showroom glaze, Maguires NXT wax on my JB color, but those just made the shine even more foggy instead of deep shadow black like it supposed to be.

I think it's the BMW paint issue. My previous black Lexus with 7 year old paint did not look like this at all. So I fully agree with you, I'm NOT happy with the German BMW paint at all

[!Xoible]

jet black - HELL NO not happy

[ianbiz]

Im happy, but I'm not happy with the paint on our mercedes.

[MikeM5]

for whatever reason, these new BMWs have ridiculously soft paint...which means it scratches VERY easily. this is the complete opposite to older models, unfortunately.

my M5's paint is so much harder and gives me much more peace of mind than the 335. i'm almost afraid to touch it

[NaTuReB0Y]

my jet black is the king of swirls.....scratches.....and dents.

[JOYRIIDE1113]

I detailed a clients JET Black 328i a few weeks ago. He has probably given it two washes and has marred the surface a bit, to the point if it were my car, Id want it polished all over again.

[ScheerSpeed]

Originally Posted by JOYRIIDE1113

I detailed a clients JET Black 328i a few weeks ago. He has probably given it two washes and has marred the surface a bit, to the point if it were my car, Id want it polished all over again.

definetly!

[mkaaes]

Whats with the orange peel effect? That was my biggest disappointment, I don't remember my 97' M3 having it

[BoLaS]

Originally Posted by agentf1

I am not happy with the BMW paint. I noticed within a few days of ownership there seemed to be some very very slight water spots on the paint most likely from being transported. Only good thing was you could not see them unless it was in the garage under the flourescent (I have a ton of flourescent lights in the garage). I practically Zaino the car every other week so it is always protected but it seems like it is prone to getting these acid rain type of spots. My last two cars were black MB's which were treated the same way and they never got a water spot anywhere which also brings me to could it be the color is more suspectable to this type of damage? The car is Space Gray.

Do any of you notice this with your paint? It is very hard to see and you gotta look at the right angle under the right lighting. I also notice it at night under parking lot lights.

I have tried to buff them out to no avail which actually makes me wonder if it is under the clear.

Other than that I freaking love the car. It is fast, every knob and control is perfectly placed, sounds and runs awesome, etc etc...

Originally Posted by JacobT

Yep, I saw exact the same thing you talked about. It's only visible under fluorescent light. My car is only 3 week old and has not even been washed yet. I noticed this a couple days ago and thought the dealer did not prep the car well and left those marks there. Under the sun light, it's perfect but under the fluorescent at certain angle, it's all over the whole car except the PU bumper parts. I have tried 3M swirl remover, Maguires showroom glaze, Maguires NXT wax on my JB color, but those just made the shine even more foggy instead of deep shadow black like it supposed to be.

I think it's the BMW paint issue. My previous black Lexus with 7 year old paint did not look like this at all. So I fully agree with you, I'm NOT happy with the German BMW paint at all

Originally Posted by MikeM5

for whatever reason, these new BMWs have ridiculously soft paint...which means it scratches VERY easily. this is the complete opposite to older models, unfortunately.

my M5's paint is so much harder and gives me much more peace of mind than the 335. i'm almost afraid to touch it

OMFG!!! finally someone has the same problem....these stupid fn' water spots was the original reason I had to acid wash my car!! we all know how that turned out (check out scheerspeed blk saph 335) Even after a COMPLETE abracadabra package these water spots start coming back! this paint is gay
there should be a recall or a credit for paying extra for crappy soft paint! (vent)

[nj335i]

My black sapphire chips so easily! I'm not satisfied with the paint at all!

[JacobT]

I can tell you that BMW paint quality has dropped quite a bit for the last couple years. I used to own an e36 M3 for 4 years and the paint was hard and top notch finish quality. It's so thick even with rock chips, you couldn't see the base paint at all. Now look at my 3 weeks old e90, that's no comparison to those old German quality.

[darkcloud]

Think of the thinner paint as weight reduction

[BMdblU]

It's seriously soft, that's for sure.

I scratched the bumper with my fingernail while installing my painted reflectors! And they're not even long

[timn]

my car has so much orange peel it's ridiculous. Sapphire black.

[328i]

Not happy at all, I have these same water spots as you on my jet black, the paint is just too soft.

[F32Fleet]

Originally Posted by JacobT

I can tell you that BMW paint quality has dropped quite a bit for the last couple years. I used to own an e36 M3 for 4 years and the paint was hard and top notch finish quality. It's so thick even with rock chips, you couldn't see the base paint at all. Now look at my 3 weeks old e90, that's no comparison to those old German quality.

Automotive paint has changed to meet new air quality requirements. Little BMW can do.

[BayAreaE92]

I have the Space Grey with the same waterspot issue...It was actually ridiculous when I first got it and after agressive paint cleaning with the clay and all three machine polishes from Griots...the spots are still there. I think my paint is attracted to imperfections and small scratches...so I've lost count of how many coats of wax I've layered on. However, I got some of the showroom wax from Ferrari of SF, so the car shines so brilliantly no one notices the crappyness of the paint.

[Slke46]

mine isn't to bad... actually I was really impressed with it. Really smooth and consistant, no compaints here!

[NU2BMW]

The paint's ability to resist marking/chips is way less than the ceramic on my '05 Benz SLK 55 .