Paint Quality

tjalt · 08-19-2005, 12:09 PM

Anyone compare the paint quality to other German manufactuers?

ward · 08-19-2005, 12:19 PM

porsche is nicer, BMW has gone to "environmentally friendly" processes

which means tons of orange peel

onesixeight · 08-19-2005, 12:20 PM

About the same as other BMWs. Moderate amount of "orange peel" especially on the side panels. Clear is still really soft compared to M-Benz new nanoclear paint.

Even the RR Phanton has the same paint quality as other BMW products.

NaTuReB0Y · 08-19-2005, 12:28 PM

Personally I think the paint quality of BMW is poor compare to other car company of the same class.........I have so many tiny paint chips in the front of my hood from unidentified flying objects......and I only have the car for a month and 4 days!

The paint and clearcoat seems to be very thin.....one day I enter my car with my cellphone on my waist and I scrapped a coat of paint off by the rear door....and it went all the way to the metal.....a touch up of universal black paint....and it looked like new!

JVFan · 08-19-2005, 01:35 PM

Is orange peel the little tiny dimply things?

fredtoo · 08-19-2005, 01:38 PM

Yes

rad21 · 08-19-2005, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

Personally I think the paint quality of BMW is poor compare to other car company of the same class.........I have so many tiny paint chips in the front of my hood from unidentified flying objects......and I only have the car for a month and 4 days!

The paint and clearcoat seems to be very thin.....one day I enter my car with my cellphone on my waist and I scrapped a coat of paint off by the rear door....and it went all the way to the metal.....!

I agree, The only disappointing part of my new car is the paint quality. I also have a few chips from rocks flying off of trucks and the chips were down to the bare metal, not the primer. There are some other paint imperfections too, I think Audi/VW has much better paint. My last car was reflex silver and seemed much harder to chip and the overall paint job was much better quality. I bought some touch up paint and am becoming pretty good with that and Langka to level the paint .

F32Fleet · 08-19-2005, 03:27 PM

I was hoping BMW would move to MB type clearcoat. BMW clearcoat is soft.

tjalt · 08-19-2005, 04:49 PM

My X5 has better paint. Expecially the sides.

Ed_330i · 08-19-2005, 04:52 PM

paint is weak id say.

AW330i · 08-19-2005, 04:58 PM

Its sad to hear but what can you do? I love porsche paint, the process is unbelievable!

Bananenboom · 08-19-2005, 05:05 PM

Are the Individual paints better? Because they cost 1900 Euro more than uni painting (Metallic +750). Do you pay for the exclusive colour or is the quality also better?

bzzbenz · 08-19-2005, 05:08 PM

I can agree that the paint is weak... I had a small rock skip across my hood and left 5 (down the the metal) chips. Was a very sad day...

tjalt · 08-19-2005, 05:36 PM

Just wondering, are there any paint quality differences across the factories? Reason being, my X5 paint is good. However, looking at the Z4, the paint is similar to the new 3.

ward · 08-19-2005, 06:08 PM

I'd say the paint on my Z4 from spartanburg has more orangepeel than my 325 from munich,

not sure if it's environmental legislation for the US only that affects it or what. maybe the darker color of my 3 hides imperfections better than the light colored Z

Ed_330i · 08-19-2005, 07:39 PM

ill say one thing, the Crossfire had nice paint, it took alot of rock hits, but never any real damage. but it was MB paint essentially. to tell the truth im kinda pissed seeing the HUGE ASS rock chips on the front of the 750. It just pisses me off, and they are not thin, they go deep.

G35 · 08-19-2005, 09:46 PM

I have a 2000 E46 Convertible with what I consider to be a very well-done paint job. After 5 years, you notice very few chips in the hood and front bumper and the car has never had a bra on it.

I think the E90 BMWs have gone the way of my '03 Infiniti G35 in that the coat of paint is very thin which easily succombs to chips other marks. Everyone on the G35 forums have complained about the paint jobs for a long time.

Porsche paint jobs are the best I've seen but they ought to be for what you pay. It's disappointing to know that BMW has let quality deteriorate in this way. A premium paint job used to be another reason to justify buying a BMW over the competition.

blackE90 · 08-20-2005, 10:49 AM

one things for sure in all the cars i've ever owned bird crap was never an issue....this whole bird crap etching your paint is a whole new thing to me

perhaps bmw is trying to cut some corners to keep costs and the price down

ward · 08-20-2005, 06:38 PM

would you people rather have a nice environment or good looking paint??

save the earth people!!

oh wait, I'd rather have nicer paint too

NaTuReB0Y · 08-20-2005, 06:55 PM

I'd rather have MB paint quality....isn't BMW and MB supposed to be in the same class? Maybe not....

Dnz · 08-20-2005, 07:59 PM

Kinda relevant - My E36's paint seems near invinvible to me. In over a year it has had maybe 5 little chips to the primer, but these were easily fixable. My old nissan pulsar was pure evil when it came to chips, and the front end is nearly white. It feels for me that the E36's paint needs an actual stone to come with force to take a little bit out, and even then it is only on the front extremeties.

Has anyone mentioned this to bmw? Or is it just a 'new car placebo effect' where every little imperfections hurts more than with a 2nd hand car?

Also it could be that metallic paints are harder? Black is a lot softer than white on the colour scale as to the materials used for the colour.. I think bmw's environmental process is more to do with the byproducts released rather than the quality of the job... There must be some info on this on their website?

08-19-2005, 12:09 PM	#1
tjalt Enlisted Member 7 Rep 31 Posts Drives: X5 4.4 (330 soon)i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Paint Quality Anyone compare the paint quality to other German manufactuers?
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08-19-2005, 12:19 PM	#2
ward Major General 155 Rep 6,158 Posts Drives: F Join Date: May 2005 Location: T iTrader: (0)	porsche is nicer, BMW has gone to "environmentally friendly" processes which means tons of orange peel
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08-19-2005, 12:20 PM	#3
onesixeight Captain 102 Rep 614 Posts Drives: F82 M4/i8 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (3)	About the same as other BMWs. Moderate amount of "orange peel" especially on the side panels. Clear is still really soft compared to M-Benz new nanoclear paint. Even the RR Phanton has the same paint quality as other BMW products.
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08-19-2005, 12:28 PM	#4
NaTuReB0Y Powered By 36DD 337 Rep 7,369 Posts Drives: 2006 E90 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Inland Empire iTrader: (12)	Personally I think the paint quality of BMW is poor compare to other car company of the same class.........I have so many tiny paint chips in the front of my hood from unidentified flying objects......and I only have the car for a month and 4 days! The paint and clearcoat seems to be very thin.....one day I enter my car with my cellphone on my waist and I scrapped a coat of paint off by the rear door....and it went all the way to the metal.....a touch up of universal black paint....and it looked like new! __________________ 2006 E90 330i Jet Black \| 20" WORK VS-XX \| FK452 \| H&R Sport on Koni Yellow \| REMUS QUAD
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08-19-2005, 01:35 PM	#5
JVFan Lieutenant 36 Rep 515 Posts Drives: Very Well Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lloydminster, AB CANADA iTrader: (1)	Is orange peel the little tiny dimply things?
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08-19-2005, 01:38 PM	#6
fredtoo First Lieutenant 15 Rep 340 Posts Drives: 325 328 350 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: nj iTrader: (0) Garage List 1986 328 [0.00] 2006 325 [0.00]	Yes
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08-19-2005, 03:27 PM	#8
F32Fleet Lieutenant General 3572 Rep 10,352 Posts Drives: 2015 435i Join Date: May 2005 Location: Southeastern US iTrader: (0)	I was hoping BMW would move to MB type clearcoat. BMW clearcoat is soft.
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08-19-2005, 04:49 PM	#9
tjalt Enlisted Member 7 Rep 31 Posts Drives: X5 4.4 (330 soon)i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	X5 has better paint My X5 has better paint. Expecially the sides.
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08-19-2005, 04:52 PM	#10
Ed_330i Lieutenant 58 Rep 515 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North America iTrader: (0)	paint is weak id say.
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08-19-2005, 04:58 PM	#11
AW330i Captain 79 Rep 876 Posts Drives: Alpine White 330i Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Houston, Tx iTrader: (0)	Its sad to hear but what can you do? I love porsche paint, the process is unbelievable! __________________
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08-19-2005, 05:05 PM	#12
Bananenboom Private 19 Rep 92 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Netherlands iTrader: (0)	Are the Individual paints better? Because they cost 1900 Euro more than uni painting (Metallic +750). Do you pay for the exclusive colour or is the quality also better?
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08-19-2005, 05:08 PM	#13
bzzbenz First Lieutenant 19 Rep 368 Posts Drives: 2011 E93 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Orange County iTrader: (0)	I can agree that the paint is weak... I had a small rock skip across my hood and left 5 (down the the metal) chips. Was a very sad day... __________________ \| 2006 325i \| Jet Black \| Black ette \| 6spd manual\| Nav \| Xenon \| Burl \| Chrome Tips \| 545 sport wheels \| Blacklines\| \|DOB 6/2/05\|Delivered 7/14/05 \|
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08-19-2005, 05:36 PM	#14
tjalt Enlisted Member 7 Rep 31 Posts Drives: X5 4.4 (330 soon)i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada iTrader: (0)	Difference Among Factories Just wondering, are there any paint quality differences across the factories? Reason being, my X5 paint is good. However, looking at the Z4, the paint is similar to the new 3.
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08-19-2005, 06:08 PM	#15
ward Major General 155 Rep 6,158 Posts Drives: F Join Date: May 2005 Location: T iTrader: (0)	I'd say the paint on my Z4 from spartanburg has more orangepeel than my 325 from munich, not sure if it's environmental legislation for the US only that affects it or what. maybe the darker color of my 3 hides imperfections better than the light colored Z
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08-19-2005, 07:39 PM	#16
Ed_330i Lieutenant 58 Rep 515 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North America iTrader: (0)	ill say one thing, the Crossfire had nice paint, it took alot of rock hits, but never any real damage. but it was MB paint essentially. to tell the truth im kinda pissed seeing the HUGE ASS rock chips on the front of the 750. It just pisses me off, and they are not thin, they go deep.
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08-19-2005, 09:46 PM	#17
G35 Registered 2 Rep 2 Posts Drives: Infiniti G35 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Memphis iTrader: (0)	I have a 2000 E46 Convertible with what I consider to be a very well-done paint job. After 5 years, you notice very few chips in the hood and front bumper and the car has never had a bra on it. I think the E90 BMWs have gone the way of my '03 Infiniti G35 in that the coat of paint is very thin which easily succombs to chips other marks. Everyone on the G35 forums have complained about the paint jobs for a long time. Porsche paint jobs are the best I've seen but they ought to be for what you pay. It's disappointing to know that BMW has let quality deteriorate in this way. A premium paint job used to be another reason to justify buying a BMW over the competition.
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08-20-2005, 10:49 AM	#18
blackE90 Private First Class 17 Rep 148 Posts Drives: sp blk 330i Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: east coast iTrader: (0)	one things for sure in all the cars i've ever owned bird crap was never an issue....this whole bird crap etching your paint is a whole new thing to me perhaps bmw is trying to cut some corners to keep costs and the price down
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08-20-2005, 06:38 PM	#19
ward Major General 155 Rep 6,158 Posts Drives: F Join Date: May 2005 Location: T iTrader: (0)	would you people rather have a nice environment or good looking paint?? save the earth people!! oh wait, I'd rather have nicer paint too
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08-20-2005, 06:55 PM	#20
NaTuReB0Y Powered By 36DD 337 Rep 7,369 Posts Drives: 2006 E90 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Inland Empire iTrader: (12)	I'd rather have MB paint quality....isn't BMW and MB supposed to be in the same class? Maybe not.... __________________ 2006 E90 330i Jet Black \| 20" WORK VS-XX \| FK452 \| H&R Sport on Koni Yellow \| REMUS QUAD
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08-20-2005, 07:59 PM	#21
Dnz New Member 0 Rep 12 Posts Drives: '94 325i w/M-Tech Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Zealand iTrader: (0)	Kinda relevant - My E36's paint seems near invinvible to me. In over a year it has had maybe 5 little chips to the primer, but these were easily fixable. My old nissan pulsar was pure evil when it came to chips, and the front end is nearly white. It feels for me that the E36's paint needs an actual stone to come with force to take a little bit out, and even then it is only on the front extremeties. Has anyone mentioned this to bmw? Or is it just a 'new car placebo effect' where every little imperfections hurts more than with a 2nd hand car? Also it could be that metallic paints are harder? Black is a lot softer than white on the colour scale as to the materials used for the colour.. I think bmw's environmental process is more to do with the byproducts released rather than the quality of the job... There must be some info on this on their website?
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