2011 BMW M3 Le Mans Blue

[Scottwax]

2011 BMW, owner recently picked up this very light used (4000 miles) car a few weeks ago. Between the weather and needing to have some tinting redone, we were finally able to meet up today to take care of his car. Beautiful day, low 70s. Nice change from the rain, snow and below normal temperatures we've had since Christmas.



The car was lightly swirled, some areas so light I couldn't capture them with my camera. These are the only two shots that show anything:

The paint was ridiculously hard. Finally had to resort to using a wool pad and #105 on the hood and front fenders (where swirls were the worst) 3-4 times to get about 90-95% of the swirls out, I was using enough pressure to bow in the hood bulge so I had to ease up in that area. No marring either, the paint looked LSP ready. Never used DA/wool/105 and had the paint look so clear. These shots are after that step.

Full process:



ONR wash, Optimum Opti-Raser mild to clay

Meguiars #105 using an American buffing (or maybe LC? got the pads from my Optimum distributor) white foamed wool pad and my PC 7424 XP on speed 6 for the hood and front fenders

Meguiars #105 mixed 50/50 with Optimum Hyper Compound (cuts dusting way down, much longer work time) and a 5" Meguiars microfiber cutting pad and PC on speed 5

Optimum Hyper Polish using an Optimum microfiber cutting pad and my PC on speed 6

Optimum Opti-Seal

Optimum Metal Polish on exhaust tips

Armor All on tires/fenderwells

ONR wash and wax cut 32:1 to clean glass



Really happy how this one turned out, customer seemed really pleased too.

 

[350f]

Wow love that color....looks amazing. I've been using Armor All on tires lately but it doesn't seem to last very long. Maybe I don't have the tires clean enough?

 

[Scottwax]

Armor All is water based so you will have to apply it more often than a silicone based product.



Agree with you on the color, definitely my favorite BMW color.

 

[Hey Moe!]

Thanks for sharing! That's a nice M3, and the wheels mean "Competition Package."



As my 128 Black Sapphire goes out of warranty in July, I am giving serious thought to trading in on a new one, before the 1-series loses the venerable inline-six motor in 2014. LeMans is available on the 1-series, and it is at the top of my list right now.



Hope you are getting in some good bike rides there in DFW. It is zero degrees here as I write this.



No, my 1er is not in-service. It's tucked away until 3/1. My beater Focus with snow tires on all corners is on-duty.

 

[Scottwax]

Actually rode 37.7 miles today! Even got in some hill work.



Definitely a bad *** M3. He also has a Le Mans blue 335 that he leased, that goes back soon.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Awesome Scott!

 

[tom p.]

Scott, that's stunning! Really nice effort.

 

[maxepr1]

Nice work Scott! Funny that it was hard, every Monaco Blue that I've laid hands on was silly soft! Sounds like Saab paint, Flex,PFW,105 pushing like I was giving CPR....lol! Crazy!

 

[911fanatic]

Beautiful colour Scott. Looks awesome. I know what you mean about the clear. Have a 1 series in the shop right now and I've used everything but my rotary / wool to get rid of the marring.

 

[Scottwax]

Awesome Scott!

Scott, that's stunning! Really nice effort.

Thanks!

Nice work Scott! Funny that it was hard, every Monaco Blue that I've laid hands on was silly soft! Sounds like Saab paint, Flex,PFW,105 pushing like I was giving CPR....lol! Crazy!

I know, right? I did a jet black BMW a few weeks back and it had hard paint, the one a week ago had soft paint. :hairpull

Beautiful colour Scott. Looks awesome. I know what you mean about the clear. Have a 1 series in the shop right now and I've used everything but my rotary / wool to get rid of the marring.

Just wild how hard this paint was. I hear they went to a harder clear in 2011.