Black BMW - Paint Problems, where to start?

M

mr.thetank

New member
This past weekend I had a small chance to start cleaning up my car. I didn't get a chance to do the outside only the interior as it was too sunny where my car was and there was no shade. I did go around and try and find any problems with the paint and found some. Here is a link to some pictures that I took of the problem areas.



http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/bmwtinut/lst?&.dir=/&.src=ph&.view=l



The car is a daily driver in eastern Pa year round and stored outside. I bought the car (used with 55K onit) back in the fall of 99 and have put over 50k on it since. I just purchased a PC and have not really had a chance to use it yet and I am not sure where to start.



The hood is pretty beat up due to the winters and other weather. I have also notice that the paint on the passenger side rear quarter panel is all bumpy (orange peel?) and then there are spots that look like little pimples under the surface. i believe that the panel has been repainted at some time (poorly though) due to the change in the paint going from the door to the rear panel.



How should I go about taking care of cleaning up the hood?

I have a mothers clay kit and meguiars polish and SMR. I have not used the SMR yet. I also have a can of mothers carnuba wax that I have used in the past. I am thinking of going the AIO route.

I know that this will never be a show quality finish but I would like to shine it up better.



Again here is a link to pictures of the paint damage and the car.



http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/bmwtinut/lst?&.dir=/&.src=ph&.view=l



Thanks



Todd Davis
 
What a mess:eek: The orange peel could be just bad bmw paint finishing, my X5 has its fair share of orange peel. The paint pimples I have no idea. The hood just looks generally beat up. I would dawn then clay then use a good paint cleaner. See how it looks then. Next step maybe polish or an SMR if you have swirl marks which I assume you do. Good luck, hopefully those pimples are just some overspray or something but they look like there in the paint.
 
Do you ever hate to say something. Well I have seen those pimples before on an old 320I BMW. A mechanic wiped his finger prints off the car's paint with his dirty shop rag. The paint had a reaction to what ever was on that rag. Before you put a lot of effort into detailing, stop by the best body shop guy you know for a close up examination.



good luck
 
I am not too worried about the condition of the paint on the rear quarter panel, I am more interested in figuring out what went wrong. I have looked in detail at the seam where the door meets the rear panel and you can see overspray or a feathered edge where a repaint was done.

When I bought the car the lower rocker panel had a long scuff along it on the passenger side. Also after going through the car records I found some receipts from the dealer, two for new front and rear bumper covers and one for the passenger fog light.



I never did get the rocker panel fixed. In the early spring of 99 a deer ran into the pass side of the car and I have to get the pass door still fixed. So some body work already needs to be done. What is a little more.



Todd Davis
 
Hmm... was the car repainted? :confused: You might want to consider getting it wetsanded from a reputible place. Maybe some of our Autopian experts can clue us in here?



Also, try emailing Ron Ketcham at Ketch@autoint.com. Good luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top