[ArchieV]

Hi All,
Wanted to get some input from anyones previous experience. My family and I just wrapped up a 1,400 mile trek to ME and back. (Car did a great job, even made a fellow G05 friend through NH). Finally got a chance to wash the old gal and low and behold I've uncovered some rock chips, none more than a couple pin head sizes. Normal hazard of the road I get it but considering the car only has about 6k miles on it and rarely sits behind dump trucks pouring out their load on the highway at 70mph so I'm a bit surprised how easy the chips came about. I've had my car for almost 7 years and outside of my own stupidity the car didn't get a single rock chip from road hazard, doing basically the same types of daily drives.

A couple questions I guess, any recourse with BMW I could push? Obviously I wouldn't expect a respray but maybe for them to touch up?
Also is this common to the Alpine White paint job?

Tried posting pictures but file size was too large and conversion to a diff format wasn't working properly. The chip is all the way through clear coat and paint and you can see/feel bare metal.

Any feedback is appreciated!

[nZtiZia]

BMW paint is known to be 'soft'. if it really bothers ya (cuz chances are you'll get more), may wanna consider front end ppf (the detailer will touch up the chips prior to installation).

[ArchieV]

That's good to know.

Yes, I actually had talked my wife into getting the PPF for nose, partial hood and sideview mirrors because just cleaning the bugs off this behemoth was a task in itself and wanted to avoid any longterm paint damage. Unfortunately this trip came about before I had time to find an installer and get it done. Guess it's moving to the forefront of my to do list now.

[Wait What?]

Originally Posted by ArchieV

That's good to know.

Yes, I actually had talked my wife into getting the PPF for nose, partial hood and sideview mirrors because just cleaning the bugs off this behemoth was a task in itself and wanted to avoid any longterm paint damage. Unfortunately this trip came about before I had time to find an installer and get it done. Guess it's moving to the forefront of my to do list now.

If you can, don't go for partial hood: PPF is visible and collects dust and other debris at the edge of the film, making it even more visible and potentially scratching the paint. If possible, go for full front PPF instead, it's a night and day difference. Just my 2 cents.

[YuicyYumboYack]

No, unfortunately no recourse.

There are some kits available that allow you to fill in the chips, but it's not going to get it back to how it looked when you took delivery.

I've used this (link here) before. It works, but it takes practice and not as easy as promo videos look (nothing ever is). It's one of those things where you won't see it from five feet away, but up close you'll see the chip filled in.

If chips really bother you, then PPF is the way to go.

[bceye]

Another Alphine White owner here, and I also noticed several small chips where I can see the metal underneath. Car doesn't even have 2K miles on it. Car feels like a chip magnet.

[BobsM3Coupe]

All manufacturers have had to use environmental friendly (read soft) water based paint on their new vehicles for at least 10 years now.
It's just the way it is.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by ArchieV

A couple questions I guess

* any recourse with BMW I could push?

* maybe for them to touch up?

No recourse, however I've got a good body shop that's fixed multiple fender benders and I always have them touch up the chip - usually costs $50-$80 and I can't tell even on close inspection when detailing.

I've been considering PPF for years, but just haven't been annoyed enough to ever do it - well this year, with a new car coming in a made a decision, I won't.

So I took the $5k a big ole PPF job would cost and bought $VUG

So far, my $VUG profits will fully fund all the stuff I need to do my own detailing and would pay for a few touchups should they be needed.

Thus, I'm hoping, all my detailing & "PPF" = free!

[Rajib]

Archie, the best option is get the hood repainted by a BMW body shop where they use the actual BMW Color System paint (very similar water based kind they use in the SC factory) and then put PPF on. It will not be a perfect match but many BMW experts here in the Bay Area have told me that is the closest you can get to factory finish. Also, the factory paint job is really substandard so when you get the hood painted by a BMW painter by hand and then clearcoated, you will see the difference. If you ever sell, people will appreciate the clean look of your hood and not factory paint with peppered rock chips.

[medphysdave]

Where are you seeing the paint chips. Trying to decide on ppf coverage. Phyton blue x5 didn't have an issues beyond the front bumper. If you're seeing chips on the hood, then I might go full front.

[rmorin1249]

I spent a couple hours last weekend tying to touch up about a dozen chips on the leading edge of my hood. I used a kit by ColornDrive. Very similar to Dr Colorchip. Paint match is good but it's never going to look like a fresh respray. Back up 6 feet and it looks pretty good.

[ArchieV]

Yeah I think I'll probably skip the limited time fix and just opt for a front bumper and hood respray at some point and then just get the PPF

[iceRN09]

Originally Posted by GrussGott

No recourse, however I've got a good body shop that's fixed multiple fender benders and I always have them touch up the chip - usually costs $50-$80 and I can't tell even on close inspection when detailing.

I've been considering PPF for years, but just haven't been annoyed enough to ever do it - well this year, with a new car coming in a made a decision, I won't.

So I took the $5k a big ole PPF job would cost and bought $VUG

So far, my $VUG profits will fully fund all the stuff I need to do my own detailing and would pay for a few touchups should they be needed.

Thus, I'm hoping, all my detailing & "PPF" = free!

Playing risky with VUG.

I prefer VTI or VOO.

[Rajib]

Archie, if you decide to do it (which I did), take it to a CCRC place. Don't cut corners, they will make it look better than factory!

[JillX5M]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

BMW paint is known to be 'soft'. if it really bothers ya (cuz chances are you'll get more), may wanna consider front end ppf (the detailer will touch up the chips prior to installation).

What does front end mean?

[JillX5M]

Originally Posted by Wait What?

If you can, don't go for partial hood: PPF is visible and collects dust and other debris at the edge of the film, making it even more visible and potentially scratching the paint. If possible, go for full front PPF instead, it's a night and day difference. Just my 2 cents.

Do people wrap their whole car and not just the full front hood? Can’t you get rock chips anywhere? I just got one on my door handle.

[JillX5M]

What is a CCRC place? What does tnt stand for? I am in Florida.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by JillX5M

What does front end mean?

The front and hood should do it. It doesn't seem like fenders get hit.

[JillX5M]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

The front and hood should do it. It doesn't seem like fenders get hit.

I got one on my door handle.

[D10]

Just an opinion: the touch up paint you can get a bmw is trash. The brushes are so bad it looked like bird shit on my mineral white and my alpine white bmws I bought touch up paints from bmw. Went to a paint shop and they made touch up paint for me it was fantastic barely can notice the chip. If you end up getting any chips just go to a paint shop and have them scan the colours don’t go the bmw route.

[jkramerXXX7]

Originally Posted by JillX5M

What is a CCRC place? What does tnt stand for? I am in Florida.

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