# Paint Chips way too easy!



## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

solsurfr said:


> Funny thing, I drive 5 days in Europe in the dead of winter, sometimes at 120MPH, and even through a snow storm and not one nic. I drive two days in the US and I have a nice little paint chip in the door!


It depends on where you drive in Europe and what roads you drive on. A week of driving around Norway seems to add about as many chips to the paint as a year of mixed city/autobahn driving in Germany. (I can show you the ones added to my car, but not the moose I missed.) I guess that is just the price to pay for spendid scenary.


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## The Roadstergal (Sep 7, 2002)

BlackChrome said:


> You can't really see it until you are like 2 ft away!


On a good install, you can get closer. A friend of mine had it on her Imola M and has it now on her Merlot Z4, and you have to know it's there and get closer than a foot to see it.


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## ctbmw (Aug 30, 2003)

I'm NOT complaining about chips from stones, etc-let's get real...it happens!
My Bi*ch is a small blister, or pimple in paint, and then flaking paint from that point. In spots that don't get chips normally. Front of hood is pitted, but middle ! I can see blisters ready to go any day now! I just want to get thru winter and have repainted!
Paint chips when hit! We agree on that. But should it "blister" ??!! (blister and then flake outward until it leaves bare metal?)
If the person who started this post is still there I'd like to know if this is what he's going thru or if he was simply complaining about little stone chips. 
Are you there?
-Mel


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## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

MWeaver said:


> My Bi*ch is a small blister, or pimple in paint, and then flaking paint from that point. In spots that don't get chips normally.... Paint chips when hit! We agree on that. But should it "blister" ??!! (blister and then flake outward until it leaves bare metal?)


No, unless it was poorly repainted. (Has anyone measured the paint thickness?)

I had pin size blisters and streaks start to appear on the driver's side A-pillar as the car was nearing the end of the six year rust through warranty. I asked around and discovered that no one had ever seen that on an E36.

My local (German) dealer took pictures and reported the problem to Munich. Munich's first response was that they could pay 0% (zero percent) of the repair because the paint had not yet rusted through. I thought this was unreasonable as the rust through was now pretty much pre-programmed. Both my local dealer and my dealer in the U.S. agreed and thought I should not accept this answer. My local dealer persisted, talked with Munich about the problem, and eventually they agreed to pay to repaint the A-pillar.

Unfortunately, I believe your car is now outside the six year warranty. If you can document the problem appeared within the first six years you might be able to convince BMW NA and/or Munich to pay for some or all of the repair. Even if you can't, I would talk with them anyway as I don't think what you describe is normal.


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## CWolfey (Apr 1, 2003)

MWeaver said:


> I'm NOT complaining about chips from stones, etc-let's get real...it happens!
> My Bi*ch is a small blister, or pimple in paint, and then flaking paint from that point. In spots that don't get chips normally. Front of hood is pitted, but middle ! I can see blisters ready to go any day now! I just want to get thru winter and have repainted!
> Paint chips when hit! We agree on that. But should it "blister" ??!! (blister and then flake outward until it leaves bare metal?)
> If the person who started this post is still there I'd like to know if this is what he's going thru or if he was simply complaining about little stone chips.
> ...


Your problem seems more severe than mine or enough time has not passed for this to happen to me yet either way Yes I am speaking of small chips resulting from stones on the highway.
I have read that people get the clear bra or some kind of bra, but whats unusual is that my chips appear on top of my hood or even on top of my trunk as well, dont get me wrong some are on the front bumper but my worst one just happened on the hood half way up on the right side. Maybe I could put one of those ugly rock delfector things that truck sometimes have in front of the hood..yeah right!


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## epc (Dec 24, 2001)

For those of you not liking BMW paint's hardness, buy the new MB with the latest in paint technology: nano-sized ceramic particles embedded in clear coat to increase scratch resistance:

Mercedes-Benz Introduces Innovative Nano-Particle Automobile Paint

Mercedes-Benz has announced an innovative nano-particle clearcoat which offers significantly greater scratch resistance and improved gloss.

After four years of development work, an innovative new clear lacquer was set to go into series production at Mercedes- Benz at the end of 2003. Ground-breaking nano-technology ensures that the new product is substantially more scratch-resistant than conventional paint. The E, S, CL, SL and SLK-Class model series are the first cars in the world to be available with this new paint system, whilst customers of other Mercedes models can look forward to the increased scratch resistance of nano-paintwork from spring 2004.

This new technology represents the Stuttgart-based car maker's latest significant contribution towards considerably enhancing the already exemplary long-term quality and value retention of its passenger cars.

The newly developed clear lacquer, which contains microscopically small ceramic particles, hardens in the paintshop oven, forming an extensively cross- linked network.

The paint is thus more effectively protected against scratches caused by mechanical car-washes, for example. Mercedes state that the nano-particles provide a three-fold improvement in the scratch resistance of the paintwork and ensure visibly enhanced gloss over an extended period of time.

Following extreme tests in a laboratory car-wash, Mercedes engineers noted an around 40-percent improvement in paint gloss compared to conventional clear lacquers. Mercedes-Benz carried out extensive testing on the nano-particle clearcoat both in the laboratory and under everyday conditions. Even after several years of use, the more than 150 test cars involved in the long-term testing programme displayed significantly greater scratch resistance and enhanced paint gloss compared to vehicles with conventional paintwork.

Microscopically small ceramic particles provide a layer of protection. Remarkable advances in the area of nano-technology have allowed tiny ceramic particles - each less than a millionth of a millimetre in size - to be integrated into the molecular structure of the binding agent. These particles float around freely at first in the liquid clearcoat, before cross-linking as the drying process takes effect. The particles link in with one another in such a way as to create an extremely dense and smoothly structured network at the paint surface. This provides a protective layer and ensures that the new nano-particle clearcoat is considerably more scratch-resistant than conventional paintwork.

The effectiveness of the new technology was borne out by the results of an extreme test conducted in a laboratory car-wash according to DIN standards. The water used in the test contains a precisely measured concentration of fine particles and is spread over the paintwork by the rotating washing brushes, leaving behind scratches. After ten wash cycles in the laboratory car-wash, reproducing the degenerative effect of some 50 to 100 regular car washes - the nano-painted sheet metal emerged with around 40-percent greater gloss than samples with conventional clear lacquer. Mercedes-Benz is the world's first vehicle manufacturer to offer this more scratch-resistant clear lacquer.

Source


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## jsc (Sep 3, 2003)

epc said:


> For those of you not liking BMW paint's hardness, buy the new MB with the latest in paint technology: nano-sized ceramic particles embedded in clear coat to increase scratch resistance:
> 
> Mercedes-Benz Introduces Innovative Nano-Particle Automobile Paint
> 
> ...


This type of paint may actually be more chip prone than conventional solvent borne or current water borne paints due to its high hardness. The reason why most water borne paints seem to chip more than conventional paints is that they are harder and less flexible, causing them to chip more easily than the softer and more flexible solvent based paints.

Hardness will generally be beneficial for scratch resistance (vis a ceramic plate vs an aluminium one), but detrimental to impact resistance (see what happens when you drop those plates).


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## ctbmw (Aug 30, 2003)

Oh jeesh! I didn't need to be quoted! I just think we can all agree on stone chips! It happens to any car. Anyone not understanding that can e-mail me, and I will explain that to them.
I personally don't think that one of the first things one must do after buying a quality automobile ( I was lead to believe BMW was such) was to coat the car in plastic.
I can understand stone chips-I live in the real world-but the paint blistering up, and chipping away?!!!
-Mel
I say again: "I've NEVER had paint blister before" (THAT for the slower of you means I've never had a pimple in paint, expand and start flaking off -AND not where a stone is likely to hit-I just mention hood because more obvious)


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## johnf (Sep 16, 2003)

MWeaver said:


> Oh jeesh! I didn't need to be quoted!


Well, would you prefer to be ignored? I know it is frustrating to watch the paint self-destruct but some of us are trying to help.



> I personally don't think that one of the first things one must do after buying a quality automobile ( I was lead to believe BMW was such) was to coat the car in plastic.
> I can understand stone chips-I live in the real world-but the paint blistering up, and chipping away?!!!


And I personally still think there could be something wrong with the particular paint on your car or how it was painted. Have you measured the paint thickness in the areas that are blistering to determine if they have been repainted? Even if you owned the car since it was new, it is not unknown for a shop to repaint part of a car rather than admit that they had had a little accident.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

johnf said:


> And I personally still think there could be something wrong with the particular paint on your car or how it was painted. Have you measured the paint thickness in the areas that are blistering to determine if they have been repainted? Even if you owned the car since it was new, it is not unknown for a shop to repaint part of a car rather than admit that they had had a little accident.


Too true. I put almost 12k miles on my ZHP in 6 months. The paint was (and still is) fine. No chips, dings, scratches, etc. That's a crazy amount of road and plenty of things hitting the car.


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## ctbmw (Aug 30, 2003)

I know some are trying to help, and it's appreciated. I feel bad for cutting in on someone elses post. Embarrassed to be quoted.
I haven't had paint measured, never repainted where peeling away. I'm 3rd owner, 2nd owner was my Brother, have a pretty good history of car-actually very good.
Just my own problem. I can deal with stone chips (as stated). This is just something I've never encountered before!
Didn't mean to use up anyone's time-just replied to a post. (albeit repeatedly-sorry)
Thanks,
Mel


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## Motown328 (Jun 4, 2003)

epc said:


> For those of you not liking BMW paint's hardness, buy the new MB with the latest in paint technology: nano-sized ceramic particles embedded in clear coat to increase scratch resistance:
> 
> Mercedes-Benz Introduces Innovative Nano-Particle Automobile Paint
> 
> ...


But that means you'd have to get a MB with it?! :dunno:


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