Stone chips: to paint or not to paint?

[BMC_Kid]

I understand exactly why you would want to do it and yes it is a fantastic product with it's self healing properties but for most people it comes down to costs, e.g. it's hard to justify spending 2000 to 3000 euros to PPF the front end on my car which cost me 14,000 euros and on the other hand here you can get your car painted at very reasonable prices, e.g. bumpers around 120€ bonnet 200 to 250€ etc. that makes its a very hard case to justify the spend on PPF. Sure I also understand the argument of keeping the factory original paint but most Z4s on the road now will have at some point had some paintwork, I know mine has had, very few will be in factory fresh condition. If you find one is totally original condition then I suppose then you've go to weigh up the cost / benefit question. Now my mate with 110000€ 911 on the other hand has booked his car in for front end PPF next week at a cost of around 2500€ which makes perfect sense from the cost perspective.

Yes, not for everyone. I was looking for a Z4 in excellent condition, with low mileage, and no modifications. It took me months of searching but when I found "My Precious" , she came to us in excellent condition, with no bodywork (had it checked initially and confirmed during paint correction), 3 tiny rock chips on the front spoiler, 1 etched bird poop on the hood, and around 18K miles at about 5 years of age. After the paint correction, it looked like a show car. Yes, at a cost of around 2K USD, I had the whole front end protected with the latest PPF out, on a car with a value at the time of $35K. I wouldn't have done this on a car with average paint or value of $15K, then again, I wasn't in the market for a Z4 within those parameters.

[True-Blue]

It’s not theory, it works. The first thing I did when we got ours was total paint correction and professional touch up the few rock chips. Then I had the whole front end PPF’d, full hood, front fenders and spoiler. Yes, it wasn’t cheap but it will last the life of the car, at least for my lifetime and protect they paint from any possibility of damage unless it is something big. Also, applied ceramic coating over the full car afterwards.

You’re misreading my post.

I’m not saying it doesn’t work, I’m saying it’s significantly more expensive than paintwork…. So isn’t a viable solution for everyone.

If it costs you more than the paint equivalent, then you are going to the wrong place. The way I look at it, the car's paint is original only once. Any time to have it re-painted, you are losing that original paint and in my book, that is not good. I'd rather spend money now to keep it in pristine condition and have that cost spread out over the coming years (at least 10 for me) versus spending money later to have it restored to a like-new condition when I can't bear to look at the wear and tear it has accumulated over those 10 years, or even less. If you are not planning on keeping your car long-term, then who cares? Other than maybe having some minor loss in value when the time comes to sell due to paint defects, no big deal. Personally, that is secondary. Primary to me is having a car to enjoy with pristine paint, not future value. As always, YMMV.

Either paint is very expensive or PDF is very cheap where you are.

[Maria1]

one thing to consider is that subsequently painted panels often have less durability than original. This is probably because the primer has to affix to old paint rather than bare metal/plastic. Certainly, cars that I have had painted to correct stone chips has looked good at first (assuming the sprayer can match the colour and this is the second problem) but it has chipped far more easily second time around.

As for matching paint, most colours are dreadful to match. The only car I would do a re-apint on with confidence is Alpine White. Blues, silvers are the worst.

[Silverstar]

one thing to consider is that subsequently painted panels often have less durability than original. This is probably because the primer has to affix to old paint rather than bare metal/plastic. Certainly, cars that I have had painted to correct stone chips has looked good at first (assuming the sprayer can match the colour and this is the second problem) but it has chipped far more easily second time around.

As for matching paint, most colours are dreadful to match. The only car I would do a re-apint on with confidence is Alpine White. Blues, silvers are the worst.

You would imagine white is easy to match but actually it is the total opposite with white red and silver being the most difficult to match. Our previous white Fiesta which needed a little paint, Ford in Mijas Costa made a right hash off the colour match, conversely I have had both topaz blue and Melbourne red and my current Sapphire Black painted (not with Ford) to 100% colour match with no difference between old and new paint.

In the end it really does depend on the skill of the painter but with the tech they have these days there is very little excuse not to get a perfect colour match other than the laziness of the painter which is what I said to Ford after they made a hash of the job and they just shrugged their shoulders and said this is how they do it Spain!

[Maria1]

Yes i agree to an extent. Our Hyundai was a pale blue metallic and even the car company couldn't get it to match and discontinued the colour after 9 month. I had to have the front sprayed twice to get it reasonably okay. But metallic are hard to get right - both in terms of how much metallic tp put in the mix and then getting it to fall correctly on the panel. if it falls badly it will never be right as it will always reflect in a different way to the other panels - and this is nothing to do tip colour matching. This is why I said AW was a gereat colour to match. it's white and importantly it's solid rather than metallic My car has a horrendous scratch somewhere and you will spend a minute or so finding it. If it was in VO for example it would be spotted in ten seconds.

[flybobbie]

I had BMW spray paint and lacquer a rear Msport bumper.
After fitting i didn't like it so removed refitted original and stored it under a tree.
Forgot to cover but bird poo burnt off the lacquer.
I dumped the bumper.

[BMC_Kid]

[/quote]

Either paint is very expensive or PDF is very cheap where you are.
[/quote]

Yes.

[mcbutler]

if its metallic - no chance of a good finish DIY flat colours are fairly easy to do.
you can buy paint dropper pens that deposit a tiny amount of paint that will self level on flat surface.
Scrun the chip with a soft toothbrush first to get any wax etc out than as its almost dry wipe the edge of a credit card over it.
You might get a tiny smear but that will polish out easily a day or so afterwards

[Busterboo]

I find the best paint protection is increasing the distance between yourself & the car in front, it’s worked for me
Rob

Do you do that, Rob? Seriously.

Where I live, the only solution is to abandon the cheapskate way roads are made - pour lots of tar, cover with stone chippings, leave for cars to drive over'.

It's shameful.

[True-Blue]

I find the best paint protection is increasing the distance between yourself & the car in front, it’s worked for me
Rob

Do you do that, Rob? Seriously.

Where I live, the only solution is to abandon the cheapskate way roads are made - pour lots of tar, cover with stone chippings, leave for cars to drive over'.

It's shameful.

Unless you go PPF stone chips are going to reappear, clearly this is stating the obvious…. But if it means you enjoy the car more for a few years, and it gives you pride of ownership, and it’s comfortably within your means to have it done…. Why not have a repaint

I’d love to go PPF, but the costs seem prohibitive (in the UK) unless the car is worth significantly in excess of £15k +

[Phoenixboy]

I finished up letting Byron from Top Wrapz sort mine.
i got a good paint match through chips away, who scan the paint, dont go to bmw it was nowhere close to matching.
my attempts were not good enough, but Byron was excellent and now the chips are barely noticeable.
if its not scraped or badly chipped, i would not respray, as has been said, it just chips far more than original paint.

[True-Blue]

I kept quite earlier, but my E89 has been on a holiday to my mates pro paint shop for a little while and I should get it back tomorrow all being well.

74k miles takes it toll on the front end of any car, so it’s been in getting a makeover. I had the paint looking very good after correcting it, but the stone chips still annoyed me.

Bonnet striped completely back to bare metal, Bumper off, front dissembled. Bought new roundels from BMW, but going to lose the designation lettering. So just the three roundels on the front.

I’d love to PPF it, but the costs seem disproportionate to the paintwork costs (Especially at the price I pay for paint). I’ll have 30 days or so to mull it over anyway while the paintwork gasses out.

[Busterboo]

Well, this problem ain't going away and I haven't found a solution yet. Had service, new front pads et cetera & MoT today. Mech said, 'Great car. Enjoyed testing it. Now you need to do something about those stone chips ... '.

Is there no solution that (a) works and (b) doesn't cost a fortune?

[Silverstar]

Is there no solution that (a) works and (b) doesn't cost a fortune?

Depends on exactly how many chips you have and if you are feeling brave. Fill in the chips overfilling slightly and wet sand back with very fine grit paper and then polish. Still won't be totally invisible but good from a short distance, on the other hand if you have just too many then no real option other than paint!

[True-Blue]

Well, this problem ain't going away and I haven't found a solution yet. Had service, new front pads et cetera & MoT today. Mech said, 'Great car. Enjoyed testing it. Now you need to do something about those stone chips ... '.

Is there no solution that (a) works and (b) doesn't cost a fortune?

Is it your daily, or can you let it gas out for 30 days or so, so the paint has properly hardened before taking it back on the road?

I’ve opted not to go for PPF because partial front quotes were between £950 and £1100 - that’s top end, self healing film, but only front bumper and 25% of bonnet. Complete front end quotes ranged between £1350 and £1600, for the same film.

I think if I’d just bought a brand new, expensive exotica type car then yes, or maybe a high value classic… but a bit hard to justify on an E89

I opted for paint anyway though