[JMcLellan]

Originally Posted by Mark_17

Your PPF installer noticed the scratch and didn't address it??

My PPF installer inspected the entire car and buffed any issues out before PPF.

The PPF guy did buff out the scratch after I pointed it out. However, the scratch was on an area of the car that they did not apply PPF too.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by xps

I had a 2005 e46 a while back. I distinctly remember the paint was very high quality. the newer one is definitely not the same.

My Z4M had similar if not more orange peel than my 2021 M2C. I wouldn't say there is much difference.

[mo4729]

I was astonished at how soft the the paint is on my car. I never thought I would be considering PPF, but there were so many fine scratches in the first few hundred miles that I ended up doing the whole kit and kaboodle.

[toprarnen]

Oof, does this go for all colors, or just a select few?

[chris719]

Originally Posted by toprarnen

Oof, does this go for all colors, or just a select few?

Paint differences by color are a total myth. The same clear gets baked on no matter what the base coat color is. Other than for frozen colors, obviously. Even detailers are like "soft black Honda paint" or BMW Jet Black is soft, but they are simply seeing the defects better on non-metallic black. The clear is the exact same.

I have seen and polished two SLP-built M340i and the paint is no different than any other modern BMW that I can tell.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by chris719

Paint differences by color are a total myth. The same clear gets baked on no matter what the base coat color is. Other than for frozen colors, obviously. Even detailers are like "soft black Honda paint" or BMW Jet Black is soft, but they are simply seeing the defects better on non-metallic black. The clear is the exact same.

I have seen and polished two SLP-built M340i and the paint is no different than any other modern BMW that I can tell.

Well that’s not quite true. Paints are composed of 4 components: additives, binders, solvents (liquids) and pigments.

The first 3 are consistent in most automotive paint jobs. Pigments, however can vary as not every pigment is sourced identically. Your red or blue or yellow could be a mineral, earth, synthetic, organic, or inorganic pigment. There are differences in granularity, solubility, PH, etc.

This COULD but not necessarily account for variances mentioned above.

YMMV

[chris719]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Well that’s not quite true. Paints are composed of 4 components: additives, binders, solvents (liquids) and pigments.

The first 3 are consistent in most automotive paint jobs. Pigments, however can vary as not every pigment is sourced identically. Your red or blue or yellow could be a mineral, earth, synthetic, organic, or inorganic pigment. There are differences in granularity, solubility, PH, etc.

This COULD account for variances mentioned above.

YMMV

No, the clear is identical on all colors other than a "tintcoat", dispensed from the same robots, and baked in the same way. The pigment has nothing to do with the hardness of the clear, not even in a body shop.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by chris719

No, the clear is identical on all colors, dispensed from the same robots and baked in the same way.

Agreed, my point was paints are different.
You’re 100% on the clear coat.

[Hook3549]

I thought my car gets swirls marks very easily after just couple of hand washes, but changed my mind after seeing bunch of swirl marks on brand new M3 at dealership.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by Hook3549

I thought my car gets swirls marks very easily after just couple of hand washes, but changed my mind after seeing bunch of swirl marks on brand new M3 at dealership.

Have a quality shop do paint correction. If you look closely enough, most cars are delivered with minor imperfections my sapphire black metallic included.

After correction and ceramic coating, the finish is lovely.

YMMV