Bad paint job!

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 09:05 PM

I went to a detailing shop in Columbia MD to get some paint repair on some small scrapes and rock chips on the right side of my bumper. While there I asked if they would be able to fill in the license plate holes and they said "yes". They did what they call a partial blend of the bumper, the right 60% of the bumper was painted and the holes filled in. However, the paint they used is a few shades lighter than the original.

Here are the pictures, only the bumper was painted, not the hood or fenders. I think its the most noticeable if you compare the horizontal area in front of the headlights. To me, its just as noticeable in the pictures as it is in person.

JCtx · 10-29-2009, 09:13 PM

Plastic always takes a different shade than metal (fenders and bumper are plastic; hood metal), but if the difference is within the bumper, it'd bother me. However, I can't see anything bothersome on the pics, and I'm pretty anal. Granted, it's always going to be more noticeable in person, but if you can only see the difference under fluorescent/flash lighting, I'd leave it alone. It's almost impossible to match any paint exactly, and same for the 'orange peel' pattern, so just ask yourself this question: Did it bother you more before? If so, I'd leave it alone.

Next time you have a few more rock chips, remove the bumper cover (pretty easy), and get it all painted by itself. Good luck.

MrHarris · 10-29-2009, 09:18 PM

Looks fine to me... maybe my eyes are going bad.

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elp_jc

Plastic always takes a different shade than metal (fenders and bumper are plastic; hood metal), but if the difference is within the bumper, it'd bother me. However, I can't see anything bothersome on the pics, and I'm pretty anal. Granted, it's always going to be more noticeable in person, but if you can only see the difference under fluorescent/flash lighting, I'd leave it alone. It's almost impossible to match any paint exactly, and same for the 'orange peel' pattern, so just ask yourself this question: Did it bother you more before? If so, I'd leave it alone.

Next time you have a few more rock chips, remove the bumper cover (pretty easy), and get it all painted by itself. Good luck.

Maybe I'm just paranoid but you don't see a slight color difference when you compare the area in front of the headlights?

foosh · 10-29-2009, 09:25 PM

With only a partial paint, I'd say they did an extraordinarily good job. I need their phone number, because from the pictures it looks "perfect," and I live nearby. If you wanted total perfection, you have to pay for it, and it sounds like you were on a budget.

It's easy to get overly anal when it is your car. I've gotten over that over the years.

Given the title of the thread you've started, I'd say you've unfairly tagged a pretty good shop, based upon what I've seen. However, pictures can be deceiving.

attbimmer · 10-29-2009, 09:31 PM

I can see a pretty distinct difference between the bumper and hood, but without blending the hood I'm not sure they could have done much better.

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foosh

With only a partial paint, I'd say they did an extraordinarily good job. I need their phone number, because from the pictures it looks "perfect," and I live nearby. If you wanted total perfection, you have to pay for it, and it sounds like you were on a budget.

It's easy to get overly anal when it is your car. I've gotten over that over the years.

Given the title of the thread you've started, I'd say you've unfairly tagged a pretty good shop, based upon what I've seen. However, pictures can be deceiving.

Maybe I am a bit paranoid about it. However I wouldn't say its a good job regardless. I can still see where they filled in the holes and the paint job is not completely smooth, its as if dust got into the clear coat while it was drying of the paint gun sprayed some small chunks out. There are areas where there is no clear coat also, I'm going to have to take it back for that.

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 09:35 PM

I actually think it might be because the passenger side of the bumper isn't as glossy/shiny as the drivers side. I'll do a good polish/wax and see how it turns out.

JCtx · 10-29-2009, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by day1yun

Maybe I'm just paranoid but you don't see a slight color difference when you compare the area in front of the headlights?

It's a different angle buddy; light hits horizontal surfaces different than vertical. Looks fantastic to me. I bet in daylight it's unnoticeable. Just as Foosh, I used to be much more anal in the past; one of the few advantages (probably the only one

) of getting older. I'm still pretty anal, but don't let the small stuff get to me anymore. Take care.

foosh · 10-29-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by day1yun

Maybe I am a bit paranoid about it. However I wouldn't say its a good job regardless. I can still see where they filled in the holes and the paint job is not completely smooth, its as if dust got into the clear coat while it was drying of the paint gun sprayed some small chunks out. There are areas where there is no clear coat also, I'm going to have to take it back for that.

Alrighty then, good luck. The pictures don't sell your story, but as I said, they can be deceiving.

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elp_jc

It's a different angle buddy; light hits horizontal surfaces different than vertical. Looks fantastic to me. I bet in daylight it's unnoticeable. Just as Foosh, I used to be much more anal in the past; one of the few advantages (probably the only one

) of getting older. I'm still pretty anal, but don't let the small stuff get to me anymore. Take care.

I actually noticed it in daylight first.

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elp_jc

It's a different angle buddy; light hits horizontal surfaces different than vertical. Looks fantastic to me. I bet in daylight it's unnoticeable. Just as Foosh, I used to be much more anal in the past; one of the few advantages (probably the only one

) of getting older. I'm still pretty anal, but don't let the small stuff get to me anymore. Take care.

I meant compare the area in front of the drivers side headlight to the area in front of the passenger side headlight. The lighting in my garage is completely symmetrical and my car is parked in the the center for the picture

NewM3driver · 10-29-2009, 09:41 PM

Detail shop or body shop? It doesn't look all that bad in photos, but if it bugs you go to the best body shop around and have the entire bumper redone with BMW paint. Do NOT touch the hood/fenders.

foosh · 10-29-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by day1yun

I meant compare the area in front of the drivers side headlight to the area in front of the passenger side headlight. The lighting in my garage is completely symmetrical and my car is parked in the the center for the picture

But, your camera + flash won't necessarily capture that. I just studied the pictures again based upon your later posts, and I can't see any difference whatsoever.

If you take it back, I hope, for your sake, that your shop isn't on this forum. As others have said, if that isn't good enough for you, you need to pony up for much more money, have the bumper removed, and spring for a total re-spray.

Singletrack · 10-29-2009, 09:54 PM

It may be visible in person, but I don't see it in the pics.

MJC///M3 · 10-29-2009, 09:57 PM

looks pretty good to me bro.

JCtx · 10-29-2009, 10:22 PM

Even if it's a little noticeable, it's not going to get any better unless you respray the whole bumper cover. And even then, the whole bumper might be a few shades off. Next time make holes in the bumper a deal-breaker (like I did), and you'll be happier. Let it go man.

As a side comment, I curbed a wheel for the first time in my life, and it had to be the freaking M3. I was in a long ATM lane next to a wall, and failed to stick my head out and see how far the curb extended because I just wanted to get home, and BAM! I fixed it to the point maybe 1 in 100 people would notice it (and only if looking for it), and still bothered me a little, but not to the point of buying a brand new wheel, so I just took it out of my mind. Same with rock chips and stuff. Car is never going to be new again, even if you paint the whole bumper just for one rock chip. We have to learn to live with normal wear and tear. I'm not going to repaint my bumper for a few rock chips. They'll have to be A LOT before I do anything about that. I bought some touch-up paint, but most chips I have now would probably be more noticeable if I try to fix them, so I left them alone. Consider all of that 'character', and learn to live with it. Take care.

isabayo · 10-29-2009, 10:31 PM

Yeah, I think I'm just really picky I guess. Hopefully a good detail will fix it. How long after a paint job can I apply polish/wax?

r53s65e90 · 10-29-2009, 10:41 PM

For what its worth...

RGB Hex values for the following spots:
On hood below roundel: R 154 G 150 B 135
On bumper between kidneys below roundel: R 163 G 156 B 139

This is from your 2nd picture. It is slightly noticable.

Ca$hOnly · 10-30-2009, 12:10 AM

Lemans_Blue_M · 10-30-2009, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ca$hOnly

chungdae · 10-30-2009, 09:37 AM

Truthfully, you really can't tell until you mentioned something. People won't notice unless they are looking for it.

10-29-2009, 09:05 PM	#1
isabayo First Lieutenant 44 Rep 319 Posts Drives: G05 X5 50i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: MD iTrader: (7)	Bad paint job! I went to a detailing shop in Columbia MD to get some paint repair on some small scrapes and rock chips on the right side of my bumper. While there I asked if they would be able to fill in the license plate holes and they said "yes". They did what they call a partial blend of the bumper, the right 60% of the bumper was painted and the holes filled in. However, the paint they used is a few shades lighter than the original. Here are the pictures, only the bumper was painted, not the hood or fenders. I think its the most noticeable if you compare the horizontal area in front of the headlights. To me, its just as noticeable in the pictures as it is in person. Last edited by isabayo; 10-29-2009 at 09:36 PM..
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10-29-2009, 09:13 PM	#2
JCtx Major General 258 Rep 5,012 Posts Drives: No BMW yet Join Date: May 2008 Location: El Paso TX iTrader: (0)	Plastic always takes a different shade than metal (fenders and bumper are plastic; hood metal), but if the difference is within the bumper, it'd bother me. However, I can't see anything bothersome on the pics, and I'm pretty anal. Granted, it's always going to be more noticeable in person, but if you can only see the difference under fluorescent/flash lighting, I'd leave it alone. It's almost impossible to match any paint exactly, and same for the 'orange peel' pattern, so just ask yourself this question: Did it bother you more before? If so, I'd leave it alone. Next time you have a few more rock chips, remove the bumper cover (pretty easy), and get it all painted by itself. Good luck.
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10-29-2009, 09:18 PM	#3
MrHarris yodog 197 Rep 5,025 Posts Drives: '86 Corolla Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Diamond Bar, Ca iTrader: (5) Garage List 2009 BMW [10.00]	Looks fine to me... maybe my eyes are going bad. __________________ 2009 E92 M3 \| Alpine White \| Black Extended \| Advan RS \| Turner Test Pipes \| Dinan Axle-Back \| OETuning \| Eibach Springs \| UUC SSK \| VRS Front Lip \| VRS Type I Diffuser \| Matte Black \| RPi Scoops \| MS Filter \| Yokohama AD08 \| F1 Pinnacle Special Thanks: Gintani \| OETuning \| eAs
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10-29-2009, 09:25 PM	#5
foosh Major 27 Rep 1,314 Posts Drives: 2008 M3 E93 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Annapolis, MD iTrader: (0)	With only a partial paint, I'd say they did an extraordinarily good job. I need their phone number, because from the pictures it looks "perfect," and I live nearby. If you wanted total perfection, you have to pay for it, and it sounds like you were on a budget. It's easy to get overly anal when it is your car. I've gotten over that over the years. Given the title of the thread you've started, I'd say you've unfairly tagged a pretty good shop, based upon what I've seen. However, pictures can be deceiving. __________________
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10-29-2009, 09:31 PM	#6
attbimmer Second Lieutenant 13 Rep 260 Posts Drives: '08 E90 M3, '88 E30 M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: socal iTrader: (5)	I can see a pretty distinct difference between the bumper and hood, but without blending the hood I'm not sure they could have done much better. __________________
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10-29-2009, 09:35 PM	#8
isabayo First Lieutenant 44 Rep 319 Posts Drives: G05 X5 50i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: MD iTrader: (7)	I actually think it might be because the passenger side of the bumper isn't as glossy/shiny as the drivers side. I'll do a good polish/wax and see how it turns out.
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10-29-2009, 09:41 PM	#13
NewM3driver Colonel 1110 Rep 2,007 Posts Drives: 2017 M3 ZCP Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	Detail shop or body shop? It doesn't look all that bad in photos, but if it bugs you go to the best body shop around and have the entire bumper redone with BMW paint. Do NOT touch the hood/fenders.
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10-29-2009, 09:54 PM	#15
Singletrack 4th down; 4th quarter? Renegade. 87 Rep 3,850 Posts Drives: 09 SSII E92 M3; 19 FG M5C Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (3)	It may be visible in person, but I don't see it in the pics.
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10-29-2009, 09:57 PM	#16
MJC///M3 Colonel 87 Rep 2,324 Posts Drives: 09 SSII E92 M3 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bronx, NYC iTrader: (0)	looks pretty good to me bro. __________________ "You will get there, but it is up to you and you alone. It is what you are willing to do, and how you are willing to get there. You must be relentless, you must be tireless, you must pursue at all costs, so that you are ready, when the time is right." -Dad
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10-29-2009, 10:22 PM	#17
JCtx Major General 258 Rep 5,012 Posts Drives: No BMW yet Join Date: May 2008 Location: El Paso TX iTrader: (0)	Even if it's a little noticeable, it's not going to get any better unless you respray the whole bumper cover. And even then, the whole bumper might be a few shades off. Next time make holes in the bumper a deal-breaker (like I did), and you'll be happier. Let it go man. As a side comment, I curbed a wheel for the first time in my life, and it had to be the freaking M3. I was in a long ATM lane next to a wall, and failed to stick my head out and see how far the curb extended because I just wanted to get home, and BAM! I fixed it to the point maybe 1 in 100 people would notice it (and only if looking for it), and still bothered me a little, but not to the point of buying a brand new wheel, so I just took it out of my mind. Same with rock chips and stuff. Car is never going to be new again, even if you paint the whole bumper just for one rock chip. We have to learn to live with normal wear and tear. I'm not going to repaint my bumper for a few rock chips. They'll have to be A LOT before I do anything about that. I bought some touch-up paint, but most chips I have now would probably be more noticeable if I try to fix them, so I left them alone. Consider all of that 'character', and learn to live with it. Take care.
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10-29-2009, 10:31 PM	#18
isabayo First Lieutenant 44 Rep 319 Posts Drives: G05 X5 50i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: MD iTrader: (7)	Yeah, I think I'm just really picky I guess. Hopefully a good detail will fix it. How long after a paint job can I apply polish/wax?
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10-29-2009, 10:41 PM	#19
r53s65e90 8300 19 Rep 573 Posts Drives: r53 s65e90 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: San Jose, CA iTrader: (0)	For what its worth... RGB Hex values for the following spots: On hood below roundel: R 154 G 150 B 135 On bumper between kidneys below roundel: R 163 G 156 B 139 This is from your 2nd picture. It is slightly noticable.
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10-30-2009, 12:10 AM	#20
Ca$hOnly Major 47 Rep 1,073 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: In ur fridge, eatin ur foodz iTrader: (5)	__________________
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10-30-2009, 09:37 AM	#22
chungdae The Asian Sensation 56 Rep 708 Posts Drives: 2009 Alpine White M3, S1000RR Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Miami, FL iTrader: (2)	Truthfully, you really can't tell until you mentioned something. People won't notice unless they are looking for it.
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