135is scratch - advice needed

[eywflyer]

My 135is picked up a fairly significant scratch during shipping to Hawaii a few months ago (see photos - excuse the dirty car, these were taken right after it was in shipping for a few weeks). The shipping company adjuster and a couple of body shops I have taken it to say that repainting of 2-3 panels will be needed to get the "blend" right. I am obviously concerned that my car will look bad afterwards with the repainted panels not matching the original color. The scratch looks too deep to me to fix any other way though.

I'm scheduled for the body shop in a couple of weeks. The shipping company has agreed to pay for the work. Should I be demanding that the entire car be repainted?

Any advice on whether I should have this done would be greatly appreciated!

[..]

Repainting of 2-3 panels? What do you mean by that?

[eywflyer]

Originally Posted by DurimOne54

Repainting of 2-3 panels? What do you mean by that?

That's what both body shops I took it to said would be needed. I think they are referring to the hood, front quarter panel and door since those panels are all close to the scratch location. I guess if they just repaint the immediate scratch area it would obviously not match? I'm no expert on this - just going by what the shops said.

Believe me I'd rather not have any panels repainted, but everyone who has looked at it says the scratch is too deep to be buffed out. I think it goes through the clear coat down to bare metal.

[..]

Originally Posted by eywflyer

That's what both body shops I took it to said would be needed. I guess if they just repaint the immediate scratch area it would obviously not match? I'm no expert on this - just going by what the shops said.

Believe me I'd rather not have any panels repainted, but I everyone who has looked at it says the scratch is too deep to be buffed out. I think it goes through the clear coat down to bare metal.

Body shops always say that just to take more money from you. The difference in the paint would be negligible. You wouldn't even be able to tell from afar.

I'm having my Slek cf trunk painted tomorrow and I was told by two different body shops that I would have to have both rear panels painted as well.

Body shops can be scams!

[Adam135]

I'd rather deal with that scratch than paint over the OEM paint. Maybe try Dr Colorchip first? That might hide it enough to your liking.

[eywflyer]

Originally Posted by DurimOne54

Body shops always say that just to take more money from you. The difference in the paint would be negligible. You wouldn't even be able to tell from afar.

I'm having my Slek cf trunk painted tomorrow and I was told by two different body shops that I would have to have both rear panels painted as well.

Body shops can be scams!

It wouldn't be my money as the shipping company has agreed to pay. I don't think they would pay to repaint the entire car but they seem agreeable to paying for a few panels. I'm just concerned about getting the best possible look afterwards.

[..]

Originally Posted by eywflyer

It won't be my money as the shipping company has agreed to pay. I don't think they would pay to repaint the entire car but they seem agreeable to paying for a few panels. I'm just concerned about getting the best possible look afterwards.

If the body shop is good enough, then it won't. Since you aren't paying for it take it to the finest body shop you are aware of.

[..]

What I would do in this situation, since the scratch is so small and insignificant I would have the shipping company write me a check for having the panels all repainted but instead use that money for mods

[Kouper]

Originally Posted by DurimOne54

What I would do in this situation, since the scratch is so small and insignificant I would have the shipping company write me a check for having the panels all repainted but instead use that money for mods

This is good advice. Get a quote at the best body shop to do it 100% correctly, including painting the 2 or 3 panels. Submit the quote to the shipping company for reimbursement and then take your best shot at touching up that scratch (or have someone touch it up for you). I would MUCH prefer to live with a touched up scratch than have 2-3 body panels completely resprayed with the likelihood that they will never look as good or match as well as OEM paint. And the LAST thing I'd want is to have the entire car repainted. You would have so much diminished value in the car from a complete respray if you ever tried to resell it.

Best of luck.

[drewnel22]

Originally Posted by Kouper

This is good advice. Get a quote at the best body shop to do it 100% correctly, including painting the 2 or 3 panels. Submit the quote to the shipping company for reimbursement and then take your best shot at touching up that scratch (or have someone touch it up for you). I would MUCH prefer to live with a touched up scratch than have 2-3 body panels completely resprayed with the likelihood that they will never look as good or match as well as OEM paint. And the LAST thing I'd want is to have the entire car repainted. You would have so much diminished value in the car from a complete respray if you ever tried to resell it.

Best of luck.

+1. Repainting the entire car seems like overkill lol. The scratch isn't that bad where 2-3 panels would need to be painted. The car is very new so the paint hasn't been affected by outside elements as long as older cars have. Therefore I would think the paint would be easy to match.

[3002 tii]

I feel your pain. My 8 month old 135is had a nasty scratch on my rear bumper courtesy of a valet. But for me, it was worse because I didn't notice it until it was after too late and their company denied my claim. Even though I knew respray was the only way to correctly fix the damaged area, I was a bit hesitant considering the damage was limited to such a small area yet the rest of the car's paint was so new/fresh/pristine. Luckily bumpers are plastic so even from factory it doesn't match the body (also bumpers are always painted separately from rest of car) so I figured WTH and paid for an entire respray...

But for your area, blending might be required and that's a lot of $. If you're going to return/sell the car eventually, I personally would get the highest quote possible and pocket the money. Then find a local detailer or a good DIY guy and ask them to touch it up for you. Langka & Dr Colorchip both get decent reviews. It'll still be noticeable but not from 5 feet away.

[crvz]

I just bought from paintscratch.com, they matched my le mans blue for a scratch on the front bumper. I got grazed by a guy who split the scene, so insurance paid me out for the work to respray and replace the headlight, but for where mine is (pretty unnoticeable if you're not on the ground looking straight on at the bumper) I'm content with the paint pen solution for now. Don't know how to compare them to the other companies recommended, but it worked well for me at about $30 for the product.

[whitebimmer09]

I had a bulge in one fender on my new Avalon, there was an inverted dent from the factory, they took it back to body and paint and redid the paint on the fender and some of the door... I can always tell that it was repainted and was never happy, I would have been better off with the bulge.

[Xaoc]

I've had my car in the shop 3 times to get dents/scratches/gouges fixed and repainted. They will match the paint and it will look like OEM.

If you felt like DIY, you could probably find some YouTube videos on scratch repair/removal.

[rking117]

Originally Posted by eywflyer

...Should I be demanding that the entire car be repainted?...

Absolutely not. That is the fastest way to devalue the vehicle. Getting a scratch taken care of as opposed to an entire car can be thousands in devalueing.

It is recommened that you blend the paint over several panels (usually) but in your case and where this is located I think that the area should be sanded, primedm blocked and painted. Then When they spray the clear on that ONE panel they will have an obvous line where the clear is overlapping the old clear. They need to use a simple blending agent to remove that line. (It is like a clear but it melts into the existing clear thus removing the line) If your shop does not want to do this method then i would ask them is it because of experience? If they are nto experienced enough to do that then you dont want them painting on your car anyway. move on to the next guy. I have a friend that paints touchups and that is all he does, blend blend blend.

If i were you i would talk to your BMW dealer and ask who they use for touchup. I would bet he can do a better job faster and cheaper.

[avalanche]

I found this video on you tube , I think you will be happy to see it , i would not repaint 2/3 of the panel, I would go like this . Good idea, keep the money for MODS, good luck

[worries]

Have you tried Central Body & Paint in Aiea? My co-worker just had some body repairs and repaint done to his F10 M5 from them, tree branch fell on his car. The results looked pretty spot on and they have good customer service(for Hawaii). I think BMW Hawaii uses them for body work as well.

[Matt Z]

Originally Posted by Adam135

I'd rather deal with that scratch than paint over the OEM paint. Maybe try Dr Colorchip first? That might hide it enough to your liking.

I agree with this guy pretty much. I'd leave it but try to get some sort of reimbursement from the shipper and move on.