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My Christmas present (from me, to me)

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Old 12-23-2007, 01:45 PM
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My Ride: *on order* expected 12/20/07: 2008 550i space gray, gray leather, anthracite bamboo, sport pkg, logic7, iPod, HD, Sirius, Navigation, head-up display, comfort access, heated front seats, fold-down seats
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Hello,

After waiting what seemed like an eternity (only 6 weeks), I picked up my 2008 550i on Thursday morning.

Overall, let me just say this... I absolutely LOVE it!!!! I was on the fence for a while btwn getting a 535i or a 550i. I'm very happy with my decision. I love the body style & wheels that come with the sport pkg on the 550i. And just to hear the throaty rumble on the v8 engine when you press the start button is worth the extra $10k IMO.

One thing that I noticed, which makes me a little sick to my stomach to think about... the paint job seems a little funky, especially on the hood. It's looks like the paint is a little thin and/or spotty. It's not awful... and no one has probably noticed it, except for me. When I picked it up at the dealer, it was in the covered parking garage. When I did my walk-around inspection, I did a double-take when looking at the hood and said something looked a little odd, but maybe it was just the reflection from the dark concrete ceiling above. I checked it out in the sunlight, and everything looked OK. When I got to work that day (also parked in a parking garage), I kinda noticed the same thing... again when looking at it in the sun, it's not as noticeable. It looks like the surface of the hood is perfectly smooth, no orange-peel and a great clear-coat. So when I look at it in the sun, you see a beautiful reflection of the sky (or whatever). But when looking at it in the shade, you see less reflection and more diffuse color of the space gray paint (which looks a little bit spotty). Is this normal? Again, it's not too bad... maybe I can live with it... just seems silly to have to "live with something" after spending $70k. I searched this forum and found a case of bad paint back in 2004, this looks like a similar issue, but his is obviously MUCH worse: http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=3928&hl=

Anyone have any insight or suggestions? I guess I could take it back to the dealer and show my sales guy. I don't know what they could do to make me happy. I definitely don't want them to repaint the hood. A repainted hood is never as good as a factory painted hood. I've learned that in the past with other cars.

Here are some pics of the new ride... Look closely at the one of the hood... it's pretty difficult to see what I'm talking about in the pictures. It almost looks like a light reflection of some soft clouds in the sky... but there are no clouds. Maybe I just have slight case of OCD on this one...


My Christmas present (from me, to me)-img_8409.jpg
My Christmas present (from me, to me)-img_8410.jpg
My Christmas present (from me, to me)-img_8411.jpg
My Christmas present (from me, to me)-img_8413.jpg
My Christmas present (from me, to me)-img_8418.jpg
My Christmas present (from me, to me)-img_8417.jpg
Old 12-23-2007, 01:54 PM
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Welcome, and congrats on the car!

I can't see anything odd in the pictures at all ... I would go back to the dealer and look at an indentical colour car that they will have on the lot or in the showroom and compare. If it's not right, tell them, and get them to fix it. Don't accept 2nd best, and don't "live with it". If they need to paint a new hood at the factory and ship it, then that's what they will have to do !
Old 12-23-2007, 02:01 PM
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Welcome aboard! Space Gray looks great If you are not perfectly happy with the paint, by all means
don't settle for it. Talk to the dealer, you deserve to have that warm fuzzy feeling about
your car!
Again congrats on the 550
Old 12-23-2007, 02:17 PM
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Where are the paddle shifters?

Originally Posted by jetmech' post='510002' date='Dec 23 2007, 03:01 PM
Welcome aboard! Space Gray looks great If you are not perfectly happy with the paint, by all means
don't settle for it. Talk to the dealer, you deserve to have that warm fuzzy feeling about
your car!
Again congrats on the 550
Old 12-23-2007, 02:19 PM
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Originally Posted by cvb' post='510004' date='Dec 23 2007, 06:17 PM
Where are the paddle shifters?
It looks like he didn't order the Sport Automatic...
Old 12-23-2007, 02:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Rudy' post='510005' date='Dec 23 2007, 05:19 PM
It looks like he didn't order the Sport Automatic...
should have order an SMG

looks good cant see the spots. guess you can only see that in person. goodluck with the car.
Old 12-23-2007, 02:42 PM
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Nice color. Same color i ordered. Enjoy it.!
Old 12-23-2007, 03:01 PM
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Congrats and welcome. I can't tell froms the pics but I would suggest taking the car to a high end detail shop and ask them if there is something wrong with your paint. Sometimes BMW has to retouch cars after delivery, it could be nothing or it could be something like overspray that ocurred after the factory painting . Either way and independant opinion would be helpful. Member FMINUS is the resident detailing guru here and I believe he resides in the LA area, maybe shoot him a PM and ask his thoughts.

Good Luck
Old 12-23-2007, 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by jdcinc21' post='510012' date='Dec 23 2007, 06:37 PM
should have order an SMG
You can't anymore...
Old 12-23-2007, 03:09 PM
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Congrats! Enjoy it through the holidays


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