Suggestions for dealing with paint/rock chips?
#1
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My Ride: 2007 525xi
I'm anal about keeping my car shiny and clean... While waxing her down the other day, I noticed these horrible rock chips on the windshield and on the hood.
Has anyone deal with repairing these themselves? Or is it probably something best left up to a shop? How likely are these things to turn into something bigger and more problematic over time?
I'm not sure if these qualify as being really bad or if they're not as bad as I'm thinking they are... Keep in mind I took the pics with a good camera and decent set of lens. Look at the last pic to get a sense of scale. The M you see there is the M on the BMW roundel on the front.
#1 is on the windsheld, #2 and #3 are on the hood. There are a few others on the hood I didn't grab good pics of, but the ones here are the worst of the bunch.
Has anyone deal with repairing these themselves? Or is it probably something best left up to a shop? How likely are these things to turn into something bigger and more problematic over time?
I'm not sure if these qualify as being really bad or if they're not as bad as I'm thinking they are... Keep in mind I took the pics with a good camera and decent set of lens. Look at the last pic to get a sense of scale. The M you see there is the M on the BMW roundel on the front.
#1 is on the windsheld, #2 and #3 are on the hood. There are a few others on the hood I didn't grab good pics of, but the ones here are the worst of the bunch.
#3
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My Ride: 2008 Metallic Green 535i,Dakota Brown leather,NAV,HD Radio, Comfort Access,Sport pkg,Premium Pkg,Cold Weather pkg,Logic7,Park Distance, SAT/Paddles, Ipod adapter, tint, LED Side markers, & halos, heated fronts,CPO'd car, tinted tails, heads, reflectors, backup camera, afe cold air intake, led license plate lights, rear lip spoiler, recoded modules: remote folding of mirrors, deleted accept screen on idrive, auto unlocking of door when ignition turned off, closing windows, & sunroof w/ remote, digital speedo on instrument cluster.
Same here. Dr. Colorchip was the easiest, & quickest to use.
#4
I used Dr. Colorchip on my M3 with limited success. It fills in the color, but it never makes the paint level...just colors the hole. Works OK on small scratches. Unless you are a paint/detailing expert, you might need to seek professional help to repair that damage. Those are some pretty huge chips.
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My Ride: 2010 535i xDrive, Space Gray Metallic, Gray Dakota Leather, automatic, comfort access, window shades, comfort seats, fold down rear seats, PDC, Navi, HUD, HD Radio, premium package, value package
For the windshield I'd recommend having a glass shop repair it. I'd rather repair my windshield than have it replaced. Too often I've seen installers gouge out the paint when they remove the windshield sealer and then you end up with nasty rust a few years down the road.
As far as the chips. Do something even if it is just over the counter touch up paint. The touchup looks no worse than the chip and it will help keep any oxidation/rust from developing if there is any bare metal (then again the hood is aluminum so it shouldn't rust but I would still touch them up).
I hate chips too but they are a fact of life unless you NEVER drive your car.
As far as the chips. Do something even if it is just over the counter touch up paint. The touchup looks no worse than the chip and it will help keep any oxidation/rust from developing if there is any bare metal (then again the hood is aluminum so it shouldn't rust but I would still touch them up).
I hate chips too but they are a fact of life unless you NEVER drive your car.
#7
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My Ride: 2008 Metallic Green 535i,Dakota Brown leather,NAV,HD Radio, Comfort Access,Sport pkg,Premium Pkg,Cold Weather pkg,Logic7,Park Distance, SAT/Paddles, Ipod adapter, tint, LED Side markers, & halos, heated fronts,CPO'd car, tinted tails, heads, reflectors, backup camera, afe cold air intake, led license plate lights, rear lip spoiler, recoded modules: remote folding of mirrors, deleted accept screen on idrive, auto unlocking of door when ignition turned off, closing windows, & sunroof w/ remote, digital speedo on instrument cluster.
I used Dr. Colorchip on my M3 with limited success. It fills in the color, but it never makes the paint level...just colors the hole. Works OK on small scratches. Unless you are a paint/detailing expert, you might need to seek professional help to repair that damage. Those are some pretty huge chips.
#8
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My Ride: 2008 Metallic Green 535i,Dakota Brown leather,NAV,HD Radio, Comfort Access,Sport pkg,Premium Pkg,Cold Weather pkg,Logic7,Park Distance, SAT/Paddles, Ipod adapter, tint, LED Side markers, & halos, heated fronts,CPO'd car, tinted tails, heads, reflectors, backup camera, afe cold air intake, led license plate lights, rear lip spoiler, recoded modules: remote folding of mirrors, deleted accept screen on idrive, auto unlocking of door when ignition turned off, closing windows, & sunroof w/ remote, digital speedo on instrument cluster.
Sorry for the errors. I used 2000 grit paper...
#9
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My Ride: '08 528i, Alpine WHITE
I'd have a shop work on the windshield. I got a quote from Safelite Auto Glass for $175. Then when I was at the BMW dealer, they quoted me $130, so I had them fill the crack. My crack was worse than yours. Gonna try this Dr. Colorchip, got a few bumper / hood chops myself...
#10
Not entirely true. I recently had a nasty gouge on my rear bumper. I used the brush & overfilled the gouge. Then I waited 24 hrs & touchitup again, until I has a good sized bump over the scratch. I waied another 24 hrs, & wet sanded the paint lightly with 200 grit saidpaper. I leveled off the touch-up, & used Meguiar's compound with a lot of elbow grease to smooth out the sandpaper scratches, then finished with a glaze, & wax. Looks almost imperceptible. Have to get really close to see any evidence there was a gouge.