Addressing Factory Orange Peel on New BMW

[SatinSilver]

I'd find something else to worry about. You're kind of splitting hairs at this point. I remember hearing years ago on Click and Clack that real men don't care what color a car is as long as it has the right options, drivetrain, trans, etc...

Ferraris are notorious for having hacked up paint jobs when they arrive here. In California a dealer hires a detailer similar to Phil/DD to rescue the finish. Corvettes also have a lot of orange peel and know a guy from one of the forums that wet sanded the car. Funny he's a retiree from BMW. I think the OP is more noticeable on dark colors.

I had a car that had to have the side of it repainted after a deer hit. The body shop did a great job but I noticed orange peel. I thought about seeing if they would do anything about it but in the end I chose to forget about it.

Brace yourself for your first ding. I also remember seeing a black S2000 in the showroom covered with micro-scratches. Now for something like that I would have corrected.

 

[ejes]

I notice some manufactures where orange peel is how almost all their paint looks (Chrysler), and others, it is very rare and not common, like Mazda (very nice paint). Seems like also it is just certain models many times (so I assume it is a particular factory, etc.). Its all a matter of perspective in what you are buying and what you expect. I have orange peel on our newer Jeep Cherokee, but I know it is common and I expect it from them. Being BMW is a luxury brand here in the US, I would not find that acceptable either.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
What is orange peel? A painting defect? I've never heard of it till now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_peel_(effect)

 

[NHGUY]

I laugh at all the $50K new trucks I see with orange peel...and they still bought it.My 88 Dodge has zero orange peel.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
Those who buy out the lease (rare) may be concerned about it.

Originally Posted By: CT8
I wouldn't worry about the paint, especially with a leased vehicle.
gofast182 doesn't mention purchase after lease.

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
What is orange peel? A painting defect? I've never heard of it till now.

 

[Leo99]

Thanks, Wemay. I'd never heard of orange peel before, either.

 

[AirgunSavant]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
Those who buy out the lease (rare) may be concerned about it.

Originally Posted By: CT8
I wouldn't worry about the paint, especially with a leased vehicle.
gofast182 doesn't mention purchase after lease.



True. He didn't mention letting it go either.....

 

[Carmudgeon]

There were owner complaints about orange peel 20+ years ago. At the time, it was attributed to the water-borne paint systems that were relatively new at the time.

It's a condition that is obviously considered acceptable, so I doubt anything more than a token gesture will result.

Be glad it's not a real hornet's nest, like undisclosed repairs made at the VPC to cars damaged in transit to the dealer. They were sued for that, and the disclosure limits were redefined. I don't recall if they were raised, or lowered.

 

[SteveSRT8]

I have seen orange peel paint fall out flat after a few weeks. Anybody remember Imron?

 

[AirgunSavant]

Yeah lol...
My last new 2013 Accord didn't have any OP on it because many spots showed gray primer all over.
Horrible paint job.

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
I have seen orange peel paint fall out flat after a few weeks. Anybody remember Imron?

 

[4WD]

None of mine have this but see it now and then in parking lots. No particular vehicle - must be whoever is on shift getting the setup wrong.
I can only imagine the investment made in that part of the factory. No good reason for this to happen with modern equipment and sophisticated multilayered paints.

 

[wn1998]

Any reputable detailer can do a light wetsand to remove the orange peel. I would then have it polished and coated. I prefer Opti Coat Pro +. It comes with a 7 year warranty and will help guard that remaining clear coat. It is a pretty expensive investment but it's a pretty expensive car too

 

[FastEddie]

I would love to see pics of that BMW paint since most of the BMW's I detail have very little orange peel.
Brand new X5 in sapphire black that I just got done coating. This car had very little peel. Light polish with CarPro Essence, coated w/ C.Quartz UK and topped with C.Quartz TiO2.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
I get it that you were excited to get the car and lighting may not be the best. Got it. Will be interesting to see what they say.

I know I said it in the last thread, but Ill say it again - no way would I go reducing clear on a brand new car.

Id want $$$ off/back, like the amount that DD would charge, in order to make things right. Put the money in a savings account, and wait until something nasty happens. Then get it done.

I know you want to be anal about it, and want the car to be perfect. I totally agree. But for me personally, I wouldnt sleep well at night knowing that I had damaged an otherwise fully operational OE paint job to attempt to make some orange peel look better... Orang peel that you (1) may not necessarily fully remediate, and (2) that may get damaged from other use. Especially when winter is coming and the car WILL get dirty/salty/etc.

Trust me, very few if anyone can see the paint defects you claim. That's not an easy thing to hear. I wouldnt want someone telling me that... But its reality. This isnt a showcar M3 or some fancier vehicle. Its your pride and joy, but it will look great to 99.99% of the world just with a nice wash and wax.

So save the remediation until you need it for some other damage that has occurred... But get BMW to give you some money towards the car if it bothers you so much.

How long do you intend to own the vehicle?

I can really appreciate what you're saying and the way you've said it here. You are 100% right that most people look at the car and don't see what I'm seeing. It's either getting it handled properly or somehow dealing with my neurosis on this issue for 3 years.


If youre implying that youre only keeping the car for 3 years, then all my ranting about clear doesnt much matter anyway.

 

[Chris B.]

I use to be a full time detailer for 15 years. Honestly most factory new cars I have seen have orange peel paint to some extent. I detailed a $250,000 Lamborghini Gallardo about two years ago and the orange paint was orange peeled everywhere LOL.
Just detailed a new 2016 black corvette and it had orange peel everywhere as well. Seen tons of BMWs with the same issue so I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Cars that are worth 10 times what a BMW is worth with much better paint all have orange peel to some extent. You could fix it but why bother unless you're planning on keeping the car. It's not a show car so I would just drive it and enjoy the heck out of it while you own it.

 

[SatinSilver]

Put some Nufinish on it. There's a reason it comes in an orange bottle, to combat the orange peel.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: FastEddie
I would love to see pics of that BMW paint since most of the BMW's I detail have very little orange peel.
Brand new X5 in sapphire black that I just got done coating. This car had very little peel. Light polish with CarPro Essence, coated w/ C.Quartz UK and topped with C.Quartz TiO2.

That's beautiful, FastEddie. I can tell from that pic it doesn't have the same degree that mine does, I'll try to get some pics and post them.