View Full Version : BMW HARDNESS BLACK VS SILVER anyone else notice super soft and super hard clears?
imported_NJDetail
11-21-2010, 04:02 AM
i had a 97 3 convertible in jet black, this had the softest paint i have ever seen!!!This car would marr if you looked at it! A simple touch with your finger would give you a hologram. I now have a 740 in aspen silver and it is truly the hardest paint i have ever seen, this thing wont scratch!!! compounding it was a nightmare i had to go nuclear on it with some heavy pads and polish mixes. Why is this? anyone experience this with bmws? i cant figure out if i like soft paint (shiny easy to polish) or hard paint (wont scratch, and goes a long time before it needs to be re-polished) What do you prefer?
I believe BMW went over to ceramiclear a few years ago. Hence the hardness in their newest cars.
I have single stage paint on my 2-year old car. Its so soft that a wipe of the finger will mar it, just like yours. My next car will be 2-stage metallic with clearcoat. Its the best compromise between single and ceramic.
I attended the Hartford auto show on FRI and some cars are now 3-stage Tricoat and Tintcoat i.e. basecoat, midcoat, clearcoat. Don`t know if these hard or soft.
Scottwax
11-21-2010, 10:15 AM
Very common for jet black BMW to be ultra soft. All the other BMW colors seem to be pretty hard.
Alexshimshimhae
11-21-2010, 01:54 PM
is there any particular reason they did this with just the jet blacks? I`ve always pondered it...
2005GTPinMD
11-21-2010, 09:14 PM
I don`t think BMW`s have Ceramiclear. I know mine does not - my wife`s car has it - and it is incredible. The car looks virtually swirl free after two years.
imported_DJ Mayo
11-21-2010, 09:20 PM
The newer jet blacks are harder than the 06-08 models. While harder to correct the paint, they still seem very prone to rock chipping and etc. I have literally done 55 BMW`s this year and most of the rocker panels and front bumpers even on ones with only a few thousand miles, get beat rather quickly.
David Fermani
11-21-2010, 10:10 PM
FYI: 5, 6 & 7 Series have PPG Scratch Resistant Powder Clearcoat. I really don`t see how a silver 5 series can be any harder/softer than a solid black one as they both have the idential clearcoat chemisty.
Regarding Scratch Resistant Powder Clearcoat, is this like Powdercoat we all see where they powder it on and then bake it and it melts onto the surface? If so, it would be neat to see their factory paint set-up.
2005GTPinMD
11-23-2010, 10:32 PM
Not sure how they apply it - it is really good stuff so.