Interior and exterior Paints and Coatings - official thread

[NZ_M3]

Given that a lot of our cars are now coming up to 10 years old, usual wear and tear isn't unusual. During my pursuit of finding the correct colour coating system for the interior seats I came across some rather interesting information from my parts guy here (and no unfortunately I haven't found the correct coating system for the damn seats yet - my next step is to contact BMW Classics and see if they will help - and by the way DO NOT use the plasti-dip crap - it will ruin your seat's paint system - it will react with the original coating beneath it and your seats will look like crap (I know because I tested the stuff on a spare trim I had with the coating).


Any way, there were things that I didn't even know BMW produced and actually made available for consumers:

Things like leather repair kits, alcantara cleaning kit, interior glue, paint systems, wheel paint, interior paints, underfloor protection, cavity protection ect ect to name a few.

The category is under 83 on the BMW ETK system. Here's a couple of screen shots:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/ASAP2_zpsaff44722.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/ASAP3_zps68e2bbbd.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/ASAP4_zps1679bcf3.jpg

I've found the following to be rather interesting although I have not been able to confirm if any of this stuff might actually be applicable to our cars ... I am hoping and working to confirm some of them.

As a result I thought I would start an official thread on interior and exterior paints and coatings and parts catalogue for those of us who are obsessed with keeping our cars looking like it isn't 10 years old :hahaha: (I promise I will admit myself to a pschiatric ward after I hunt down every single component and colour system for this car :thumbs:)

So interestings bits:

Chrome Shadow matt spray paint (I am wondering if this is the paint used on the steering wheel trim, SMG shifter trim and the dash trim) - Part number 51 91 2 160 217
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/chromeshadow_zps35fef06e.jpg

Alcantara cleaner: 83 12 2 298 211

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/Alcantara_zps3db7cbbf.jpg

Wheel paint system (although I am sure this isn't the CSL colour)

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/rimcolours_zpse220b9ec.jpg

Interior matt filler (engine/boot) - now I am presuming this is the matte paint finish we get in our cars inside the boot and engine bay ...
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/interiormattfiller_zps7a9a72d7.jpg

So this is it so far ... my mind is spinning already looking at all the bits and pieces available. I have priced up some of the stuff and they are actually quite reasonably priced ...

Will update as I find out more stuff!!! And hopefully one day I will finally find that elusive interior seat coating and get my hands on it :finga:

[rstoughy]

:thumbs:Good find Tom, could be doing with some TLC products for mine to make her look factory fresh again :smokin:

[alexk]

Well done Tom !

I have the touch up paint and also have the alcantara cleaner.
The alcantara cleaner was on offer here and I got two bottles.
In my opinion it is amazing the way it cleans ! Very good product.

[mattCSLnut]

Great stuff Tom :thumbs:
I'm thinking of ordering the shadow chrome matt spray paint: Part number 51 91 2 160 217 and experiment as my upper steering wheel trim is just beginning to show it's age :bigcry:

[mattCSLnut]

Just got an e-mail back from my local BMW dealer (Elms) and this paint, Part number: 51 91 2 160 217 is as yet not available as it's waiting approval :smt017
Sounds very "Special" ;) Retail price £29.50 + VAT @ 20%

[Roland]

Sounds very "Special" ;) Retail price £29.50 + VAT @ 20%

Sounds really SPECIAL.
Will ask the Dealer here in Munich what's so special about the test-paint :hahaha:

[NZ_M3]

Well done Tom !

I have the touch up paint and also have the alcantara cleaner.
The alcantara cleaner was on offer here and I got two bottles.
In my opinion it is amazing the way it cleans ! Very good product.

Awesome ... I'll be ordering a kit myself!! Thanks for the heads up that it is actually a good product :thumbs:

Just got an e-mail back from my local BMW dealer (Elms) and this paint, Part number: 51 91 2 160 217 is as yet not available as it's waiting approval :smt017
Sounds very "Special" ;) Retail price £29.50 + VAT @ 20%


Strange, my parts guy was able to put an order in for this .... I haven't asked him to get it yet, maybe I will just to see what it is ... worst case I'll just go out tagging with it :blalalala:


Little update on the seat coating .... I've gone through the full list of available paints and coatings within 83 and there are some that seems like it could be similar, but certainly nothing jumps out as the correct one - my parts guy recommended that we actually put in a PuMA case locally here with BMW Germany to say that they've damaged a customer's car and need to repaint and recoat some of the panels and see if BMW Germany responds with the correct product. Will keep all updated when we figure out the best way to put forward this PuMA case :supz:

[s.mac]

good thread Tom :smokin:

[NZ_M3]

Glue for the falling felt door trim
- I know most just use superglue or the 3M interior trim adhesive ... but there's actually an official BMW product that fixes this (and a SIB claim number) :thumbs:

Glue part number:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/IMG_6248_zpsd0c69fa2.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/adhesive_zps750e026d.jpg

SIB:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/IMG_6249_zpsa0b85333.jpg

[JBird]

Great find on the door trim glue. I specifically went into BMW N Oxford to ask for that and they denied that it existed, said I had to order the trims new at 230 odd each. Goes to show.....

PuMA idea is a good one, though I think guys here have just been given brand new seats when BMW have scratched them.

[NZ_M3]

Just to update this ... I managed to get hold of the Chrome Shadow matt spray paint - Part number 51 91 2 160 217 which I originally thought might be the interior plastic paint seen on the trim and steering wheel covers - turns out it is not.

This is the paint finish found on the E46 M3 18inch double spoke wheels.
Quite a cool paint actually as it sprays almost clear until you layer it up and it starts to turn into that shadow chrome finish (ala the Geneva Concept E46 M3 colour).

[NZ_M3]

So I went to the official distributor of Spie Hecker and Glassurit paints here in New Zealand and asked them to search their catalogue for the elusive Titanium Shadow interior paint code to no avail ... instead, I opted for the next best thing ... I gave them a brand new trim piece and paid them to formulate it instead and mix me a batch ... I now have the paint in possession and it is a good match in my opinion. I am just awaiting on email of that formulation, once I get it I shall post for all to have ;)


update:

Okay, so they used a Metalux tint instead as it had a cleaner silver and two correct shades ...

This is the result of a quick spray up (note the paint hasn't dried completely when I took this photo - you can just see it starting to dry in the bottom left corner of the right trim piece- left hand side is original BMW, right hand side sprayed with formulated tint).

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/IMAG2353_zpsxjd4cnab.jpg

Here's the formulation for Titanium Shadow:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/TitaniumShadowTintFormulation_zpsdf958a27.jpg

[karbonkid]

So I went to the official distributor of Spie Hecker and Glassurit paints here in New Zealand and asked them to search their catalogue for the elusive Titanium Shadow interior paint code to no avail ... instead, I opted for the next best thing ... I gave them a brand new trim piece and paid them to formulate it instead and mix me a batch ... I now have the paint in possession and it is a good match in my opinion. I am just awaiting on email of that formulation, once I get it I shall post for all to have ;)

update:

Okay, so they used a Metalux tint instead as it had a cleaner silver and two correct shades ...

This is the result of a quick spray up (note the paint hasn't dried completely when I took this photo - you can just see it starting to dry in the bottom left corner of the right trim piece- left hand side is original BMW, right hand side sprayed with formulated tint).

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/IMAG2353_zpsxjd4cnab.jpg

Here's the formulation for Titanium Shadow:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/TitaniumShadowTintFormulation_zpsdf958a27.jpg

Nice one mate! Looks like a superb match! May just need a light rub down to flatten paintwork and to get rid of any overspray & texture.

I was only thinking of this last week when I changed mine over with some spares. The paint on the original trim can become loose and rub off very easily when doing a simple task like cleaning the alcantara - catching the edge of the trims.
Just need my spares rubbed down now and re-painted. I wonder if they used a satin lacquer to seal the paint afterwards?? :thumbs:

[NZ_M3]

Nice one mate! Looks like a superb match! May just need a light rub down to flatten paintwork and to get rid of any overspray & texture.

I was only thinking of this last week when I changed mine over with some spares. The paint on the original trim can become loose and rub off very easily when doing a simple task like cleaning the alcantara - catching the edge of the trims.
Just need my spares rubbed down now and re-painted. I wonder if they used a satin lacquer to seal the paint afterwards?? :thumbs:

Alex, the tint formula above is a base coat colour, the reason it was done this way was so it could be sealed off in either satin or gloss should it be desired. To be honest I actually think the factory finish is simply a quick base coat spray with no sealing, hence why it is so easily marked and rubbed off.

Anyway, did another quick budget spray tonight with zero prep work on a random trim I had ... single coat cover and no rub down whatsoever. The base trim colour was black originally and I simply sprayed straight over it ... (the texture on this trim is a little weird as it had a strange texture to the plastic - one of the really early E46 trims that was almost leather like in appearance, hence the subtle difference you see)

Without flash:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/IMAG2361_zpsnodifshk.jpg

Under flash:
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n319/M3_Power/IMAG2359_zpsl1uwh7vt.jpg

[JBird]

That does look pretty close in terms of colour Tom. Sorry I haven't fully understood your post, is the formula and brand you have come up with 100% OEM, or a very good match?

I had some bits done recently too. Painter sprayed up 7 or 8 test cards till we found a colour match. We first went through 100's of colour cards, also from other manufactures (as I remember a post on here that a Renault colour was a good match). In the end we decided that it must be a fairly standard BMW colour.

Colour
BMW Sebring Gray #229 was a close match. I was not convinced, but the painter reckoned it would look different with a matt clear coat. We painted up test cards with all close BMW greys, with a 50% matt clear coat. Indeed Sebring grey was as close a match to OEM as my eyes could see, once clear coated.

Clear Coat
I also though that the OEM finish was just a base coat since it wears off so easily. Painter said that was not possible, and it would have had a very thin clear coat. Question was how much matting agent should be in the clear coat. (Sorry for the lack or correct terminology of what exactly the 'matting agent' was, the painter would not say, just that it was what every painter used). We painted up cards in 5% steps, 100% being a full gloss, 0% being completely flat. We started at 40%, and went down from there. The painter would not tell me the final value, but I have a feeling it was around 30% gloss.

Parts wet & dried back to bare plastic:
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/CSL%20Trims/prep_zpsc7b527b5.jpg

Even though the lower trim is white plastic and the upper black (really BMW?), a base coat was not really needed, however, I found that on the awkward clippy bits on the sides of the parts (where I hadn't fully removed the OEM paint) the over spray caused the original paint to bubble, so to prevent this its good to do a thin grey primer coat first.


All Painted:
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/CSL%20Trims/IMG_3736sm_zps42892aa2.jpg
http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/CSL%20Trims/IMG_3738sm_zps312c41f5.jpg

I don't have any comparison shots, but in the areas where the OEM paint was left and masked over you can get a good idea of how close it is.

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/CSL%20Trims/IMG_3735_zpsb08e02c4.jpg

http://i928.photobucket.com/albums/ad130/JBirdCSL/CSL%20Trims/IMG_3736sm2_zpsca648bc9.jpg

All in all I would say the colour is a very good match, but I won't go out and say it is exactly what BMW used (or better or worse than Tom's match). More of a challenge is the clear coat. I'd say the parts I had done are slightly more reflective than OEM, so there may have needed to be less matting agent, but we are talking 2.5 - 5% less gloss. The thickness of the clear coat has an effect to. Obviously you want a bit on there so it lasts, and I think this effects the texture and reflection. The BMW coat was very thin to the point of being unpractical, so difficult to get a 100% match.

Anyway, I got a whole set (dash, steering wheel, console) done at once, so no one can ever tell the difference. Anyway, at worse the difference between the end result and OEM, was less that the difference between OEM door handles and OEM steering wheel trims (they are a bit off, more clear coat on the door handles???).

Hope this helps. They were done the Oxford area, so PM if you live nearby and want the painters details. I'm not mentioning him directly on the forum as he wouldn't give me the full details of the clear coat even though I paid for his time. He has kept the paint card though, so you could use this as a starting point.

My recommendations for improvement would be:
- Either 100% remove all OEM paint, incl the back sides and clips (don't know how, light sand blast or chemical), or just use a primer, (even though BMW didn't)
- Test the degree of matting agent on a spare trim first (any E46 steering wheel trim will do). Paint cards are only a starting point.

Jeewiz, that was supposed to be a quick post, talk about OCD. CSL did that to me.

[toenheel]

Thread resurrection!!

I've got wear on the steering wheel trim, I've had some Sebring grey paint mixed tonight and it seems a good match. Debating if it needs lacquer but bought matt finish which seems to be there or thereabouts certainly better than it looks at the moment. Will post some after pics tomorrow hopefully.

[JBird]

I don't know what paint you have purchased, but you most certainly need a top coat. As I mentioned, the Sebring Grey did not look like the closet match until the mat clear was put over the top. You also are going to want the clear coat for some protection so the same thing doesn't happening again.

[toenheel]

Pretty happy with the result just this minute re assembled.
http://i62.tinypic.com/b8pr28.jpg

[geminiM3]

Great post!
Someone can help me explaining me how ti remove the M-track mode button from the upper trim of the steeering wheel?
Best regards ;)

[NBTBRV8]

Did anyone ever come up with the correct paint and finish for the rubberised product on the rear seat console and rear seat backrests?

[NBTBRV8]

Did anyone ever come up with the correct paint and finish for the rubberised product on the rear seat console and rear seat backrests?

Bump again, and the front seat backs?