DR. Colorchip before and after E46 BMW 330 ZHP DIY doityourself

[danewilson77]

Okay.....so here is the kit in all its glory. I bought the biggest kit they had....so I made sure I had plenty.

1. Paint

2. Sealant/blender.

3. 1 microfiber towel.

4. 1 lint free cloth.

5. 1 latex glove.

6. 3 various applicators.

7. And you will need to provide alcohol wipes to ensure chips are clean and oil free....

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC03262sz1200kit.jpg

EDIT: Must have a 2" strip of wiper blade....t adequately leave paint in deeper pits.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Maintenance%20and%20Misc/IMG_20101229_193836.jpg

Pic #1 >> Hood Rock Chips. Pretty good ones here. Before........

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC03257sz1200before.jpg

Pic #2 >> Hood Rock Chips. After......

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC03269sz1200after.jpg

Pic #3 >> Drivers Fender Rock Chips. Before......

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC03264sz1200driverfenderbefore.jpg

Pic #4 >> Drivers Fender Rock Chips. After.......

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC03267sz1200driverfenderafter.jpg

I think it looks awesome.

Another view of that same fender in the sun....

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Imola%20Bimmer/DSC03651sz1200.jpg


Thoughts/Tips

1. Above pics are without waxing. Supposed to wait three days.

2. Don't freak out, if you get paint on parts already painted. The sealant/blender takes all the excess off.

3. After applying the paint they say to immediately smear, and they mean....like right now!!!! Dhu eeet!

4. Deeper chips will require more than one coat....but I recommend you wait for the full three day cure period, prior to anything greater than 2 coats....imho.

5. This product is fail safe, and will save many people from re-spray. I am 100% satisfied and NO, I am not being paid by them....lol.



Good luck!!!

[Kudos]

I did the same thing, i don't have any before and after pics but it works magic especially since i'm anal and i saw small dimples near the front fascia by the grill and under the headlights. The one thing is if you don't wipe off the excess it will bubble, and if it hardens you literally have to rip off the bubble. this could be causing damage to the paint underneath ??

[adb1028]

I want to do this, but I don't have the cojones to pull it off.

[Alphatek45]

I'm going to order a kit. Thanks for the post, Dane. Definitely wouldn't try this kinda thing without a reliable test pilot going first.

[kayger12]

I'm going to order a kit. Thanks for the post, Dane. Definitely wouldn't try this kinda thing without a reliable test pilot going first.

Yeah, thanks Dane- Every time you try out something new, I end up spending money...

[danewilson77]

Sorry...............:roundel

[pyreguy]

^ that apology lacks conviction.... :rofl

[Marcus-SanDiego]

^ that apology lacks conviction.... :rofl

But he seems genuinely happy about it.

[pyreguy]

And that's whats important!

[JHiggy]

Thanks for posting this Dane. Had been considering this option and will take the leap now.

[jvr826]

I'm very impressed with the result! I have minor chips in the same places.

How do you use the wiper blade in your process??

Is this something you have to do periodically or is it a perm fix for the repaired areas? Friend of mine used Langka on his M3 and it didn't hold very well.

[danewilson77]

No...it's pretty permanent. As you can see...from the pics above is they provide you with latex gloves. The intent here is, that immediately after putting the dot of paint on the chip, is that you smear it with your gloved hand. I found using my thumb worked best....but seeing as your thumb is kind of round...it would leave more of a divot, than I wanted......so the wiper blade works perfect. Apply the dot.....smear with the blade.

[jvr826]

Thanks, that makes sense.

Any thoughts on what to use to clean the chips on a car treated with synthetic sealant? I've been using Klasse and Rejex on my car for years now. I'm getting the itch to get into a full-on detail job. Thinking about a pressure washer, foam canon, etc.

[danewilson77]

Use a 50/50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and water. Don't go to town though as you don't want to damage paint.....not that I think the watered down stuff would......but rubbing anything there can put scratches in the clearcoat.

[quikryptonite]

What size kit did you buy? It looks like Bavarian Auto is having a 10% off sale right now and they offer three different kits. I have quite a few chips on the front bumper and thought the standard kit would cover it. How many chips did you fill in with the kit that you had?

[M0nk3y]

Great Write-Up Dane!

Sorry I missed this awhile ago

[L0veZHP]

I need this!! Ty so much for review! :praise

[danewilson77]

I bought the bigger kit, as that was recommended....

[kayger12]

I bought the bigger kit, as that was recommended....

+1

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[johnrando]

What is the key difference between this and official BMW touch up paint, the sealant? John

[danewilson77]

The "official" paint will leave a bump of paint where is covered up the chip.

The paint in the Dr. Colorchip, actually get smeared with a sealant/proofer, that removes the paint that goes outside the chip, but leaves the paint in the chip....flat.

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[djmajestik]

Thanks Dane!! I been looking at other products before and did not know a cure for my rock chips thanks a bunch...

[Sockethead]

I just stumbled accross this thread.... man, my whole front end looks sand blasted from 50K of Highway commuting... I wonder how much of an area this will cover?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

If my whole front end was blasted, I'd probably opt for a respray.

Does anyone disagree/agree with that? Or would you still opt for Dr. Colorchip? I'm sure others wonder the same thing. When there are a lot of rock chips, can Dr. Colorchip do an adequate enough job? Or is it respray time?

Thanks, guys.

[Oli77]

I think it would be hard to take care of large chipped and scratched areas with colorchip and agree with you boss.

[kayger12]

I would respray as well.

[danewilson77]

Perhaps.........

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[Sockethead]

That's a bummer... I know the bumper will need to be painted but I was hoping to avoid having to paint the hood and fenders.

[zhpnsnv]

Mine is sandblasted too. Will have to respray then clearbra. Going to experiment with the dr first though.


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[Sockethead]

Mine is sandblasted too. Will have to respray then clearbra. Going to experiment with the dr first though.

We can compare at the meet...

[zhpnsnv]

I washed it yesterday and found two new huge chips in the hood. I yelled loudly with nobody but neighbors nearby.

Here's the worst of my sandblasting. I think it's the passenger side because in the winter I have to get by the salt trucks on the TP, and to do so, I have to pass on the left. I try to get all the way into the shoulder, but you still get pelted. It's so loud it sounds like you're in the middle of a drive-by.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060477.jpg

[Sockethead]

Yea that's about what mine looks like. Even my CF splitters are all beat up. I don't drive my car when there is snow on the ground but it still gets beatup from the residual salt. I hate it when the trucks are in the left lane because they stir all that crap up....Sounds like sleet I'm benhind the wheel cringing and swearing :guns

[zhpnsnv]

Clear bra is the best $ I ever spent on my MINI. But it'd be useless going over anything other than a perfect surface, so respray it is (eventually).

[danewilson77]

I washed it yesterday and found two new huge chips in the hood. I yelled loudly with nobody but neighbors nearby.

Here's the worst of my sandblasting. I think it's the passenger side because in the winter I have to get by the salt trucks on the TP, and to do so, I have to pass on the left. I try to get all the way into the shoulder, but you still get pelted. It's so loud it sounds like you're in the middle of a drive-by.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a107/mbcoops/P1060477.jpg

Yup...that would need a respray imho.

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[M0nk3y]

Dane,

can Dr. Color Chip fill small scratches?

I've wetsanded them to the point where I don't feel comfortable going any deeper, just wondering if I can fill them similar to a stone chip

[danewilson77]

I did on mine.

[johnrando]

Clear bra is the best $ I ever spent on my MINI. But it'd be useless going over anything other than a perfect surface, so respray it is (eventually).

You all think it might make sense just to clear bra the lower front bumper but not the hood? Would the difference stand out too much?

[danewilson77]

Personally....I wouldn't care much as long as it protected the bumper.

[zhpnsnv]

You all think it might make sense just to clear bra the lower front bumper but not the hood? Would the difference stand out too much?

If done well you wouldn't notice the difference unless you were really looking. But to me it's a necessity to get at least 1/4 of the hood protected too. My pitted hood is proof to me.


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[danewilson77]

Rock chips add character :shifty

[Kudos]

i have similar sandblasted issue, but mine is also due to previous owner and myself once in a while scraping the mtech splitters on curbs, etc. i will attempt dr colorchip and report back. this will probably be done in a few days so that i can full detail on memorial day.

[Sockethead]

Rock chips add character :shifty

Umm, yea, Let's go with that...:thumbsup

[zhpnsnv]

If you consider rock chips cool.....







Then you can consider my car MILES DAVIS!!!!!!!!!!! (you all better know the movie)

:applause2

[Johnmadd]

I just introduced my droid X to paypal and bought the biggest dr.colorchip package they had. I have one large scratch that I need to repair, I will do before and after pics, Bart Scott.

[Sockethead]

I still want to try it on my fenders

[Johnmadd]

Iirc, your coming to the meet right? I might/should have some leftover. Let me know what's up.

[Sockethead]

Iirc, your coming to the meet right? I might/should have some leftover. Let me know what's up.

Yep, I'll be there!

[billschusteriv]

Rock chips add character :shifty

And depth...

[Washburn]

can this be done on large (say a quarter size) chip that's down to the primer (or even deeper)?

while my ZHP is protected by the clear bra, my Tbird and wife's car have a few spots where the paint has gone off in rather deep chips.

[danewilson77]

I think it will work, but will take several application.

[Kudos]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. The important thing to do is not try to get the paint to match the surface the first time. It will take several applications so that the chip is filled and flush with the rest of the paint. I have done 2 applications last year and will finish it this year now that it's warm and i'm not lazy anymore and try to get more work on it done.

[HokieZHP]

Dane, how do you think it would do on areas like this? Looks like a rock was sharp enough to hit the front in a way to cause it to chip. Also there's a pic of my scraped bumper :(

I'm thinking I just need a re-spray.


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[danewilson77]

Do not use Dr. Colorchip on that. That's a respray.

[UdubBadger]

thats just buy a new mtech bumper.... wow

[HokieZHP]

Thats what I was afraid of...an oem one is $$$. Might have to wait till the summer to get that fixed. I want to though since it stands out because the rest of the paint on the car is very good, then I see the lower front bumper and cringe.




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[UdubBadger]

I have a guy at TischerBMW, let me know if I can help.

[nike001]

Thats what I was afraid of...an oem one is $$$. Might have to wait till the summer to get that fixed. I want to though since it stands out because the rest of the paint on the car is very good, then I see the lower front bumper and cringe.




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Sand it and Bondo it. It's not like your bumper is cracked or anything.. right? This bumper is most definitely salvageable

[HokieZHP]

Sand it and Bondo it. It's not like your bumper is cracked or anything.. right? This bumper is most definitely salvageable

Yeah it's not cracked at all except on the very bottom where it's been over one too many parking space blocks.

Udub, I'm interested, please pm me!


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[zj96sc]

Do not use bondo on plastic panels. You need to use the proper plastic bumper repair products, I personally am a big fan of duramix products, 4040 in particular.

http://www.autobodysupply.net/DURAMIX4040-p/duramix4040.htm

That bumper is 100% re-useable. Needs some slight work and sanding but will respray perfectly.

[HokieZHP]

Do not use bondo on plastic panels. You need to use the proper plastic bumper repair products, I personally am a big fan of duramix products.

That bumper is 100% re-useable. Needs some slight work and sanding but will respray perfectly.

I'll look into it. I feel like just sanding it down and respraying it will be my best option. Probably a summer project though when I have time.

Thanks for the info guys!


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[zhp43867]

I am way late but just so people in the future who might look here can know, Dr. Color Chip would make that area MUCH better. You can sand the roughest part down with 600-800 grit wetsanding, and cut away the pieces of paint that are flaking with an exacto. Use the squeegee that Dr. Color Chip sells and you can make the color match, such that you bumper (HokieZHP) would pass what some call the "5 foot test" where it becomes invisible. That's not to say if you have the highest standards it shouldn't be resprayed, but some people have different priorities.

[carsontl]

just ordered the kit, thanks for convincing me lol

[FL116]

Just browsed through this. And thank God I found it, I didn't want to do a respray! Thanks Dane! I'll post results soon

[slater]

indeed, it does look awesome - i may buy a kit for some odd spots i've got, but i most likely will have the front end resprayed as my bumper, hood and LF fender are pretty bad.

peter

[FL116]

indeed, it does look awesome - i may buy a kit for some odd spots i've got, but i most likely will have the front end resprayed as my bumper, hood and LF fender are pretty bad.

peter

Peter, the squeegee package covers a large amount of surface area. Maybe try it before doing the respray?

[theothersawyer]

This may work for my hood/fenders. The front end needs a respray and I was thinking about just doing the whole front end, but this may save me some money!

[FL116]

Might as well try it and see if it works, if so, then you just saved yourself a good amount of money :D

[ziazhp]

Nice writeup as usual. Question, do you think this product would work on road rash on a front bumper or just paint chips?

[az3579]

Nice writeup as usual. Question, do you think this product would work on road rash on a front bumper or just paint chips?

Nope. You'll still see the road rash. Besides, you won't have enough to cover road rash; the kit was designed for chips, which take up a lot less paint.
There is no cheap way out of fixing rash, unfortunately. :(

[holyc0w]

Greetings,

I have some chips on the front of my hood that started rusting. This seems like it could work. I was thinking of using a rust pen for the rust, cleaning, and then some touch-up point. Would this work or is something else recommended?