Individual Paint: Is the engine bay and underside of your hood cleared and polished?

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by Shmelgy

No clear here

Car is dusty underhood, but can you confirm what it looks like to me:

The engine bay / inner strut tower to firewall areas are uncleared and black?
The underside of the hood is color matched to the exterior but no clear coat?


I have a fully black engine bay to the firewall with no clear, but my hood is black on the underside and no clear there either.

[Shmelgy]

Originally Posted by RowanBuds

Car is dusty underhood, but can you confirm what it looks like to me:

The engine bay / inner strut tower to firewall areas are uncleared and black?
The underside of the hood is color matched to the exterior but no clear coat?


I have a fully black engine bay to the firewall with no clear, but my hood is black on the underside and no clear there either.

It's all painted, just not cleared

[NOLATom]

Individual Laguna Seca, but no lagniappe paint and clear coat under the hood for me. As a matter of fact, the more I look at my car, the more I think I got the apprentice painter to do my car. I see orange peel on the passenger side rear quarter panel.

[Spoonman929RR]

Originally Posted by NOLATom

Individual Laguna Seca, but no lagniappe paint and clear coat under the hood for me. As a matter of fact, the more I look at my car, the more I think I got the apprentice painter to do my car. I see orange peel on the passenger side rear quarter panel.

My SO has pretty bad orange peel on the rear quarter panels too. I've heard it's just common with BMW paint though.

[RedSectorA]

My F30 Individual Fashion Grey came clearcoat in the engine bay.

[IrvineTim]

I was extremely disappointed with my paint quality on my M4. If you think its bad now, wait till you see all the rock chips on the rocker panels in a year from now, then you will really be pissed. maybe if people complain, BMW will stop using paint left over paint from the Chrysler/dodge plants.

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by IrvineTim

I was extremely disappointed with my paint quality on my M4. If you think its bad now, wait till you see all the rock chips on the rocker panels in a year from now, then you will really be pissed. maybe if people complain, BMW will stop using paint left over paint from the Chrysler/dodge plants.

To be fair, that is mostly a matter of the flared arches on the F8X, not the paint. I know the F80 is worse than the F82 in this regard, but the first thing I did was remove the factory PPF from the rear arches and replace them with a much larger piece of Xpel.

[JcLusso]

Originally Posted by IrvineTim

I was extremely disappointed with my paint quality on my M4. If you think its bad now, wait till you see all the rock chips on the rocker panels in a year from now, then you will really be pissed. maybe if people complain, BMW will stop using paint left over paint from the Chrysler/dodge plants.

Yeah, I mean rock chips are not from bad paint. Kind of funny you're blaming BMW for that. If you care, pony up and get your car clear bra'd.

[chris719]

Originally Posted by JcLusso

Yeah, I mean rock chips are not from bad paint. Kind of funny you're blaming BMW for that. If you care, pony up and get your car clear bra'd.

Yeah, there is no such thing as paint that's impervious to rock chips. All automotive paint is broadly similar and from the same few suppliers.

If anything, it seems BMW uses more clear and possibly softer clear than some manufacturers, which should be better for rock chips. Check the front bumper and hood of a Nissan/Infiniti or Mazda product if you want to see real rock chips.

BMW does have terrible orange peel though.

[HighlyMedicated]

Wow orange peel from factory on the outside body? I can't believe that, horrible of them...can you get it fixed and wet sanded/polished from the dealer for the messup? The paint or clear seems to have many layers than normal and bend with the car tho. I had someone open the door and ding a pole but not even a mark! Impressive!

Will need to check about the hood cleared though, but wouldn't be surprised if it is, they doing the rest of the car why stop there, its made to protect the paint! And I know its long ago post but someone said pulled the engine out to do this part? The engines not even in when painting lol its just a rolling frame with panels!

[MyKmYk]

I have 2 individual M3's, an E46 and E90. Both are cleared and polished under the hood, but are "bespoke" colors. When I was visiting the factory in Munich, I asked about BMW individual and was told that these cars are actually pulled from the line and painted by hand - again their words, not mine.

I have an F80 in Tanzanite that just went into status 112 today. When I receive it I'll update this, but I bet its not cleared under the hood as its a "standard" BMW Individual offering and likely painted as the other standard color cars are.

[timhatimay]

Originally Posted by MyKmYk

I have 2 individual M3's, an E46 and E90. Both are cleared and polished under the hood, but are "bespoke" colors. When I was visiting the factory in Munich, I asked about BMW individual and was told that these cars are actually pulled from the line and painted by hand - again their words, not mine.

I have an F80 in Tanzanite that just went into status 112 today. When I receive it I'll update this, but I bet its not cleared under the hood as its a "standard" BMW Individual offering and likely painted as the other standard color cars are.

My smoked topaz is a "standard" individual and is clear coated under the hood and in the engine bay. It actually does make the underhood area look very nice, like a clean show car.

Tim

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by IrvineTim

I was extremely disappointed with my paint quality on my M4. If you think its bad now, wait till you see all the rock chips on the rocker panels in a year from now, then you will really be pissed. maybe if people complain, BMW will stop using paint left over paint from the Chrysler/dodge plants.

That's your fault, not BMW's. Neither of my M4's had rock chip issues on the rocker panels AND I even peeled that ugly rear arch clear bra off. Stop following cars and trucks so closely........or whatever it is you're doing to exacerbate your issue.

[IrvineTim]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

That's your fault, not BMW's. Neither of my M4's had rock chip issues on the rocker panels AND I even peeled that ugly rear arch clear bra off. Stop following cars and trucks so closely........or whatever it is you're doing to exacerbate your issue.

Maybe it is from tracking it. So should I stop tracking because it is crap paint?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by IrvineTim

Maybe it is from tracking it. So should I stop tracking because it is crap paint?

See the bold-faced font. If you're tracking it and expecting anything less than damaged paint, that says more about you than the quality of the paint.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by IrvineTim

Maybe it is from tracking it. So should I stop tracking because it is crap paint?

Uh, dude:

TrakkTape is specially formulated to be the best track tape for temporary track day HPDE paint protection. The residue free adhesive is sticky enough to stay on your car, but not so sticky that it is hard to remove, even if left on for up to two weeks.

All TrakkTape™ is 5 mil (5/1000 of an inch) in thickness. (For comparison most permanent clear bras are 8 mil (8/1000 of an inch)

Sold in larger sizes that can last an entire season, TrakkTape™ is only slightly more costly than painter's tape and far more economical than any other comparable clear vinyl based protection.

Properly applied, TrakkTape™ is virtually invisible in track day photography. At the end of the day or weekend, just peel off the tape and away go the debris marks.

TrakkTape™. Your Best Track Day Protection. Period.

[IrvineTim]

crap is crap, label it how ever you want.

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by MyKmYk

I have 2 individual M3's, an E46 and E90. Both are cleared and polished under the hood, but are "bespoke" colors. When I was visiting the factory in Munich, I asked about BMW individual and was told that these cars are actually pulled from the line and painted by hand - again their words, not mine.

I have an F80 in Tanzanite that just went into status 112 today. When I receive it I'll update this, but I bet its not cleared under the hood as its a "standard" BMW Individual offering and likely painted as the other standard color cars are.

My understanding is that BMWNA pays BMWAG (along with other country import divisions?) to fund a set of interior and exterior options called "Individual Collection", which are then funded by customers who buy those options/colors like us, which enables BMWAG to makes those options/colors part of the their standard production line (i.e., set up and program the robots).

Interior and exterior options that are not Individual Collection are called "Individual Manufaktur", and due to low volume require the cars to be pulled from the line and sent to a separate facility for installation / completion since the low volume doesn't justify setting up and programming the robots.

Individual Collection painted cars, in general, have the non-finished under-hood like all other line-painted cars and Individual Manufaktur have the under-hood painted/clearcoated because those cars are sprayed/painted in a separate facility off the main production line.

What's unclear is whether that off-the-line process is done by robots or by hand - and this is probably because BMWAG is constantly updating their production processes so sometimes yes, sometimes robots. Also, some Individual Collection cars (or standard!) get painted off the line for the same reason: production changes / updates take robots offline so the IC cars (or standard) will sometimes have the clear under-spray and painted engine bays.

For example, 2 weeks ago when I was at the factory we could not see the paint shop because they were updating the line and some cars were being pulled off and painted off the line - the guide didn't know if those were standard, IC or IM cars, only that production timelines required the cars to be pulled.

Net-Net: there's no "correct" answer and no guarantee that any color will be painted on or off the line, i.e., "by hand". It just depends on the latest state of the production line, the robots, their maintenance, etc. which is further complicated by the model since some cars are produced in Munich, some in Regensburg, some in Leipzig, etc. What is highly likely is if you buy an IM color it's going to be painted off the line. (But let's say you picked an M3 in San Marino and they just programmed that as an IC color in Munich - then you get a line painted car)

Here's my Tanz from two weeks ago (produced in Regensburg), and it sure looks line painted to me, as was my moonstone, i.e. no engine bay paint, no clearcoated hood

[RowanBuds]

Maybe it's just me or your photos, but your underhood and engine bay look to be satin black, not satin Tanzanite. Can you confirm?

*EDIT* Wait -maybe it's neither. Is your underhood satin Tanzanite, while your engine bay is satin black?*

There's truly no method to the madness. It's easy to speculate, but the data doesn't point to any logic.

I've recently mass mailed a lot of the commenters on this thread in an attempt to compile detailed specific stats for provision to my contact at BMWNA to prove there really is an inconsistency here.

You tell me - two cars, same color, produced less than 4 months apart - full individual. Would you expect their underhoods to be finished the same? If so, congrats, you're as confused as I am on this all.

Originally Posted by GrussGott

My understanding is that BMWNA pays BMWAG (along with other country import divisions?) to fund a set of interior and exterior options called "Individual Collection", which are then funded by customers who buy those options/colors like us, which enables BMWAG to makes those options/colors part of the their standard production line (i.e., set up and program the robots).

Interior and exterior options that are not Individual Collection are called "Individual Manufaktur", and due to low volume require the cars to be pulled from the line and sent to a separate facility for installation / completion since the low volume doesn't justify setting up and programming the robots.

Individual Collection painted cars, in general, have the non-finished under-hood like all other line-painted cars and Individual Manufaktur have the under-hood painted/clearcoated because those cars are sprayed/painted in a separate facility off the main production line.

What's unclear is whether that off-the-line process is done by robots or by hand - and this is probably because BMWAG is constantly updating their production processes so sometimes yes, sometimes robots. Also, some Individual Collection cars (or standard!) get painted off the line for the same reason: production changes / updates take robots offline so the IC cars (or standard) will sometimes have the clear under-spray and painted engine bays.

For example, 2 weeks ago when I was at the factory we could not see the paint shop because they were updating the line and some cars were being pulled off and painted off the line - the guide didn't know if those were standard, IC or IM cars, only that production timelines required the cars to be pulled.

Net-Net: there's no "correct" answer and no guarantee that any color will be painted on or off the line, i.e., "by hand". It just depends on the latest state of the production line, the robots, their maintenance, etc. which is further complicated by the model since some cars are produced in Munich, some in Regensburg, some in Leipzig, etc. What is highly likely is if you buy an IM color it's going to be painted off the line. (But let's say you picked an M3 in San Marino and they just programmed that as an IC color in Munich - then you get a line painted car)

Here's my Tanz from two weeks ago (produced in Regensburg), and it sure looks line painted to me, as was my moonstone, i.e. no engine bay paint, no clearcoated hood

[GrussGott]

Originally Posted by RowanBuds

There's truly no method to the madness. It's easy to speculate, but the data doesn't point to any logic.

You tell me - two cars, same color, produced less than 4 months apart - full individual. Would you expect their underhoods to be finished the same? If so, congrats, you're as confused as I am on this all.

I'm not sure I understand where your confusion is:

(1.) If the paint color isn't programmed into the line, the car is pulled

(2.) If it's pulled, it may be painted with method #1 (like the line) or method #2 (potentially hand sprayed but could also be a separate "robot dip"), and there may be a #3 robot dip

(3.) This varies by factory - for example munich's line may be programmed for San Mario, but Regensburg isn't or in Regensburg cars pulled off the line are hand sprayed, but in Munich they're robo-dipped.

TLDR: they have multiple methods to paint a car and they use the cheapest most expedient one to meet the production date given the model, color, and factory.

What's the confusion?

As to your question with 2 cars and would I expect them to be the same, NO! I would expect nothing because 4 months is assembly line eternity; 2 cars back to back might get treated differently ... for example they say Tanz # 4300 will be the first Tanz line painted car on the new paint line so Tanz #4299 gets pulled and hand sprayed and Tanz #4300 gets painted on their new line.

Why is any of that concerning or confusing? It's just modern robotic assembly line engineering. What am I missing?

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by GrussGott

I'm not sure I understand where your confusion is:

(1.) If the paint color isn't programmed into the line, the car is pulled

(2.) If it's pulled, it may be painted with method #1 (like the line) or method #2 (potentially hand sprayed but could also be a separate "robot dip"), and there may be a #3 robot dip

(3.) This varies by factory - for example munich's line may be programmed for San Mario, but Regensburg isn't or in Regensburg cars pulled off the line are hand sprayed, but in Munich they're robo-dipped.

TLDR: they have multiple methods to paint a car and they use the cheapest most expedient one to meet the production date given the model, color, and factory.

What's the confusion?

As to your question with 2 cars and would I expect them to be the same, NO! I would expect nothing because 4 months is assembly line eternity; 2 cars back to back might get treated differently ... for example they say Tanz # 4300 will be the first Tanz line painted car on the new paint line so Tanz #4299 gets pulled and hand sprayed and Tanz #4300 gets painted on their new line.

Why is any of that concerning or confusing? It's just modern robotic assembly line engineering. What am I missing?

First - can you answer my inquiry on your car's finishing. Is the underhood color matched Tanzanite? It doesn't look to be clear coated. Is the engine bay (shock towers, etc.) color matched Tanzanite, or is it black? And again, this doesn't look to be clear coated. Looking to know what is accurate.

Everything I know there aren't any hand-painted cars (3er or 4er) coming out of BMW period. Some colors (PMS) I think are hand sprayed, but I can't believe anyone on this forum with standard/canned/individual cars have a hand painted example (BMW Colors). A posted single very high paint meter check on a car with no known bodywork would tell us all but I don't think we're going to find that. If you have factual evidence that any F8x's are hand sprayed, please share as it'd enlighten me to a new piece of information.

For what we pay, especially the $5.5k+ customers, I'd expect some consistency for those buyers. The fact it's not one or two done differently, it's across the board inconsistency - sometimes they're matched underhood, sometimes they're cleared - certainly no acknowledgement that there will be any deviation to the ordering party.

As I said the individual cars are same color but also same model - same factory - same year - no plant shutdowns between. And it's not one or two alike cars that have a deviation from a given standard - the fact there's NO standard is the irritating part. I dunno man, maybe it's just me. I do know that I'm not the only person who got one of these and was left questioning the difference.

Related, your two F83s haven't been individual individuals, but they're canned individuals which aren't what I'm speaking about here; maybe the inconsistency has never occurred to nor bothered you before.

It's not blunted my enjoyment of my car, but if I decided to do another individual bright color, and shell out 85k+ again, I wouldn't mind having an idea of what the engine compartment will look like.

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by GrussGott

As to your question with 2 cars and would I expect them to be the same, NO! I would expect nothing because 4 months is assembly line eternity;

Great point.