My 2007 x5 that I just purchased was MINT except for a scrape like that one --same size. They said they would fit it---would need to blend the paint and do a involved job as the OP stated. I am waiting for pick up.....

GL

Tried the touch-up route, and it looks fine unless you are up close and look at an angle. I got an estimate from the body shop at my dealer to re-shoot the entire panel for $183. If it starts to bother me I will have them re-shoot it, otherwise it is a lease and I will get rid of it in a year and a half. If the dealer tries to say the chip will cost $750 to repair I can hand them the estimate their body shop gave me. Either way I am covered.

Thanks for the help.

$183??!!?!

That's a dinner. I'd have it done and be finished with it.....

Absolutely. Whoever my local Porsche dealer outsources paint touch-up to is farking magical. I challenge anybody to come visually inspect my 996 Turbo and tell me where my paint chip was.

/m

Really? I've never met a touch up I couldn't pick up.

lemme know when you're in CA:thumbup:

But seriously.... You say it doesn't require a full panel clear coat, and others say you cannot 'patch' clear... how can both be true? Does it vary based on how 'picky' people are? I look at all these new X5s and am horrified by the crappy orange peel and other defects. Others simply have no idea what good paint looks like.... is this it?

Or is the whole 'gotta clear the whole panel' a fallacy and there are a few magical painters who defy this purported truth?


A

Well, I had my bumperettes painted by a local body shop that came in high regard from Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini owners. The bumperettes came in a tinge just slightly darker than the rest of the car and I could tell a difference. Fortunately, I sleep well at night knowing that 996 bumperettes come unpainted from the factory so I can always go back to them.

But this touch-up job, I can't tell the exact spot of the touch-up and I have not found someone yet that can with the naked eye. I'm not talking about visibility from a couple of feet, I'm talking about inspecting the bumper cover inches away in broad daylight.

Personally, if you can find somebody that does this level of touch-up work, then I'd go that route than having the entire bumper cover resprayed. For starters, it's cheaper so if you're hell-bent on getting it resprayed anyway, then the only thing that'll hurt is the small sting from the wallet; but the best that can come out of it is that you won't need a complete respray. The other thing is, I've seen on more than a few occassions a bumper cover respray not matching the rest of the car (i.e. my bumperettes); so even if the touch-up was just barely noticeable, then I think I can live with that than the risk of the entire resprayed cover not matching the rest of the car.

/m