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Full Respray - where to start?

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BeardyJon

Active member
Edinburgh
I'm looking for some advice/guidance, please.

The last time I gave my car a good clean, I noticed that the paint work is in need of some care and attention. The stone chips to the front bumper and bonnet are many, and the top coat has started to peel off thanks to an over-zealous hand car wash guy and his pressure washer, so all of that needs repainting. The roof has some corrosion on one of the corners, so that'll need to be removed and repainted... then there's just lots of marks and stains that don't seem to want to come of all over. So it feels like I may as well just respray the whole car.

The current Alpine white is a fine colour, not my favourite though, so I'm considering taking the opportunity to change the colour. But I obviously want it doing properly, and not just painting only the bits you can see. In terms of colours, I've got the Coral Red interior and for the new paint a few colours spring to mind: Mineral White, Thundernight Purple, or San Marino Blue. I'm just a bit concerned that I'd wouldn't want any of the previous Alpine White paint showing anywhere (e.g. like when you open the boot and the boot lid is still white, etc.) although that might not be a realistic outcome? I don't know...

Does anyone have any experience with this? What should I be considering and can you recommend a good paint shop in the UK? (I'm in Edinburgh but will travel for a good paint job).
 
I can’t help with any recommendations for paint shops but all I can say is that having a colour change and not seeing any of the previous Alpine white won’t be cheap as there’s all the door shuts, roof edges, boot and bonnet, so it’s a major undertaking and there’s no way you would get any of the cost back if you decide to sell, obviously if it’s a keeper then that’s different but for the cost you may be better buying another one of your preferred colour with all the toys.
 
As chippie says a full colour change is an engine and all interior out job, along with doors, bonnet, boot lid off, you're basically taking it back to a shell, huge cost which you may or may not be willing to stomach. I'd think £7k ballpark easy for a decent job, maybe up to £10k.

You'd be surprised what a good detailer can do with marks etc, so you maybe able to get most out along with some fresh clear coat in the affected areas without a full re-paint. Ask a detailer for his advice, you may well be pleasantly surprised.

You can also get coloured PPF too which would hide everything and give full protection into the deal. Beedub on here is the man for advice. :thumbsup:
 
As above a colour change will cost double at least to do properly. I had my E85 repainted to the same colour 2 years ago and cost me £2500 as a special project for my local bodyshop, took 6 months over winter which worked for me but of course door shuts under bonnet, boot shuts lid not touched. You would have to look very hard to see any chance that its been repainted mind.
I would stay the same colour or a variation - perhaps a metallic white?
I would suggest cost would be £3500 at most bodyshops.
 
I would second the thinking around getting a decnet detailer on the job - maybe with a smart repair dude in hand.

I would expect a full correction with some spot paint repair to be in the region of £500, and I've always been delighted with the result.
 
I 3rd the detailing route, a full respray including engine bay areas etc will not only require disassembly of the car, but will cost more than the car is worth.

If you go for a light respray, sans the fiddly bits, it still would be expensive, but the car will be devalued if you change the colour. Why? would you buy a colour changed car? Why was it changed etc? Also insurance increase no doubt and I’m sure you have to register a colour change with the DVLA.

It can be done of course, but it’s expensive and admin heavy.
If you want to do it, then do it.

You will be surprised about how the paint cleans up with some autoglym paint renovator. I have used this on stubborn marks to good effect. If you do some research on youtube about detailing you may be able to do most of the work yourself.

Stone chips can be done with touch up and sand paper, then paint renovator. Again, youtube this.

I think a pro detailer could sort it out too, and buff the whole car.

You could also try a wrap, I have seen a green E89 driving around by me! Certainly looks different!

Good luck!
 
I've just had a quote to re-spray both wings, bonnet, a door and a rear wing. Two grand plus VAT which I thought was a bit high so I'm not going to bother. This was from a spray shop with a good reputation. Might give you an idea what a full re-spray might cost but prices vary quite a bit depending on the quality of the job.

I had a mid grey TVR once and I painted it a metallic blue. It transformed the car. Only had the visible surfaces painted but got away with it because the grey just didn't get noticed in the engine bay. I doubt you'd get away with it with White though unless your going to go for a very similar colour. Registering the colour change with the DVLA is simply just a matter of letting them know. It didn't affect my insurance premium.

Sounds like the real issue is you don't like the colour, so I'd get it detailed with a view to selling it and then buy a car in the colour you want.

Good luck
 
Done right, colour change is expensive, but you may not have a financial constraint on that. You won't recover the cost of doing so in a sale, so if it's just for your own desire, we all burn money for that :fuelfire: . Alpine white with Coral Red is a striking combo, so it's not like you have a boring configuration.

IMHO, get the existing paint corrected by a pro, respray when needed, and protect with PPF or Ceramic and stop handwashing with sandpaper. Get some nice snowfoam.
-or-
Sell and buy the colour car that excites you again. If you don't get a joy jolt everytime you get in your Z4, find one that will do that for you!
 
Why spray engine bay, my cars bay is a different colour, so is underside of bonnet.
Perhaps get the price down if offer to spend a day masking the car off properly, not just a "door closed" job.
 
Even an exterior respray is likely to cost £2000, much cheaper to sell the car and buy the colour you like, you are very unlikely to get the value back when you sell
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. A detailer is definitely something I considered. One nearby offers the full monty for near respray money which is why I wondered if it would be better just to go for the paint job instead. I have thought about wraps, but they never quite have the gloss of a proper paint job. Unless I'm just not looking at the right brands?

Also, should say - I do love this car. I think it get a little bored and want something different every now and then, but don't actually want to change the car. I think a wrap might scratch that itch, especially as the colours I'm interested in weren't available OEM. Have always been pretty disappointed by the choice BMW offered (unless you're paying full whack for individual paints). Maybe when the paint is all fixed up and detailed it'll look proper belting, and maybe its just cos its in such rough shape that I'm feeling a little uninspired by it.
 
The blue/purple metallic colour in that final finish is actually really sick! Would love that, minus the yellow/orange.
 
I saw picture of a sort of fluorescent green Zed, i thought bit over the top, but then thought, why not it's sports car, i actually quite liked it.

Bit like the time i saw a yellow Porche 911, it actually grew on me over a minute at the petrol station.

Always fancied a cherry red metallic wrap.
 
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