Painting

[wantahotbimmer]

I want to get the F/R bumpers and side skirts painted on my 92 325i. I think these grey parts look absolutly ugly and i want them to go...now!!! About how expensive would getting a good quality paint job that matches my body paint? Also, how hard could it be if i try to do it my self granted i can find a good paint that can match?

 

[elekt]

my friend who got skirts painted red to match his eclipse spent 200 but he had a wierd color also for 300 i think you could get a factory match
if your car is white or black, i sugeest dooing it yourself. All you need is some gloss paint probably 2 cans to be sure, and youll need sand paper (automotive finishing sand paper and like some 600 grit just to rough the plastic up), and if you want your paint job to last get some clear coat also maybe 2 cans.

 

[bmw4life13]

you also need to consider how old your current paint is on the rest of your car. i would definitely get it professionally done. it is much harder matching paint on an old paint job than on a brand new car.

 

[the dude]

well when I got my moldings painted I got it done for 300 bucks at an auto body shop. They were asking 400 but I negotiated Heres the downer. The color was just the slightest shade off. Since then I got them repainted at bmw for free ( I got the hookup) and they did it perfect at BMW. I asked them how much it would have cost and I think there answer was somewhere between $700 - $800. So there you go hope that helps. I know 800 sounds like a lot (it is), considering you could get dinan CAI and a shark injector for about the same, but i completely think its worth it. Personally I think all bmws are fast. some faster than others, but for me id rather make my bmw look as cool as it can, bc realisticly, unless im spending multiple thousands my car wont be as fast as an m3/m5 etc. someday i will buy an m3 and have ridiculous speed as well, but for now id rather clean up my cars appearance and maybe throw in some minor preformance modifications. It sounds like you might be on the same page as me, and i think if you fork out the cash you be enamored by your cars new gorgeous appearance.

 

[carcus]

well when I got my moldings painted I got it done for 300 bucks at an auto body shop. They were asking 400 but I negotiated Heres the downer. The color was just the slightest shade off. Since then I got them repainted at bmw for free ( I got the hookup) and they did it perfect at BMW. I asked them how much it would have cost and I think there answer was somewhere between $700 - $800. So there you go hope that helps. I know 800 sounds like a lot (it is), considering you could get dinan CAI and a shark injector for about the same, but i completely think its worth it. Personally I think all bmws are fast. some faster than others, but for me id rather make my bmw look as cool as it can, bc realisticly, unless im spending multiple thousands my car wont be as fast as an m3/m5 etc. someday i will buy an m3 and have ridiculous speed as well, but for now id rather clean up my cars appearance and maybe throw in some minor preformance modifications. It sounds like you might be on the same page as me, and i think if you fork out the cash you be enamored by your cars new gorgeous appearance.

I go with the dude 100 percent...and the painted body trim LOOKS AWSOME!!! Really cleans the E36 up. I need to look into painting my trim around the bumpers. My body moldings being a 97 are factory painted, but the trim painted looks AWSOME. Would rather get my trim painted....personal opinion, than shell out 350 bones for a CAI that gives me a few HP. Again, just my opinion. I do stand by the message that, "It is YOUR car and do what YOU want to it!" What makes you happy.

 

[Natopotato]

CHEAP temp solution ?... and it might juz work

http://www.bimmerzone.com/gray.htm

if any body has done this let me know... also wondering if u can do this to the f/r bumper as well..

 

[skandalous]

Wait, so there's paint under the gray. That's a dumb thing. Why didn't BMW just leave them the painted color and not put gray stuff on it?

 

[Natopotato]

exacty my thoughts they must have done it to match the bumper and backend which they were to lazy to paint i guess... wierd

 

[wantahotbimmer]

thx for the help guys...i don't think i'll try that steel wool idea, cause my bumpers will still be gray...ill prolly just take it in to get it painted, all of it. thx anyway