Full Paint Correction and Opti-Coat on 2002 BMW e39 M5
This 2002 BMW M5 came to us all the way from Illinois for a paint correction and Opti-Coat application. This e39 M5 arrived Friday evening – to be picked up again Sunday noon. Since there was rain forecast for Sunday (rain that never did come) I set out to have the car fully coated by Saturday night, to allow for the most cure time before it had to get out in the rain.
Strip Down
As soon as the car went through the intake process, all trim pieces, license plates, and tail lights were removed. Since the car was beading quite well – indicative of wax – the M5 was washed with a dish soap detergent to remove as much wax as possible. (anytime you see my left hand cleaning something, rest assured that shot is staged – my camera operates right handed)
The grill got flossed, and any remaining wax residues were cleared out of the crevices
Paint Correction
This car was in fairly decent shape, indicative of the great care it has received. The number of visible swirls did not nearly interfere with the shine as much as the Ford from last week, but we still were able to restore a lot of depth and shine back to the paint by polishing away the most minute interferences in the paint. (click any picture to enlarge)
The late night low light and schedule constraints of this detail, along with the color’s forgiving nature, did not produce the usual amount of dramatic 50/50 photography, but in person, it was easy to see that our hard work was going to be rewarded with a significant depth and clarity increase.
As we worked on under the scrutiny of hot halogen lights, we really got to appreciate the full dynamic color range of the Chiaretto Red paint.
The owner also specified the he would like us to remove the DINAN badge.
After heating the adhesive loose we were able to peel these off. A clay bar and much cleaning took care of the residue adhesive and wax, and the polishing step got rid of the marring that was left behind, leaving a smooth clean surface.
After a late night/early morning on the first day, copious amount of a special grind were produced to aid in the clarity of the process..
The headlights were polished – to further correct them would require a sanding step. The car was lifted up to gain better access to the diffuser and bumpers.
Wheels were removed, cleaned, and topped with a sealant. Pre-Cat O2 sensors were replaced as well.
The car got its final wipedown and inspection, then it was topped with a layer of Opti-Coat to protect our hard work. Following an overnight cure, we reinstalled all that we had removed and went out on the town to get some beauty shots.
If you are interested in shining and protecting your investment, drop us a line for a free consultation and sample area correction . To see all our finished pictures – visit http://studioem.zenfolio.com/red-e39-m5
