7 Series BMW Paint Quality Issues

**gatoman39** · 06-26-2012, 01:46 PM

2011 750LXi. The color is Citrin Black. Anybody have any ideas what this is? The car is brand new and there are these marks on the car. At first they look like bird etchings, but etching usually eat into the paint, this look like it's coming up from the base coat.

**Y2KSVT** · 06-26-2012, 01:58 PM

How "brand new" is the car? I'd personally be looking at having BMW swap out the car for another brand new car with the same options. That looks like the paint is bubbling up, possibly from poor prep work. With all the automation there is with new vehicles, there may have been some contamination prior to going to paint, but I couldn't begin to guess what that contamination would be. Which panels are we looking at? It's hard to tell with how close up the shots are. How large are the affected areas? Does the paint feel soft in those areas?

**gatoman39** · 06-26-2012, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by Y2KSVT

How "brand new" is the car? I'd personally be looking at having BMW swap out the car for another brand new car with the same options. That looks like the paint is bubbling up, possibly from poor prep work. With all the automation there is with new vehicles, there may have been some contamination prior to going to paint, but I couldn't begin to guess what that contamination would be. Which panels are we looking at? It's hard to tell with how close up the shots are. How large are the affected areas? Does the paint feel soft in those areas?

My friend took delivery of the car in January 2011. The damaged areas are about 3-4 inches or less in diameter and are on the passenger side of the hood. The paint is still hard, not soft...

**Bill1234** · 06-26-2012, 05:53 PM

Looks like poor prep work or particles that got under the paint from the factory. I would go to the bmw dealer and ask if there is zero cost towards poor paintwork or since its a lemon, the lemon law might apply here.

**gatoman39** · 06-26-2012, 06:10 PM

I agree, it doesn't look like bird poop, it looks like it's under the basecoat which would mean it's a manufacturing defect. It's not like it's on some innocuous place on the car either, it's on the worst part. The one every one looks at.

**aray** · 08-08-2012, 12:02 AM

I know I'm a month late on this thread, but maybe I can put some of my useless BMW knowledge to use.

Citrin black metallic is a "BMW Individual" color. It came as part of a ~8k option package for F01 7 series cars. BMW Individual is sort of like BMW's custom shop. If a guy in Dubai wants his name in the headrests and a purple dash, BMW will do it for a (extreme) cost.

We arent allowed as many Individual options in the US since so many US cars are leased, and dealers don't want obnoxious custom configurations coming back at turn in.

Long story made short - I don't know the paint process used, but chances are it differs from the regular BMW automated method. Human error is possible.....but disappointing. In theory these cars are supposed to have more attention to detail than the usual robots...

I would get a couple opinions then contact the dealer, then quickly escalate to BMW North America.

Mike Phillips · 08-08-2012, 06:44 AM

Looks like the panel was repainted to me and sub-standard prep work was done.

Dealerships do repaints on brand new cars and I've read on this forum that if the cost is under $500.00 they don't have to declare it. I guess the clincher is if they do the work at their own in-house body shop then they can adjust a more costly repair to always be under $500.00 just to avoid having to declare it.

I "think" it was David Fermani that posted this to our forum as he works in the insurance industry so again, the above is something I "think" I read on this forum.