E46 M3 related paint coating and systems official thread

[M3_Power 636]

Okay, so I started creating this thread over on CSL register by looking into ETK on what's available ... I thought i'd condense the findings a bit and leave this as an official thread on products available and paint codes ect .. some helpful information for those that want to restore their cars. I've just copy and pasted what I wrote in the other thread, so some of the comments might read a little odd .. but I can't be bothered editing it haha!!

First up .. the elusive Titanium Shadow trim colour ...

So I went to the official distributor of Spie Hecker and Glassurit paints here in New Zealand and asked them to search their catalogue for the elusive Titanium Shadow interior paint code to no avail ... instead, I opted for the next best thing ... I gave them a brand new trim piece and paid them to formulate it instead and mix me a batch ... I now have the paint in possession and it is a good match in my opinion. I am just awaiting on email of that formulation, once I get it I shall post for all to have


update:

Okay, so they used a Metalux tint instead as it had a cleaner silver and two correct shades ...

This is the result of a quick spray up (note the paint hasn't dried completely when I took this photo - you can just see it starting to dry in the bottom left corner of the right trim piece- left hand side is original BMW, right hand side sprayed with formulated tint).



Here's the formulation for Titanium Shadow:

Interesting stuff from the ETK system

Given that a lot of our cars are now coming up to 10 years old, usual wear and tear isn't unusual. During my pursuit of finding the correct colour coating system for the interior seats I came across some rather interesting information from my parts guy here (and no unfortunately I haven't found the correct coating system for the damn seats yet - my next step is to contact BMW Classics and see if they will help - and by the way DO NOT use the plasti-dip crap - it will ruin your seat's paint system - it will react with the original coating beneath it and your seats will look like crap (I know because I tested the stuff on a spare trim I had with the coating).


Any way, there were things that I didn't even know BMW produced and actually made available for consumers:

Things like leather repair kits, alcantara cleaning kit, interior glue, paint systems, wheel paint, interior paints, underfloor protection, cavity protection ect ect to name a few.

The category is under 83 on the BMW ETK system. Here's a couple of screen shots:





I've found the following to be rather interesting although I have not been able to confirm if any of this stuff might actually be applicable to our cars ... I am hoping and working to confirm some of them.

As a result I thought I would start an official thread on interior and exterior paints and coatings and parts catalogue for those of us who are obsessed with keeping our cars looking like it isn't 10 years old (I promise I will admit myself to a pschiatric ward after I hunt down every single component and colour system for this car )

So interestings bits:

Chrome Shadow matt spray paint (I am wondering if this is the paint used on the steering wheel trim, SMG shifter trim and the dash trim) - Part number 51 91 2 160 217


Alcantara cleaner: 83 12 2 298 211



Wheel paint system (although I am sure this isn't the CSL colour)



Interior matt filler (engine/boot) - now I am presuming this is the matte paint finish we get in our cars inside the boot and engine bay ...


So this is it so far ... my mind is spinning already looking at all the bits and pieces available. I have priced up some of the stuff and they are actually quite reasonably priced ...

Will update as I find out more stuff!!! And hopefully one day I will finally find that elusive interior seat coating and get my hands on it

Glue for the interior felt trims and rubbers

Glue for the falling felt door trim
- I know most just use superglue or the 3M interior trim adhesive ... but there's actually an official BMW product that fixes this (and a SIB claim number)

Glue part number:



SIB:

[Neal 544]

I've used those touch up sticks but didn't know half this stuff was available. Have been after the wheel shadow chrome combo for a while now. Also looking for the Steering wheel titanium trim colour and the rubber finish. Great info here !

[M3_Power 636]

Another Titanium Shadow trim piece test spray tonight with the tint formula above ... real rough and done very quickly without much thought ... again cut and paste from the other thread.

The tint formula above is a base coat colour, the reason it was done this way was so it could be sealed off in either satin or gloss should it be desired. To be honest I actually think the factory finish is simply a quick base coat spray with no sealing, hence why it is so easily marked and rubbed off.

Anyway, did another quick budget spray tonight with zero prep work on a random trim I had ... single coat cover and no rub down whatsoever. The base trim colour was black originally and I simply sprayed straight over it ... (the texture on this trim is a little weird as it had a strange texture to the plastic - one of the really early E46 trims that was almost leather like in appearance, hence the subtle difference you see)

Without flash:

Under flash:

Edited June 25, 2014 by M3_Power

[m325i 709]

Interesting. I had my interior repaired and you can tell that the new paint is slightly different to the factory, but as they aren't next to each other it's hard to notice. The SMG surround is repainted.

[bellicose 9]

Don't know about seeing them in the flesh but in the pic's they are definately two different colours. The problem with getting colours 'formulated' you're NEVER going to replicate the conditions the "matcher" used so will ALLWAYS have differences.

A short list of variables are

Temp'

Humidity

Spray gun

Spray gun setup

Painter

Just my 2c (which is worth 'bout 1.2cents)