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If you were, um, “lucky” enough to snap up one of the 30 limited edition Frozen Gray M3 coupes from BMW, you’ll be signing some additional paperwork when you take delivery of your car. You know that paint job you paid extra for? The one that distinguishes the limited edition coupes from the rest of the herd and looks like a bad rattle can paint job done in a dusty garage? You’ll have to agree to BMW’s specific care instructions before they hand over the keys. Oh, and good luck with any warranty paint claims if BMW finds you didn’t follow the care instructions to the letter.
If you’re waiting on delivery, here are BMW’s guidelines, published by Left Lane News, for maintaining the Frozen Gray finish:
*Never polish or wax the frozen gray paint as it could lead to a glossy surface.?
*If washing your frozen gray M3 in a automatic car wash choose a car wash that does not apply vehicle wax. Rinse the M3 with high pressure water to remove dirt before sending it through the automatic car wash to avoid scratches from sand, dust and other micro-particles.
?*Remove bugs, bird poo, tree sap, tar, fuel spills or oil immediately using a soft sponge.?
*Avoid strong rubbing while cleaning the frozen paint. BMW sells suitable products for maintaining the frozen paint at your local dealer.
?*Repairs to the paint (scratches, dents, etching) must be completed by a BMW trained body shop. Most auto body shop will not be capable of repairing the frozen gray paint.
In other words, you’re paying serious money for a finish that can’t be taken through most automatic car washes, has to be constantly maintained to protect from environmental hazards and can’t be repaired by most body shops. Maybe BMW should have released the car in an unpainted, bare steel “lightweight” version that required customers to oil the steel daily. Sounds like that would have been simpler to maintain.
I’m calling bullshit on the repainting. unless its a powder coat and than I wouldn’t bother driving it
nospaces, I can guarantee there’s no bullshit. First, BMW really IS that arrogant, and second, the Frozen Gray is a special paint that consists of BMW’s Space Gray base topped with their ColorSilk Matte clearcoat.
I’m sure there will be lawsuits aplenty from owners who insist they followed the paint care instructions to the letter (except for that don’t use drive-through carwashes thing) and still are unhappy with the finish.
…what’s wrong with having to take “special care” of a “special paint job”
c’mon people, The way I figure, if you were one of the lucky, and yes I actually mean lucky, people to get one of these beasts, then you can probably just have your personal detailer take care of the cleansing part of the ownership. Hopefully, no one is dumb enough to run this limited edition baby through a $2.50 gas station car wash. Is the paint job cool, yes. Is it practical, no. But then again really cool stuff, usually isn’t too sensible….
e46 fanatic, if this were Germany, I’d be inclined to agree with you. Do you really think that the majority of the Frozen Gray buyers in this country will adhere to the care guidelines? My guess is no, and I expect the lawsuits against BMW (regardless of the paint waiver) to begin shortly after delivery of the first Frozen Gray coupe.
Good to see you back, BTW. Hope you were on vaction someplace cool – strafing the Autobahn in a rented 135i, perhaps?
“e46 fanatic, if this were Germany, I’d be inclined to agree with you. Do you really think that the majority of the Frozen Gray buyers in this country will adhere to the care guidelines?”
I think you just made his point for him Kurt. It’s not a BMW problem, it’s the BMW Buyer’s problem. If the buyer can’t take care of it the way they’re supposed to, then the faults on them.
seriously? This sounds less like a car and more like a Gremlin…”don’t wash the M3 under a full moon, especially in the southern hemisphere…”
You guys think the buyer of a limited edition car isn’t going to follow the care instructions? Gimme a break guys. We all know what we’ve bought and intend to take VERY good care of it.
Marc, the very fact that you’re posting here (on an enthusiast site) tells me you’ll take care of your M3. I just don’t have the same faith in the other buyers, limited edition or not.