Optical dents in door panels

[hpeet79]

I noticed there are some dents in de door panels. They are clearly visible when looking for dents the usual way. According to bmw this is normal and a product spec because it is thermo plastic.

So i was wondering if more people have this? Can you check your i3? You should see that the surface of the doors is not nicely even.

Thanks & regards

Henry

 

[websterize]

Henry, I take it these don't show up in a photo? I'm having a tough time visualizing your concern.

 

[hpeet79]

When the i3 is back (it is at the dealer) i'll try to make pictures. The dealer days all i3 have this. It is indeed hard to explain in english.

 

[WoodlandHills]

I think he might be talking about the rough paint job with all the tiny dimples/dents or orange peel in the surface. It really is a terrible surface compared to other $50k vehicles..... My 2008 smart car has better paint on its plastic body parts!

 

[MikeS]

Must say that I have always been impressed with the finish on my i3.

 

[WoodlandHills]

Must say that I have always been impressed with the finish on my i3.

Maybe there haven't been enough sunny days this winter to tell? Here in California the sun shines every day and it is easy to see paint imperfections in the reflections. It is not just BMW, between having to use Eco-friendly water based paints and not being able to use electrostatic techniques on plastic all the manufacturers are having troubles.

 

[jadnashuanh]

Pretty much all modern cars have plastic parts, primarily the bumper covers, but often elsewhere. BMW uses the same robots to paint the i3 as other models. Personally, I've not noticed paint problems with mine.

 

[hpeet79]

I got the i3 back from the dealer. I tried to make pictures but it is impossible to see so I made short videos while moving. You'll see the reflection in the panel bend where the surface is not smooth & it looks like several dents/dimples. Check if your i3 has it aswell.

Left side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3U9QR090Cs
Right side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MICNhFJlsQ0

Still it is hard to shoot on video. In real life it is easy to see. According to BMW this is a product property? To me it is bad quality.

 

[I33t]

Can't see it. Where are the dimples/dents?

The vid is so low resolution we're not going to see much of anything.

How about you put arrows on the vid pointing to the imperfections and upload hires versions (1080P) ?

 

[hpeet79]

Strange, i made the video with my iphone 6, it is 1080p, you can set this on youtube. I agree it is hard to see if you don't know where to look... I'll see if I can make a video with arrows or something.

 

[I33t]

The resolution has improved since I first looked at it, maybe there was some background processing going on at youtube or something.

Anyway, I think I can now see what you mean. Haven't noticed anything like that on mine but it's silver. Will have a look in daylight. Nothing like dark colors to show up every imperfection...

 

[Tomasz]

I looked at the video twice and still can't be 100% sure I know what you are talking about. BUT if what I see is what you mean then no - mine doesn't have anything like that.

 

[WoodlandHills]

I can see it and it looks just like mine. It is interesting that we both have the same color, the base non metallic paint. Maybe the issue is confined to those cars? If you can't see it in your paint now, stop looking, because once you do notice it it will always be a nagging irritant whenever you see it in the right/wrong light.
I do a little painting and to my eye it looks like the paint didn't flow out the way it was supposed to leaving the surface with thousands of tiny low spots. It is easiest to see on a sunny day with a strong angular reflection and will make the reflected image look pixilated and is particularly noticeable along the edges of reflected images. I took mine back to the dealer and was told that it was just typical for the model. The 328 they gave as a loaner was even worse: the reflections looked like some kind of pointillist painting! So I just dropped it and console myself with the fact that it is just a lease.

 

[hpeet79]

The color of my i3 is Laurus grey, not aravani. I don't accept it, my car is not lease but bought and I want a car without dents/dimples. I let it rest for now but i'll check more i3 when they come available to see if newer ones have the same issues.

 

[mindmachine]

I have the solar orange, nothing like that on my paint. Mine looks flawless.

 

[hpeet79]

It has been a while ago since i posted, but BMW has solved my problem of "optical dents" in the door panels. New panels have been installed and painted. The reason of the dents were probably caused because BMW removed the applied stickers (it was a demo car) with a heat gun. This has caused the plastic panels to misform.

Now it is gone but still the paint job is a poor one because of the "orange peel" effect. All BMW have this unfortunately. Anyway, the dents are gone.

 

[NoMoreGas]

I have the Laurus gray and I have detailed my car (clay, correction, sealant) this past weekend and have been over the i3 with a fine tooth comb. I have a lot of experience with this. There is a ding on the rear back door on the passenger side that I saw in your video. That looks to me to be a door ding from a fellow parker who opened in to you. I have no such marks anywhere on my car and in fact have remarked how perfect my car's paintwork is. I have a 2015 STi that has softer paint and a 2015 Golf R which is also slightly softer. The i3 has very hard paint and it is more difficult to correct. I have absolutely NO orange peel. Both the R and the i3 do not have any protection as in side moldings so one must park far away from others with these vehicles if you wish to avoid the door dings.

 

[WoodlandHills]

It is good that your particular i3 has no orange peel, but based upon my car as well as others I have seen that is the exception. I have not seen a single i3 in which the reflections coming off of the painted surfaces are not "pixelated".

 

[hpeet79]

I have the Laurus gray and I have detailed my car (clay, correction, sealant) this past weekend and have been over the i3 with a fine tooth comb. I have a lot of experience with this. There is a ding on the rear back door on the passenger side that I saw in your video. That looks to me to be a door ding from a fellow parker who opened in to you. I have no such marks anywhere on my car and in fact have remarked how perfect my car's paintwork is. I have a 2015 STi that has softer paint and a 2015 Golf R which is also slightly softer. The i3 has very hard paint and it is more difficult to correct. I have absolutely NO orange peel. Both the R and the i3 do not have any protection as in side moldings so one must park far away from others with these vehicles if you wish to avoid the door dings.

As i said the "dings" were not caused by fellow parkers but because BMW removed stickers from the panels with a heat gun. This has malformed the plastic panels causing the dents (they don't like heat). And you don't get dings easily on an i3 by fellow parkers because it is plastic, it is flexible. Try pushing the panels by hand gently and you'll see, try that with your golf or subaru and you'll have a dent... Anyway, BMW will paint my panels again because they agreed the paintjob was not done correctly by the painter. (Too much orange peel). I do not agree the i3 has hard paint, maybe some parts but definately not the rear bumper, the paint is really soft there, you can easily press a fingernail in it. Maybe because you detailed your car the orange peel has become less apparent, it is however nice for you that your i3 has a perfect paintjob.

 

[jadnashuanh]

A good polish with a random orbital device can work wonders with almost any paintjob.