The Life of My 2008 E92 M3

Some of you might remember me picking the second E9* M3 to be delivered in the United States:

My NEW WHIP IS HERE - M3 Forum 2011 2010 BMW M3 2009 BMW M3 BMW E90 M3 E92

In April of 2010, I decided that not only would I detail my car, but I would wet sand the paint to remove every last trace of orange peel (Orange peel (effect) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). The result would be a mirror-like finish that polishing alone could never accomplish. The entire process took over two hundred hours to complete, but the results speak for themselves.

Oddly, I finished all the changes to this car only several months before picking up my next M3. Every change that I’ve made to this car revolves around creating a finished product that would resemble an OEM model.

Cosmetic Mods:

My own headlight rebuild
6000K Headlights
12000K HID Angel Eyes (camaross305)
EAS Carbon Fiber Mirror Covers
FormulaOne Pinnacle Ceramic Tint 35% (incl. windshield)
H&R Sport Springs
LED Front Turn Signal Bulbs
Macht Schnell 18mm front/15mm rear Spacers
Matte Black Kidney Grilles
Matte Black Window Trim
OEM Euro Bumper
OEM Euro Side Mirror Housings (matte black)
OEM LCI Tail Lights
VentureShield Clear Bra on front bumper, hood, and fenders
Vorsteiner Aero Boot Lid

Performance Mods:

Active Autowerke Signature X Pipe
Eisenmann Race
Macht Schnell Air Filter

Tracking my car's build (February, 2008):



Bumper removed, headlights baked open, clear reflector housing removed for painting:



Eisenmann Race Exhaust, H&R springs, and Macht Schnell 15mm/18mm spacers:



Eisenmann Race painted matte black:



Eisenmann connecting pipes painted matte black:



Paint structure illustration:



Close-up of orange peel ridges/distortion behind Lithium Chloride flame:



Severe orange peel on driver side door panel:



Chemical Guys products used during the refinishing:





Equipment used during the refinishing:



Large and small air sanders:



Mounted Blu-Ray laser to mark previous measurement positions:



Paint after decontamination, 0 PPM water drying under the sun:



Wet sanding the driver side door:



Driver side door paint measurements before wet sanding:



Tracking measurement positions on driver side door:



Driver side door paint measurements after wet sanding:



Passenger side after wet sanding:



Passenger side fender and door panel after polishing:



Lower panel before wet sanding, upper panel after wet sanding:



Side skirt before wet sanding (camera set to two separate focus positions):



Rear quarter panel after wet sanding (identical focus positions from side skirt photos):





Driver side arch prepped prior to polishing:



Driver side rear quarter after wet sanding:



Driver side rear quarter after polishing:



Wipers removed, before and after polishing:



Chemical Guys Vertua-Bond 408 ready to prep the paint prior to sealing and waxing:



Chemical Guys Jet Seal 109 ready to seal:



Rear window after polishing and application of Jet Seal 109:



Gloss restored to the left side of the hood's clear bra after heat gun treatment:



Dirty floor mats:





Chemical Guys Lightning Fast Stain Extractor ready for use:



Floor mat agitated with rotary brush and Lightning Fast Stain Extractor:



Mytee Lite II Hot Water Carpet Extractor:



Extracting dirty liquids with the Mytee Lite II:



Floor mat after extraction:



Body oils on driver side arm rest:



Leather Master Kit and Chemical Guys Liquid Extreme Shine Dressing:



Leather Master Vital to protect the driver side door panel's Fox Red leather:



Chemical Guys Liquid Extreme Shine Dressing applied to the drivers side door panel:





Unilux 3000 Vapor Cleaner:











Sterilizing the driver's side cockpit:





Vapor cleaning the driver's seat:



Interior finished:







Vapor cleaning the engine bay:



Chemical Guys Fade2Black:



Driver side front wheel removed:



Chemical Guys Grime Reaper Degreaser applied to the wheel well:



After application of (1) Chemical Guys Blue Guard, and (2) Chemical Guys Fade2Black:





Chemical Guys Jet Seal 109 curing on the wheel's interior:



Canon 5D Mark II has arrived; Chemical Guys Celeste Dettaglio wax applied:



Finally free of orange peel:











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awesome and crazy :applause2:

 

speechless.

 

beautiful! fantastic work! :applause2:

 

Simply stunning man! I'm in envy of your supplies and equipment.

Great work.

 

wow I never seen details like yours, anymore.????

 

Crystal clear!!

 

sick collection, sick car, sick camera!

thanks for the write up, that was fantastic to read and look at.

 

Beyond great work, really awesome top to bottom! BMW orange peel sucks and you took care of it right away with all the best gear.

Very tastefully done car as well, props!!!!

 

every aspect of this detail is stunning. the final outcome....the car is perfect

 

well done!

 

WOW you have a lot of gear and polishing the wipers.. crazy.

 

one word SICK! :worship2:

your license plate :thumb:

 

For a guy of your caliber and eye for detail, I bet it must be driving you bonkers to be running two different brand tires between front & rear??

 

Do another one!!!!!!!!!!!!:worship2:

 

Coming to see you next time I am in Beverly Hills

 

Very well done. How is the tint on the windshield? Any distortion or compromises with night driving?

 

wow, dude, pretty amazing!

 

Insaneeeee

Your detailing cabinet is awesome. I am envious lol

 

Great work dude!