2009 BMW Touch Up Paint (60 OEM Colors)

The 2009 BMW Vibe

You remember 2009. The global economy was doing a backflip, but BMW was still acting like the king of the left lane. This was the year of the E90 3 Series and the E60 5 Series-cars that looked like they were moving 80 mph while sitting in a driveway. With 60 colors in our database for this year alone, BMW was clearly in its "more is more" phase. They were throwing sophisticated metallics like Space Gray and Jerez Black Pearl at everything from the pint-sized 1 Series to the V10-powered M6. It was a glorious era of high-tech finishes that looked deep enough to swim in, provided you didn't look too closely at the bumper.

Paint Health Check

Here is the cold, hard truth: 2009 was the peak of the Thin Paint Era. By this time, factory robots had become so "efficient" that they were laying down clear coats thinner than a dealership's promise. Your 2009 Bimmer might look glossy, but that clear coat is likely only 35 to 50 microns thick. Because the paint is so brittle and thin, these cars are absolute magnets for stone chips. If you've spent any time on the highway, your hood probably looks like it's been peppered by a shotgun. To make matters worse, the "orange peel" texture became more noticeable during this era-a side effect of those robots trying to save every drop of paint possible.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up that Alpine White III or Carbon Black Metallic, remember: you are a surgeon, not a house painter. Because the factory finish is so thin, you cannot afford to "blob" the paint on and expect to sand it down later; you'll burn through the surrounding clear coat before you even level the repair. Build your layers slowly. Use a fine-tipped brush or a toothpick to fill the chip in 2-3 thin passes, allowing for shrinkage between coats. Your goal is to fill the crater until it's just flush with the surface. Don't get greedy-patience is the only way to beat the robots.