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Thread: Roof Protection

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,743
    My Cars
    98 M3, 03 540it M-Sport

    Roof Protection

    Living in SoCal and having the car live outside all the time, I want to get some paint protection for the roof. I've been toying with either some sort of paint coating, like CQuartz UK, or a vinyl wrap, shinny blank preferred. Price-wise, CQuartz is like $70 for the kit, and the wrap will cost around $300 on the cheap end from a "buddy" or over $600 if I go to a shop to get it done. Since the paint is in great shape, I'd like to protect the clear coat (especially on the roof) as much as I can. What have you guys done for this, or which of these do you recommend? TIA
    '98 M3 5spd - '03 540it 6spd M-Sport

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Tempe, AZ
    Posts
    7,657
    My Cars
    1995 525i/5
    I've just kept my 540it sealed and waxed consistently with AmmoNYC products. I've had it for 2 years here in Arizona and it was originally a SoCal car. It's more or less lived outside since I bought it, and the paint's holding up nicely.
    1995 525i 5-speed - Thread

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    saratoga ca
    Posts
    114
    My Cars
    2001 525i Touring
    my roof is wrapped in clear 3m protective film. No complaints so far.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    mitten
    Posts
    3,760
    My Cars
    525it,02 525it,73 2002
    Would just wax. I have seen the clear coat peel away when removing decals let alone vinyl wrap.


  5. #5
    geargrinder's Avatar
    geargrinder is offline Having No Trouble Here BMW CCA Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    AndoverRockport MA & Intl
    Posts
    14,856
    My Cars
    E46M3Cic E39.540iT E84X1
    I think if you wrap with a color (aka matte black - fine - or, god forbid, fake carbon fiber uggh) it should protect the top clearcoat and paint from further UV degradation.

    I have buds who've wrapped and unwrapped cars no problem. I think the key is if your existing clearcoat is solid/secure now or not.

    What color is the car in question? It's my observation that its the dark colors for E39's that lose the clearcoat and have paint-burn damage - especially seems to be the black cars and sometimes the darker blues too. If its a black car and the paint is showing signs of pre-damage, then I'd agree w/ JP... On other hand, if the paint is going to be losing it already, then, not much to lose...
    2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
    2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
    2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
    2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)

    Former:

    1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
    1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    San Diego, CA
    Posts
    1,743
    My Cars
    98 M3, 03 540it M-Sport
    Car is sapphire black metallic. I washed and waxed it last with with GG carnuba wax. It needs a good paint correction as it's the swirliest part of the car. I'll get my buffer back in a week or so and strip the wax, clay, correct and CQuartz UK 3.0 it as I already bought some for another car. I'm trying to research UV protection between CQuartz and wax to see which is better.
    '98 M3 5spd - '03 540it 6spd M-Sport

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