# Paint thickness on BMW E93?



## 318 (Aug 27, 2008)

Hi guys,

Just recently bought a PTG off ebay and it's a whole new world of OCD knowledge. If anyone was thinking about getting one my advice is that Christmas is around the corner... get one! :thumb:

My 2008 BMW E93 has a bonnet paint thickness of about 130-140 microns. Does anyone know if that's about right? I think it is. What kind of clearcoat thickness should I expect on that paint? I'm thinking of tackling the orange peel slowly, slowly but need to know some more about how far I can go. Already have a spare bonnet lying around from an old Pug with has similar paint thickness. But on the sills and under the bonnet it has paint varying from 50 to 150 microns. 

Thanks for any and all advice,

318


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## Coachman (Mar 8, 2015)

Measure in a place with little to no clear coat and make a guess. The only way to 100% know clear coat only is by spending thousands on a pdg


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## 318 (Aug 27, 2008)

Ok thanks!


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## James_R (Jun 28, 2007)

Yes have a look at the inside of the doors/sills

I have a BMW MINI and the general paint thickness is around 110-120um
The sills and under bonnet are around 60um

Hence you've got around 50um of clear


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## Blackroc (Dec 10, 2012)

120-140 is common place on nearly every BMW I've seen. 200+ and it's had some work done


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## Guitarjon (Jul 13, 2012)

Agree'd most German cars have around that but always worth checking. The opposite I've known a lot of mazdas around or less than 95um but then still had 50um of clear. Don't be fooled into thinking a car has less to work with if it gives a lower reading. Check somewhere up laquered or only a small amount of laquer and check the difference.


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## 318 (Aug 27, 2008)

Haven't seen anything over 140 yet so don't think any work has been done. It would just be worth knowing what a new car paint thickness would be.

318


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

Bmw paint isn't what it was back in the day, mighty thin these days!!!!!


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

suspal said:


> Bmw paint isn't what it was back in the day, mighty thin these days!!!!!


I would have to disagree with that to be honest. There's still plenty to play with on modern Beamers.


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

Clark @ PB said:


> I would have to disagree with that to be honest. There's still plenty to play with on modern Beamers.


Really Clark you wanna see some mini's that have come out with really thin paint,really unaceptable 60um, unless you have the use of a positector 200 or such ptg go careful.
And clark I didn't say you couldn't machine polish the newer Bmw's,and that goes for all manufactures these day's with today's paint process's and paint technology.


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## Clark @ PB (Mar 1, 2006)

Yeah we've done a few Mini GP Works that have shown low overall readings but once you get some reliable split layer readings there's more clear coat there than you'd initially think


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## Spirit Detailing (Mar 29, 2007)

Over at the plant, Mini have modernised the atomiser-bell spray technology and the updated process also allowed them to remove the need for a primer coat. The end result is a thinner reading on your PTG but you still have adequate clear to polish responsibly.


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## 318 (Aug 27, 2008)

Well to report back some useful info...

On a BMW Jerez Metallic Black R reg that has been polished with a DA a few times (less than five) the paint readings are...

scan0001 by 318, on Flickr

Not too clear on the top left I scribbled down the left side door sills.


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## 318 (Aug 27, 2008)

The numbers like "43" are clearly meant to mean 143 microns.


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