Whether you have a brand new, or pre-owned certified BMW, it’s not only imperative to repair door dings, bumper scrapes and rock chips right away for the aesthetic appeal of your car, it is also important to prevent rust and corrosion. Here is how to fix paint chips, nicks and even deep scratches in your BMW;

Inspect the chips and scratches to see how deep they are. If you DON’T see white primer or metal in the nick or scratch, you should be able to buff them out using a cloth terry towel.  Apply a small amount of scratch remover or cleaner wax then rub in a circular motion over the chip or scratch and buff when dry. If this removes the chip or scratch follow with a good wax or polish.  You may need to repeat the application more than once to completely remove the imperfection.

For deep scratches or nicks in cars with enamel paint, touch up the blemish in your paint by; first, locating the paint code so you can correctly match the paint for your car (see blog titled “Finding the Correct Paint for Your BMW’s Finish”)   Take the paint code to your local Pennsylvania dealer, Otto’s BMW in Exton and get a small bottle of touch up paint which will come with a brush applicator.  The brush will apply the paint too broadly and make your touch up of the chip or scratch stand out, so instead of using the brush, it is recommended to use a toothpick for better paint placement.

Clean the area of the chip or scratch and dry thoroughly, then follow the directions on the touch up paint bottle. It usually will instruct you to mix thoroughly for 5 minutes (metallic paints may require more agitation). Then using the toothpick place the paint directly in the chip or scratch, allow to dry for several days before waxing or polishing (some cars have a clear coat which you would then apply exactly as you applied the paint to the affected area).

By touching up the paint you have sealed the area from the environment and greatly reduced the chances of rust setting in and corroding your car’s sheet metal. Rust is very difficult to stop once it starts, so it is better to be proactive and prevent it with proper car care and treatment by quickly repairing paint chips, nicks and scratches.