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      12-01-2017, 04:49 PM   #1
allenpk
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2018 LCI M2 in Prod - Few Questions!

Greetings everyone!

Put my deposit in for a 2018 M2 LCI BSM a few months ago, currently in production for a delivery mid Jan.

For all you current owners in the NOVA area, a few questions!

1. What did you guys do with your front plate? Did you drill it, tow hook, or are you leaving it on the windshield? How strict is NOVA with front plates?

2. Any recommendations for tints/ppf?

3. Anything I should know as a new owner?

Thanks!
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      12-01-2017, 05:28 PM   #2
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All American Paint Protection in Rockville MD does the absolute cleanest clear bra installs I have seen. Excellent job with ceramic coating as well. Not cheap, but truly meticulous. I'd go with a 35% tint personally. Dark enough, but won't attract too much attention.
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      12-01-2017, 06:11 PM   #3
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Congrats and welcome! BSM FTW! There's an f87 DMV group on fb as well, there's over 30 of us in there.

Tow hook for license plate, most will go for the us millworks. Tint in va is 50% fronts and yes they are strict. I've actually been pulled over just for tints when everyone else was speeding past me. PPF would go with raja at speed and tech motoring, I want to say he's covered most of the m2's around here, quality work.

Last edited by wanofakind01; 12-02-2017 at 10:25 AM..
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      12-01-2017, 06:16 PM   #4
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Exoctic Vehicle Wraps in Dulles is pretty killer, and Bobby the owner is a great guy. I’ve had half the car wrapped in PPF and ceramic coating there. All perfect. My M2 was by far the least “Exotic” car there. Lots of high end vehicles.

Plus, they’re close to RRT (fantastic BMW race shop) and D&V Auto Body. All three shops are so good I drive from Silver Spring to go there. The great thing is they all know each other and will shuttle your car between shops to knock out mechanical and cosmetic work in one trip.

If you go to any of them, just tell them Zack with the LBB M2 recommended you. Love all those guys.
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      12-07-2017, 12:43 AM   #5
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I would say the tint thing mentioned above is an anomaly but I have an AW car . My tint is Carbon 35% front and back . As for front plate, I went with US millwork lightweight quick release tow hook plate . Very quality material and doesn’t move at all unless moved by hand . Comes off with 2 pins if you need to get behind it on a wash or before you run it through a machine.

My last advice.. DO NOT LET THE DEALER WASH YOUR CAR. I think I just narrowed down my side skirt mystery abrasions to BMW Fairfax’s car wash machine they use damaging the left side skirt. It’s very minuscule but I have a brown scuff mark on the underside of the left side skirt that I plan on correcting in the spring along with gyeon coating afterwards (most likely) as well to make my hand washes easier/faster
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      12-07-2017, 12:47 AM   #6
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My last advice is. I do not think NOVA is too strict about front plates but at my first C&C in Sterling a guy was ticketed before the event for not having his on. I also would like to tell you that you will not be driving in NOVA at all times and that leniency does not translate to other areas of the state. I don’t give them any reason to pull me aside from the tint (never had an issue, even with long hard looks at me/my car)
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      12-07-2017, 05:30 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian ///M View Post
My last advice.. DO NOT LET THE DEALER WASH YOUR CAR. I think I just narrowed down my side skirt mystery abrasions to BMW Fairfax’s car wash machine they use damaging the left side skirt.
Nope...never ever ever ever. I make that perfectly clear to the SA any time I go in for service - DO NOT WASH. It's complimentary, sure...complimentary scratches and other unwanted things.
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      12-08-2017, 04:25 PM   #8
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I have the US Millworks hook as well, and have it on now since it bugs my wife if it is not there when she drives it. I have never been pulled over with my other cars without the front plate in NOVA, but YMMV.

I use Dave at TLC Auto Detail in Dulles...does nice work.
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      12-08-2017, 04:40 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian ///M View Post

My last advice.. DO NOT LET THE DEALER WASH YOUR CAR. I think I just narrowed down my side skirt mystery abrasions to BMW Fairfax’s car wash machine they use damaging the left side skirt. It’s very minuscule but I have a brown scuff mark on the underside of the left side skirt that I plan on correcting in the spring along with gyeon coating afterwards (most likely) as well to make my hand washes easier/faster
Whoa! What makes you think they messed up the paint? If so, the issue you were having on the inside rockers were not from normal driving?

Picking my car up on Tuesday and now I'm wondering if I should have the dealership leave the shipping vinyl on and go straight to a professional detailer.
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      12-09-2017, 08:54 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by HODLM View Post
Whoa! What makes you think they messed up the paint? If so, the issue you were having on the inside rockers were not from normal driving?

Picking my car up on Tuesday and now I'm wondering if I should have the dealership leave the shipping vinyl on and go straight to a professional detailer.
No correlation, to the wear and tear on the rocker paint facing the tire. That wear comes from the side skirt paint being exposed to any dust/sand/rocks the front tires throw back and the close proximity it is to the tire itself

I have a brown abrasion mark on the underside of my rocker near the door edge that I think comes from the track/guide the machine uses to run the car through. I had no idea what it came from (thought maybe I went over something and threw it back and that’s where it happened to jump off the asphalt and hit) but after my last trip I picked up a few more smaller abrasions I believe that’s what the original mark comes from. I’m going to get them corrected in the Spring
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      12-13-2017, 02:33 PM   #11
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Congrats! You will love the car!

First, tell the dealer to Not install the front plate. I did not install the front plate and do not plan on doing so. It is a $100 fine with no points if you get pulled over. I was pulled over at 7:30AM going to a car meet one morning - by a VA state cop. The majority of feedback I hear in regards to a front plate is local cops really don't care, the state cops will bust you for it. I have not had a front plate on my 355is since day one 2012, and have not had any trouble since.
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      12-13-2017, 08:36 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allenpk View Post
Greetings everyone!

Put my deposit in for a 2018 M2 LCI BSM a few months ago, currently in production for a delivery mid Jan.

For all you current owners in the NOVA area, a few questions!

1. What did you guys do with your front plate? Did you drill it, tow hook, or are you leaving it on the windshield? How strict is NOVA with front plates?

2. Any recommendations for tints/ppf?

3. Anything I should know as a new owner?

Thanks!
1. If you hate the look of a tow hook mount, as I do, you could go with this one (centered, no drilling, easy on & off - I posted a couple pics of mine in this thread):

Carbonio front plate mount

3. I live in MD, which has an extremely high number of cops per capita, but VA cops are the worst (my sister lived in NOVA for nearly a decade and I visited often):

- only state where radar detectors are illegal

- stupid annual 'inspection' and big ugly yellow inspection cert on your windshield

- they will ticket you for 'RD' ('Reckless Driving'!) if you hit a measly 80 mph while going downhill passing a truck on the interstate, then they will fine you $250 for this great offense and you'll have to hire a lawyer for a flat fee of $200 to get the charge reduced to simple speeding (at least if you're out of state and/or you are several hours from the county of the offense... can you say "racket"? In MD this would be a simple $90 fine...)

- VA cops can't even be trusted with giving simple directions, such as when I was young and lost on a highway, a VA cop sent me in the wrong direction when asked which way to Richmond (he had a 50% chance of getting it right & I'm quite certain he knew the right way!)
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      12-19-2017, 02:22 PM   #13
allenpk
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Thanks for the quality feedback everyone!

I went ahead and ordered the Carbonio for the front plate mount.

With regards to the PPF, what material did you all use? I'm thinking XPEL from the reviews I've read. Did you do a full body or just the front?

Thanks!
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      12-20-2017, 09:08 AM   #14
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I have used both Xpel and SunTek on other cars and been equally happy with both. My detailer (TLC Auto Detail) still has SunTek but also recently added Clearguard Nano, which he claims is the best...currently. I may go with that on the M2.

I have not done full body, just coverage in key areas and this has worked out for me. Your driving conditions may be different...but mine includes heavy track use so I feel relatively confident you don't need full body...but you never know where that stray rock might hit...
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      12-24-2017, 02:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allenpk View Post
Thanks for the quality feedback everyone!

I went ahead and ordered the Carbonio for the front plate mount.

With regards to the PPF, what material did you all use? I'm thinking XPEL from the reviews I've read. Did you do a full body or just the front?

Thanks!
I'd contact Raja at SpeedandTechmotoring https://www.facebook.com/SpeedAndTech/ for his 10 year warranty work and he possibly provides a loaner car too. Not to mention the tremendous work has done for the M2 owners in our area.

He has multiple people out of state that travel here just to get xpel done by him.
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      05-02-2018, 08:45 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by Day Laborer View Post
I'd contact Raja at SpeedandTechmotoring https://www.facebook.com/SpeedAndTech/ for his 10 year warranty work and he possibly provides a loaner car too. Not to mention the tremendous work has done for the M2 owners in our area.

He has multiple people out of state that travel here just to get xpel done by him.
but i though had xpel installer in all states. Unless this guy is super duper good.
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      05-02-2018, 10:05 AM   #17
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but i though had xpel installer in all states. Unless this guy is super duper good.
Yes, his service and skills are excellent, he's been doing this for the BMW community for a long time. Also, helps that he sometimes provides a loaner car if its available.
He also gives a discount for M2's since he has started to do so many in the area as well. Its grown into a little community of M2 owners in DC as well: https://www.facebook.com/groups/178218866038616/
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