[Keiffer-F87]

Would anybody know, what to use, to thin BMW touchup paint? I have a very small chip on my rear bumper, and I purchased the BMW touchup paint, but the touchup paint is much too thick. I know it depends on what the chemical make up is, for the touchup paint. So what is the proper medium
too thin to BMW touchup paint?

[///MPhatic]

The short answer is; you probably can't.

Paint for any car is made up of several parts (reducer, catalyzer, hardener, etc). These parts are mixed together to allow the paint to flow, and outgas over time to allow the paint to harden. Touch-up paint that's getting thick is just the result of those chemicals outgassing. If the process has not gone too far you could mix in some lacquer thinner, but that's about it.

[zkeeper]

Mphatic is correct...also take the brush out with a little paint on it. Use a small plastic lid, place a drop of lacquer thinner on lid, then using second very fine brush, remove some paint from the BMW brush, and then touch the lacquer thinner. Try mixing them a bit...might need a bit more paint, or thinner but look for a smooth, nice consistency you feel you can work with. (yeah, real subjective I know) but work at it till your happy.

Clean the chip well, removing any wax or oils with a paint prep. Check on youtube for lots of tips...more than you can chase but educational.

Guessing there is no rust at this point, you just want good adhesion of paint. Apply a very thin coat and wait, 6-8 minutes..then apply another light coat. Same again. You might just get it to fill just right. Note the chip will always be seen in the right light as the edges of chip reflect the light back. Hey these are just some basics to get you started,,,,but good luck on it. I HATE chips, even if some guys wish to say..."hey it's just chips from driving...gonna happen." I work at getting it corrected...actually a fun hobby in there somewhere. BUT then I have the time now.

[zkeeper]

Oh forgot. The BMW paint has never realllly matched over the years...paint code not withstanding. I solved it completely but going to pro autopaint store, had them laser/computer the M2 paint on several panels.

They check computer for best match and load a custom spray can of my color. I then just spray into a very small paper cup and use fine brushes. Age, sun, factory color lots and even the day the factory paint was used causes tone differences. Costs around 25$, but I now have matching paint...ready to use. Just a thot. And beats the colorchip guys.

[wjones14]

I've had good luck in the past with Dr. Colorchip. Then I found about Langka Blob Eliminator. Langka is the same concept as Dr Colorchip - you overfill the chip with the paint, let it dry for a couple hours or so, and then use the thinning solution to remove the top layer until the paint in the chip is level with the original paint.

I prefer Langka now because you use the OEM paint, but Dr Colorchip matches the color pretty much the same, and is essentially the same thing.

Mine is Alpine White so it's easier to match than a metallic (I think). The official BMW touch up paint (Part Number 51-91-0-301-918 for white) includes a bottle of paint and a bottle of clearcoat.

I recently fixed a tiny chip on the hood of mine by using a 000 artist paint brush, waiting 2 hours, smoothing it slightly below level with the thinning solution, waiting a day, applying clearcoat with the same brush, waiting a couple hours, and then finally smoothed it with the thinning solution until it was level. Wait another couple days and thoroughly clean it with something like Meguiar's ScratchX, and then apply your wax or SiO2 ceramic coating.

It's never going to be perfect, but you get better as you get experience, and if you mess it up, the thinning solution will completely remove it, even a day or two later. I have trouble seeing the old chip at all now, unless I get a foot or so from the hood and look for it.