Paint condition - Am I expecting too much?

[Karl Lazlo]

The 215 from Red Rock to Nellis felt like my personal speedway (when Metro wasn't running radar at the 95). Sand, construction debris and NRS 484B.613 affected a certain, "patina" on my car.

[derbo]

I have a fully pitted front end. Namely due to HPDE events and the PO doing alot of highway driving.

[sillieidiot]

What you are seeing is normal. What also makes a difference is how the car was driven.
Our cars are quite sporty, so it's all too easy to follow slower people a little too closely, which produces more rock chips the closer you are. Some people follow semi trucks as well on the highway, which also yields more rock chips.

I think that is a major reason why you see more rock chips on a BMW of this vintage versus a Dodge Caravan of this vintage, for example. People drive more chill in slower and crappier-to-drive vehicles, hence why they have fewer rock chips. The BMW paint is quite durable otherwise, so this is the only explanation I can think of.

Even a car with 40k will have rock chips on the front hood. It's unavoidable.

probably only where you are. in my area, it's the opposite. and the fastest drivers drive prius lol but i'm pretty sure it's just due to the road rather than how close you follow a car. if anything, the closer you are to the car, the lower the chip would be since there is too small of a distance for it to make it up to the hood.

i tend to drive in my own lane away from cars if possible, however, i receive a ton of rock chips in the areas i drive. even with my clear bra, 2 huge ones have managed to break through. but without it, i'm pretty sure my car would be just as pitted as any other car is out there.

but OP, with a 10 year old car, what do you expect? even enthusiasts don't clear bra their car. you got to find those really ocd people that will do it. but then it will probably be more than you want to pay. you could always just repaint it though

[stephenkirsh]

It depends on roads too.

My car had a freshly painted bumper when I bought it. It's been chipped to hell in 15,000 miles because roads in NorCal are gravel pits.

[LTCMontana]

And remember. The 3 series was the entry level BMW. Many were sold to non-enthusiatsnon-enthusiats. High end cars usually get treated better. The 3 series wasn't that