Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, BMW Forum

Welcome to Deutschespeed.com the newly launched community for German Performance car lovers. The site is in it's launch phase at the moment and so content and membership is small (but growing). Soon we'll have competition prizes and and a live ad campaign to help build the community. If you'd like to be apart of what's going on, sign up and join in!

BMW Frozen and other Matte Paint finishes. What you need to know!

boba fett

Racing Driver
Posts
3,796
Likes
2,116
Location
Kent
Drives
320d
I thought I would do an appraisal about buying then living with A BMW Frozen (or other Matte) paint finish. There is an awful lot of scaremongering on these paint finishes and the internet has made me change my mind on numerous occasions from pursuing a car with such a unique and nightmarish paint finish. I thought I would add some balance and my experience of living with it.

Firstly buying the car. What marks are on the car, are there to stay unless you have it painted. So the first thing to remember, it won't polish out! If you do that you turn the opaque lacquer to gloss and then your really knackered as it will look awful, and your dear little mark has now turned into an area that has a lovely shiny reflection. So when buying check out Every mark or scratch, as its there to stay. One thing to remember, you need to be extra careful where you park your matte paint car, a door ding sometimes does not leave a dent, but leaves a paint blemish, again something that will polish out on a gloss car but its staying on Matte! Another thing to consider is bonded on spoilers, stickers and adhesives, all much harder to get off on a Matte finish paint, because if you mark it, well, you get the idea! Mine is 10 years old and generally 95% original paint and has held up really well, it has just a few scratches and marks that I will picture.

These are the only real scratches on my car, they have probably been there for years. probably an owner just getting off a mark and unknowingly lightly scratched the car, On a normal paint finish It is something T-Cut will remove in seconds, but on Matte Paint, those scratches are staying!



I am running a small plate and these are little rub marks where a large number plate has been, something that would not trouble a gloss car and polish out, but again they are staying on Matte finish.



You can touch up and You can make it better with these.....



....and although I have captured it in the light, in the metal it can hardly be seen.



So Bird poo. So far its a myth to me, I have had a proper Shite hawk Raspberry seeded Scud missile land on the car amongst others, and as long as its been sealed it just does not bond and does not mar the paint. My car after 10 years shows no bird lime marks a sign of being looked after, but still the advice on poo, the sooner its off the car the better. If you live in an area with lots of cats, that would worry me, cats jumping on the car or using it as a scratch pad, you should look away from a Matte finish car. Cleaning Matte paint is so easy, its just soap and water, then towel dry, then seal, I use Chemical Guys Meticulous Matte Detailer Spray & Sealant and its excellent.

Matte paint does not photo well, it looks nothing like it does up close and personal, it really does need to be seen. The fact it only reflects light, while doing so it manages to pick up every lump, bump, bulge and sway line, I know its not for everyone, but I love it. I have had a Frozen Black edition now for some months, it has sat out side and been subject to most elements you come to expect. It comes down to how you look after, treat and seal the paint.



 

Burnsey

Chief Engineer
Posts
601
Likes
337
Location
UK
Drives
2023 G80 M3 Competition X-Drive
I don't want to buy a matte car, so not of particular interest, but I'm polite and appreciate a well thought out and informative post.

I always look at the photo's before getting right into the words and then it happened...

That last photo - jeeeeeeeeez!

B@llocks to reading words :ROFLMAO:
 

boba fett

Racing Driver
Posts
3,796
Likes
2,116
Location
Kent
Drives
320d
I don't want to buy a matte car, so not of particular interest, but I'm polite and appreciate a well thought out and informative post.

I always look at the photo's before getting right into the words and then it happened...

That last photo - jeeeeeeeeez!

B@llocks to reading words :ROFLMAO:
Thanks mate appreciate the kind words, hopefully my post might help someone taking the plunge, I worried about buying a matte paint car for ages!
 

Senna11

Racing Driver
Posts
1,088
Likes
324
I do like the look of these but personally wouldn’t buy one. It’s the same with satin black wheels, having had them once I wouldn’t have them again. However I wouldn’t mind satin PPF knowing it was gloss underneath!
 

boba fett

Racing Driver
Posts
3,796
Likes
2,116
Location
Kent
Drives
320d
I do like the look of these but personally wouldn’t buy one. It’s the same with satin black wheels, having had them once I wouldn’t have them again. However I wouldn’t mind satin PPF knowing it was gloss underneath!
I understand they are not for everyone, I’d have another in a heart beat though, it really grows on you, it’s also nice to know I probably won’t see another!
 

M4rkM

Test Pilot
Posts
188
Likes
152
Drives
M4 ZCP
Love frozen paints, I think they show of the lines much better, never had the balls to actually buy though!
 

Che

Test Pilot
Posts
221
Likes
191
Location
Nottingham
Drives
R8 v10+
I was apprehensive about the finish too, stone chips are my biggest fear as they seem really hard to touch in. Completely agree regards washing them, it’s really straightforward and much easier than I feared.
I ceramic coated mine using nanolex si3d matte and it seems to have given the paint a much better level of protection. would definitely recommend it Boba although I’d pay someone to apply it. I did mine myself and there’s a couple of areas of overlap a professional should avoid.
They do look awesome in the flesh, although I do get irritated by the regular “is that a wrap mate” comments.
I wouldn’t have a matte finish as a daily, but for a weekend toy it adds another level of difference and gets lots of positive attention. Love how the sunlight really changes the finish too being a metallic matte paint!8B9E6701-3614-48B4-9079-B264E166489C.jpeg2EF5CFE5-9B94-4A0F-ADC2-07A8956EAF96.jpeg
 

boba fett

Racing Driver
Posts
3,796
Likes
2,116
Location
Kent
Drives
320d
I was apprehensive about the finish too, stone chips are my biggest fear as they seem really hard to touch in. Completely agree regards washing them, it’s really straightforward and much easier than I feared.
I ceramic coated mine using nanolex si3d matte and it seems to have given the paint a much better level of protection. would definitely recommend it Boba although I’d pay someone to apply it. I did mine myself and there’s a couple of areas of overlap a professional should avoid.
They do look awesome in the flesh, although I do get irritated by the regular “is that a wrap mate” comments.
I wouldn’t have a matte finish as a daily, but for a weekend toy it adds another level of difference and gets lots of positive attention. Love how the sunlight really changes the finish too being a metallic matte paint!View attachment 1354View attachment 1357

Stunning ! If I was to get an R8 I would want this colour!
 
Top