Why is the finish on interior trim pieces so f'in soft?

tboooe · 01-18-2015, 06:00 PM

Seriously, if you just look at it wrong it will scratch. I scratched the trim piece around the shift lever, iDrive wheel, etc using my finger to try and lightly rub out a smudge. Knowing that this piece is in a high traffic/use area why wouldn't Bmw make the finish more durable? Ridiculous.

Shahdog · 01-18-2015, 06:18 PM

Def ur right

I find the b pillar trim is the worst

I rec using the ultrafine MF towels
The ones for fine polishing

Maybe prior use some detailing spray. And a MF towel super gently

FC4 · 01-18-2015, 06:30 PM

6500 miles on my car and not a single nick or scratch to be seen inside...and it's my beater. I don't know WTF you guys are doing in your cars...

ji99lypuff · 01-18-2015, 07:33 PM

With my burl wood trim it can take a beating and 14,000 miles later it is in oerfect condition. I can see the aluminum or hex maybe scratching more easily though.

MailmanOdd · 01-18-2015, 07:54 PM

Had that concern about the walnut burl so I replaced with m-performance carbon fiber.

smithf80 · 01-18-2015, 08:18 PM

Its clear coated and it swirls very easily. It can be polished using a buffer I believe.

Ali Shiralian · 01-18-2015, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC4

6500 miles on my car and not a single nick or scratch to be seen inside...and it's my beater. I don't know WTF you guys are doing in your cars...

Same here and I drive it at least five days a week. Don't know what all the fuss is about.

tboooe · 01-18-2015, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithe90

Its clear coated and it swirls very easily. It can be polished using a buffer I believe.

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do, polish out the scratches.

KGB_123_99 · 01-18-2015, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC4

6500 miles on my car and not a single nick or scratch to be seen inside...and it's my beater. I don't know WTF you guys are doing in your cars...

+1

DC X3M40i · 01-18-2015, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tboooe

Quote:

Originally Posted by smithe90

Its clear coated and it swirls very easily. It can be polished using a buffer I believe.

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do, polish out the scratches.

I noticed the same on mine. When the sun hits the wood trim (which creates quite the glare) you can really see the swirl marks. Question is. How the heck did they get there? Microfiber cloth = sandpaper?

kasher_khan · 01-18-2015, 10:13 PM

I have piano black trim... I can tell you all about scratches. If it's just the clear coat, the below stuck works very well. You don't need to buff or rub to hard, a soft cloth and you are done in 10 secs (if it is deep ... past the clearcoat) it won't help but I was surprised by how well it works.

Meguiar's G10307 ScratchX 2.0 - 7 oz

smithf80 · 01-18-2015, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danguy426

I noticed the same on mine. When the sun hits the wood trim (which creates quite the glare) you can really see the swirl marks. Question is. How the heck did they get there? Microfiber cloth = sandpaper?

Honestly have no clue, I think its like that from the factory to be honest. A microfiber shouldn't cause that. Would be interesting to take a buffer to your wood trim and see what it does Dan!

E90Fleet · 01-19-2015, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kasher_khan

I have piano black trim... I can tell you all about scratches. If it's just the clear coat, the below stuck works very well. You don't need to buff or rub to hard, a soft cloth and you are done in 10 secs (if it is deep ... past the clearcoat) it won't help but I was surprised by how well it works.

Meguiar's G10307 ScratchX 2.0 - 7 oz

Yup, ScratchX and a microfiber towel easily sorts out most swirls.

64-bit · 01-19-2015, 06:32 AM

I got the aluminum trim from the M-Sport, it is very solid, after almost 2 years I haven't had a single scratch

KneeDragr · 01-19-2015, 07:53 AM

Anybody put a ceramic coating on it to see if that deters marks/swirls?

S4NoMore · 01-19-2015, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64-bit

I got the aluminum trim from the M-Sport, it is very solid, after almost 2 years I haven't had a single scratch

What about your steering wheel?

ft1330 · 01-19-2015, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FC4

6500 miles on my car and not a single nick or scratch to be seen inside...and it's my beater. I don't know WTF you guys are doing in your cars...

Aaaaaaaaa · 01-19-2015, 10:04 AM

The gloss black plastic bits are very swirl prone on every car I've seen. Same goes for the outside B pillar. Oh and dash cluster screen.

squidlyboy · 01-19-2015, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pheerix

The gloss black plastic bits are very swirl prone on every car I've seen. Same goes for the outside B pillar. Oh and dash cluster screen.

thats my experience too...getting the outside b-pillars to swirl-free perfection doesn't take a lot (5 mins w/ M205), but the swirls come back as fast as you can take them out. But that's the outside. The inside shouldn't be getting much traffic. Maybe you're wiping too often?

55Nomad · 01-19-2015, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kasher_khan

I have piano black trim... I can tell you all about scratches. If it's just the clear coat, the below stuck works very well. You don't need to buff or rub to hard, a soft cloth and you are done in 10 secs (if it is deep ... past the clearcoat) it won't help but I was surprised by how well it works.

Meguiar's G10307 ScratchX 2.0 - 7 oz

+1

64-bit · 01-19-2015, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S4NoMore

Quote:

Originally Posted by 64-bit

I got the aluminum trim from the M-Sport, it is very solid, after almost 2 years I haven't had a single scratch

What about your steering wheel?

0 marks
In that pic it was wet as I just had washed

Michael Schott · 01-19-2015, 09:30 PM

Not sure what people expect in a cars interior. It's a place where you spend hours and we are not talking about diamond coated surfaces. They are plastic or painted with a water based clear coat. They are going to scratch. It's impossible to keep a car's interior (or exterior) perfect.

01-18-2015, 06:00 PM	#1
tboooe Brigadier General 925 Rep 3,089 Posts Drives: F36 428i GC, E36 M3 - gone :( Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: The OC! iTrader: (1)	Why is the finish on interior trim pieces so f'in soft? Seriously, if you just look at it wrong it will scratch. I scratched the trim piece around the shift lever, iDrive wheel, etc using my finger to try and lightly rub out a smudge. Knowing that this piece is in a high traffic/use area why wouldn't Bmw make the finish more durable? Ridiculous.
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01-18-2015, 06:18 PM	#2
Shahdog Lieutenant 41 Rep 592 Posts Drives: 2011 335i mSport Sedan E90 N55 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: California iTrader: (8) Garage List 2011 335i [8.66]	Def ur right I find the b pillar trim is the worst I rec using the ultrafine MF towels The ones for fine polishing Maybe prior use some detailing spray. And a MF towel super gently __________________ 2011 335i Space Grey Msport E90 BMW Performance Exhaust PPK Stage I Lux H8 , HID Fog lights 5k
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01-18-2015, 06:30 PM	#3
FC4 Brigadier General 2678 Rep 3,406 Posts Drives: Yes Join Date: May 2014 Location: US iTrader: (0)	6500 miles on my car and not a single nick or scratch to be seen inside...and it's my beater. I don't know WTF you guys are doing in your cars...
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01-18-2015, 07:33 PM	#4
ji99lypuff Lieutenant 100 Rep 443 Posts Drives: 2014 bmw 328xi Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: NY iTrader: (2)	With my burl wood trim it can take a beating and 14,000 miles later it is in oerfect condition. I can see the aluminum or hex maybe scratching more easily though.
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01-18-2015, 07:54 PM	#5
MailmanOdd Private 6 Rep 65 Posts Drives: 2015 328i Estoril Blue II Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD iTrader: (0)	Had that concern about the walnut burl so I replaced with m-performance carbon fiber.
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01-18-2015, 08:18 PM	#6
smithf80 Major General 2808 Rep 5,316 Posts Drives: G80 M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Long Island, NY iTrader: (1) Garage List 2022 G20 330i [9.00] 2018 F80 M3 [9.75]	Its clear coated and it swirls very easily. It can be polished using a buffer I believe. __________________ Scott, Partner Insight Automotive Consulting Click HERE for all discounted BMW New Car Pricing Click HERE for all BMW In Stock Inventory Specials Call/Text: 516-416-5481 Email: scott@insightautoconsulting.com
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01-18-2015, 10:13 PM	#11
kasher_khan Private 21 Rep 64 Posts Drives: 2013 Audi S4 Join Date: May 2014 Location: NOVA iTrader: (0)	I have piano black trim... I can tell you all about scratches. If it's just the clear coat, the below stuck works very well. You don't need to buff or rub to hard, a soft cloth and you are done in 10 secs (if it is deep ... past the clearcoat) it won't help but I was surprised by how well it works. Meguiar's G10307 ScratchX 2.0 - 7 oz
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01-19-2015, 06:32 AM	#14
64-bit Major 309 Rep 1,086 Posts Drives: 19 Ford Raptor - On Order Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Boston, MA iTrader: (1)	I got the aluminum trim from the M-Sport, it is very solid, after almost 2 years I haven't had a single scratch Attached Images __________________ 2016 M3, Mineral White, SO Leather, MANUAL - ED 11/26/2015 2013 335i, Blue, M-Sport, Auto w/Sport Trans - ED 06/10/2013
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01-19-2015, 07:53 AM	#15
KneeDragr Lieutenant 41 Rep 516 Posts Drives: Planning 2015 ED :) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Arlington VA iTrader: (0)	Anybody put a ceramic coating on it to see if that deters marks/swirls?
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01-19-2015, 10:04 AM	#18
Aaaaaaaaa Banned 7559 Rep 5,056 Posts Drives: The other M3 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: So Cal iTrader: (0)	The gloss black plastic bits are very swirl prone on every car I've seen. Same goes for the outside B pillar. Oh and dash cluster screen.
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01-19-2015, 09:30 PM	#22
Michael Schott Colonel 343 Rep 2,118 Posts Drives: 2017 VW GTI Sport Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Farmington Hills, MI iTrader: (0)	Not sure what people expect in a cars interior. It's a place where you spend hours and we are not talking about diamond coated surfaces. They are plastic or painted with a water based clear coat. They are going to scratch. It's impossible to keep a car's interior (or exterior) perfect.
	Appreciate 0 Quote