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Stone chips

46K views 113 replies 47 participants last post by  PAX5 
#1 ·
I have a new X5 with the M package. I only had my X5 for 1 month now. Does anyone suffer stone chips on the rocker panel and the rear wheel side skirts? BMW doesn't want to support this through warranty???
 
#40 ·
It's a perfectly reasonable expectation that the "M kit" dress up kit withstands normal road use.
FORD (oopps!) does take this seriously, and does give warranty repaints.

It should have been developed, and protected, with clear bra.

BMW however would find that to add Clear bra gives them process issues, with bubles and so on, and thus does not want to add it, and also does not want to Warranty agianst paint chips.

Welcome to the BMW world experience !!!! - and still we love our BMWs and would buy another one.
 
#9 ·
looks like residue from wet roads to me also.

however, if you have sticky 20" summer tires you are going to be slinging every tiny bit of gravel on the road. My Vette did the same thing. my rocker panels on the Z06 were pitted all to hell. if you want to play.................... :D
 
#13 · (Edited)
X5 M package

These pics are before the clear bra. I have since then repainted rocker panels and side skirts on both sides, applied clear bra, installed BMW OEM Mud flaps front and rear wheels. I had to pay for all this $$$. 3 Days after I received back my car from the dealership (and they did an awesome job getting it back to original condition) it still does it... same thing Even with the upgrades.

I have 19" OEM wheels running on original RFT tires.
 
#16 ·
Tom uk

I have an X5 M Sport 2008 here in the UK I have had exactly the same problem with stone chips I wont bothr sending photo's because they are exactly te sme as yours !! BMW have re painted both back doors sils and the wheel arches and then fitted mud flaps but after less than six months it have come back again I am now waiting to see what they do next.
 
#18 ·
I have an X5 M Sport 2008 here in the UK I have had exactly the same problem with stone chips I wont bothr sending photo's because they are exactly te sme as yours !! BMW have re painted both back doors sils and the wheel arches and then fitted mud flaps but after less than six months it have come back again I am now waiting to see what they do next.
Do you have the same wheels? Are you running Bridgstone Dueller H/P RFT tires? I would be interested to know if it's the type of tires...
 
#17 ·
A good coat of dirt will cover that up. If you're using your car properly, you should have a whole bunch of it on there!

I may have paid a boatload for my X5, but I care a lot more about how it drives, and the environment in which I do that (doesn't everyone want to drive in their living room?), than what everyone else sees while I'm doing that.

My car gets washed every 15k miles by the dealer whether it wants to or not! However, I have to admit, it is quite beautiful when it comes out of the shop :). (Ok, so I do take it to the drive-through car wash every once in a while when the wheels get too dirty -- why do I want beautifully clean rims, but don't care if there's mud and/or dirt all over the car? So odd.)

A friend from work saw me picking up my car after service the other day -- it was all clean and backed in in front of the service bay. He asked me if I was picking up the car new. Dude -- its 7 years old! All that dirt must protect it and keep it looking new -- kinda like sunblock!
 
#20 ·
X5 M package

I paid to get mine repainted and i put on a protective film and it did not work. I don't think it's going to solve issue.

Meanwhile in US, BMW does not want to support their product and they say it's not a design issue!!!

Not impressed! I'm sure we are not the only ones with this problem.
 
#24 ·
X5 M Sport

I have had my X5 M Sport for three weeks now and it is already showing stone chips on the rear wheel arches, I am waiting for my dealer to come back to me with recommendations. I have spoken with a company who have put VentureShield® Paint Protection Film on a number of X5's. A number of which have been carried out under warranty. Has anyone had this done and what does it look like?
 
#27 ·
I have had my X5 M Sport for three weeks now and it is already showing stone chips on the rear wheel arches, I am waiting for my dealer to come back to me with recommendations. I have spoken with a company who have put VentureShield® Paint Protection Film on a number of X5's. A number of which have been carried out under warranty. Has anyone had this done and what does it look like?
I had mine done. It does not prevent stone chips. It goes on clear. You barely see it.
 
#29 ·
BMW Feedback

BMW just gave me feedback about the stone chips. They will have it painted one last time... Put clearbra on etc... But that's it, then their poor design becomes my responsibility... Figure that out.

Their is no cure to prevent this from hapenning.

After 6 months of ownership, painting it twice, adding mud flaps... I am seriously thinking about trading it in.

I love the looks, the handling is simply un-beleivable, but can't imagine what it will look like in 3 or 4 years with the chipping of the paint... Cant afford to have it painted every 6 months.

I post this for you to learn from my mistake.
 
#30 ·
I have been pushing BMW for 2 months regarding the erosion on my wheel arches, they have finally agreed to correct the problem after a lot of persuasion from myself, I think it will cost them in the region of £2500, initially they said they would only respray the damage and they would not pay for the cost of the "film" cover which was minimal compared to the cost of the respray, amazing, they accepted that it was a manufactures fault after a lot of persuation from myself but they wanted me to pay to have it corrected. I love the car, I have had all makes in the past 20 years, Mercedes, Land Rover, Porch etc but I will NEVER have another BMW just purely based on their reluctance to give customer after care, I spend around £70,000 pa on Cars and for that I want good honest service from a reliable supplier and unfortunately I have not had that from BMW so I will be shopping elsewhere next year where I will get it, I have had other problems with the car like rusty wheel hubs from birth which they WILL NOT address and a faulty Interface Board on the command unit which affected the bluetooth functionality on the handsfree which they finally addressed after much effort from my part, come on BMW, times are hard, try keeping your customers, PLEASE STOP PISSING THEM OFF and honour your quality agreement
 
#31 ·
I purchased a carbon black one in January with the M sport package and mine looks identical to the one in the photo. Never down a dirt road with less than 5000 miles on it.
I am very disappointed to say the least.
Has anyone had any luck with getting BMW to correct the problem thinking about trading mine in on the new 2011 Porsche Cayenne if they do not resolve the problem.
When I contacted my dealer and asked if they had know about the problem they pretended not to have any knowledge of the problem. Then I send them a link to this thread to give them some idea that it is a known problem.
 
#32 ·
Anything that sticks out is going to get hit with road rash. The black parts on my non sport X5 are showing wear. The more aerodynamic vehicals get the more damage they get especially the coke bottle designs with anything flared. Just look at the rear quarters (in front of the rear wheels) on e46 M3 cars. They are rashed in 10k miles. It is not a design flaw. The only "flaw" is that BMW does not use the clear protection film like Porsche does or for that fact Ford or Toyota.
 
#33 ·
I was at a dealer in RI last week end. They have a brand new X5M Black Saphire in their yard. 700 miles on it. Same thing, all pitted around the wheels. The sales guy pretended he knew nothing about it and that is was never brought up...

I think BMW is aware, but they ignore it.

If you can't drive your M package on a regular road for more then 700 miles, why buy them?
 
#34 ·
It's the consequence for having wide sticky tires and painted fender flares/siderockers... my M3 is having the same problem. This is why I just went with the regular sport package for my wife's X5 since that car will be used more during the winter.
 
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