This past weekend I tackled some minor paint issues, one on each car. I also changed the oil in my E46 M3, doing it in my driveway since a club DIY got canceled.
Neither paint issue was major. My E39 M5 came to me in 2011 with two long scratches on the driver side rear quarter panel. I filled them in with paint and they were not that noticeable, and I lived with it for years. I thought that repair would entail a new quarter panel, painting and significant expense.
Finding Richard Sarmiento and his Saint Auto Paint business changed the equation for me. Richard fixed a large scratch on a previously leased vehicle beautifully and at a reasonable cost. He’s mobile and comes to you so there is no leaving the car at a body shop. He did a quality job painting the rear diffuser that I put on my M3 this summer. I texted him some pictures, he gave me a great quote for the M5 scratches and I was sold.
Since he was coming for the M5 job I also asked him about some fogginess on the hood of my M3. Using a clay bar on it made no difference, which indicated that polishing and replenishing the clear coat would be required. I own a Griot’s orbital polisher but Richard’s quote was fair so why not let a professional do it? Not easy to capture them with phone pics but:
Richard did a great job on both cars. I highly recommend him for any minor BMW paint work.
At the 11/23 club DIY I was going to change the oil and filter in the M3. It had been 22 months since the last time, long by my standards. But I only drove the car 4,300 miles over that time. Doing the job in my driveway was an unwelcome reminder of pandemic isolation days.
Working without a lift I was careful about jacking the car up and supporting it on jack stands. Safety first and last when you’re crawling under your car. It’s a bit of a process. My car needs a set of short ramps to create enough room for the jack to reach the front support point. A local Advance Auto accepts old motor oil to be recycled.
Here’s a thorough FCP Euro video on the oil change. They are my go-to for parts, but there was an unannounced change in their oil change kit I wish I had known about before ordering. FCP no longer stocks the Mahle OX 187D filter, which supposedly was designed specifically for the S54 engine. They now have the OX 68D filter as part of their Liqui Moly E46 M3 oil change kit, which shows as compatible with a longer list of BMW models. The filters do look similar and it fit in the canister, but other vendors still offer the 187. I’ll probably order one and replace the filter.
I’ll bet some of you are shaking your head right now – does it really make a difference? Maybe not, but these are the kind of details that matter to old school enthusiasts. Happy Thanksgiving!