Spray Painting · Showcase

BMW 520i, a full exterior respray.

A black BMW 520i came in for a full exterior spray painting. The team stripped the trim, repaired the body, primed, masked, sprayed, polished and refitted every part.

In the workshop

Spray Painting Full Respray BMW
A painter in a respirator spraying the side of the black BMW 520i inside the spray booth, windows masked with paper.

What the car came in for

This BMW 520i was booked in for a full exterior spray painting. The team started by dismantling the parts that needed to come off, including the tail lamps, door handles and roof trim.

Next they checked the body for scratches and blemishes and patched each one with filler. The whole car was then wet sanded smooth and given a layer of primer.

Once the surface was level, everything that should not take paint was masked off and the car went into the spray booth. After spraying, the paint was wet sanded and polished again, and the removed parts were refitted.

Vehicle
BMW 520i
Service
Full exterior spray painting
Colour
Black

From strip-down to the reveal

Technician removing the red tail lamp from the rear of the black BMW.
Tail lamps come off before any paintwork starts.
Two hands lifting the roof trim strip off the black BMW.
Roof trim removed so the paint can reach every edge.
Sanding block smoothing cream filler on the rear door of the BMW.
Filler sanded flat on the rear door.
Several patches of cream filler on the BMW's side being sanded by hand.
Each blemish on the side is patched and sanded.
Hand sanding a filler patch on the rear wheel arch of the BMW.
Wheel arch repair levelled by hand.
Wet sanding block moving across the grey primed surface of the BMW.
Wet sanding the primer for a smooth base.
Technician masking the BMW's rear window with tape and newspaper.
Glass masked before the car goes into the booth.
Taping paper over the wheel of the BMW inside the spray booth.
Wheels covered to keep paint off the tyres.
The BMW masked with tape and newspaper in the spray booth, body in primer.
Masked and ready to spray.
Wet sanding the freshly painted black panel of the BMW.
Fresh paint wet sanded to remove any texture.
Rotary polisher with a wool pad working on the glossy black paint.
Machine polishing after the respray.
Technician refitting the door handle on the black BMW.
Door handles go back on.
Technician fitting the side mirror back onto the black BMW.
Mirror refitted as the car is reassembled.

What a full respray involves

A full respray is mostly preparation. Before any colour goes on, the team patches chips, wet-sands the whole body smooth, and masks off every surface that should not be painted. A sound, even foundation is what makes the final finish look right.

  • Chips patched and the body wet-sanded smooth
  • Every non-painted surface masked before spraying
  • Full exterior coat applied in a dedicated spray booth
  • Buffed to a deep shine and sealed with ZeTough Ceramic

Once the car is sprayed in the booth, the paint is wet-sanded and buffed to bring up the shine, the trim and parts are refitted, and a ZeTough Ceramic Paint Protection coating is applied on top to keep the finish glossy and protected for years.

Thinking about a respray?

Want this finish for your car?

Tell us what your paintwork looks like now and what you want it to be. The team will talk you through a full respray.

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