DIY: Painting Your M3 Mirrors
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DIY: Painting Your M3 Mirrors
Ok so I just finished the painting and have all the pics up but the final ones when they are put back together. Currently the clear coat is drying and I am awaiting my white LEDs to swap out for the blue ones on the mirror (you will see in another DIY) So here we go!
Paintscratch.com Paint
Here is the Paint from Paintscratch.com. It comes with a color match card and (3) spray tips. They ask that you spray a small bit onto the color given on the card to make sure it matches, mine did
Here are the supplies you will need as follows:
-Paintscratch.com matching paint
-Any type of Primer (I used Duplicolor)
-Rustoleum Clear Coat (Home Depot)
-Nose Mask
-Latex Gloves
Closeup of the Paints
Setup:
Make sure you layout plenty of paper for the primer and painting areas. I layed more paper on top of the used paper for the primer in order to keep them separate. Here is a view of my work area. Notice the fans (another one off screen) to keep airflow and fumes out.
Primer:
Make sure as with all painting you do LIGHT coats. I did (2) coats to the pieces on both sides. That is the sides that will be painted later on as well as the other parts which will not (the internals). I let each coat dry for approximately 7-10 minutes.
Colormatch Paint:
I used one 12.5oz. can but if you feel weary about coverage then get a second because I did used every bit of the paint, the can was dry. Again very light coats, I did (3) only on the outside of the pieces. The last coat should be put on extremely even keeping a similar distance with the can to the pieces. Also be sure to spray in the direction of the car. Meaning front of the mirror to the back to keep uniformity.
Clearcoat:
I did not take any pictures of this because clearcoat is...well...clear. Again clearcoat is very important. I suggest at least (3) coats to make sure you get the gloss. I already used one can on the pieces. Make sure you do LIGHT coats and let them sit for approximately 10-15 minutes inbetween. IF you happen to get overspray, simply let it dry completely for 24 hours then sand with 1200 and possibly respray if needed.
Matching:
Here is a picture of one of the plates for the mirror against my car. You can very easily tell how good this paint is, the matching is perfect! Remember the clear coat has not comlpetely dried so the gloss effect is not totally there until after either a light sanding or buff.
Again I will post more pictures when the job is finished and the mirrors are on and functional. But for now this is your DIY for painting your own M3 mirrors and saving yourself a good $100 at least. Around here $200 for the job is cheap and I guarantee you they will not take the mirrors apart like I did to ensure good coverage. So for me it was almost $150 in savings.
Special Thanks To:
-Paintscratch.com
-Jon Volk & Michelle (Thanks girlie, your boyfriend, i.e. my buddy since high school helped a lot with the paint referral and odds and ends.)
-Darcy (My girlfriend for helping me out and giving me the time to work on it uninterrupted, lol.)
Paintscratch.com Paint
Here is the Paint from Paintscratch.com. It comes with a color match card and (3) spray tips. They ask that you spray a small bit onto the color given on the card to make sure it matches, mine did
Here are the supplies you will need as follows:
-Paintscratch.com matching paint
-Any type of Primer (I used Duplicolor)
-Rustoleum Clear Coat (Home Depot)
-Nose Mask
-Latex Gloves
Closeup of the Paints
Setup:
Make sure you layout plenty of paper for the primer and painting areas. I layed more paper on top of the used paper for the primer in order to keep them separate. Here is a view of my work area. Notice the fans (another one off screen) to keep airflow and fumes out.
Primer:
Make sure as with all painting you do LIGHT coats. I did (2) coats to the pieces on both sides. That is the sides that will be painted later on as well as the other parts which will not (the internals). I let each coat dry for approximately 7-10 minutes.
Colormatch Paint:
I used one 12.5oz. can but if you feel weary about coverage then get a second because I did used every bit of the paint, the can was dry. Again very light coats, I did (3) only on the outside of the pieces. The last coat should be put on extremely even keeping a similar distance with the can to the pieces. Also be sure to spray in the direction of the car. Meaning front of the mirror to the back to keep uniformity.
Clearcoat:
I did not take any pictures of this because clearcoat is...well...clear. Again clearcoat is very important. I suggest at least (3) coats to make sure you get the gloss. I already used one can on the pieces. Make sure you do LIGHT coats and let them sit for approximately 10-15 minutes inbetween. IF you happen to get overspray, simply let it dry completely for 24 hours then sand with 1200 and possibly respray if needed.
Matching:
Here is a picture of one of the plates for the mirror against my car. You can very easily tell how good this paint is, the matching is perfect! Remember the clear coat has not comlpetely dried so the gloss effect is not totally there until after either a light sanding or buff.
Again I will post more pictures when the job is finished and the mirrors are on and functional. But for now this is your DIY for painting your own M3 mirrors and saving yourself a good $100 at least. Around here $200 for the job is cheap and I guarantee you they will not take the mirrors apart like I did to ensure good coverage. So for me it was almost $150 in savings.
Special Thanks To:
-Paintscratch.com
-Jon Volk & Michelle (Thanks girlie, your boyfriend, i.e. my buddy since high school helped a lot with the paint referral and odds and ends.)
-Darcy (My girlfriend for helping me out and giving me the time to work on it uninterrupted, lol.)
Last edited by Whelan; Aug 23, 2005 at 12:26 AM.
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Originally Posted by Whelan
Special Thanks To:
-Paintscratch.com
-Jon Volk & Michelle (Thanks girlie, your boyfriend, i.e. my buddy since high school helped a lot with the paint referral and odds and ends.)
-Paintscratch.com
-Jon Volk & Michelle (Thanks girlie, your boyfriend, i.e. my buddy since high school helped a lot with the paint referral and odds and ends.)
awwwwI feel so special!!! I got a special thanks!!!
Looks good though! Cant wait to see it on the car! Hows those wheels doing? HA 
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Rep Power: 374 awesome! that clearcoat and primer they try to sell you isnt worth it then if you can just buy normal clear in a can, right????
another ? did you have to use a compound on the paint and clear after doing the work?
I am going to use that paint to do some touch up on my side skirts! good work!!!!
another ? did you have to use a compound on the paint and clear after doing the work?
I am going to use that paint to do some touch up on my side skirts! good work!!!!
I just burnt my tongue
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Rep Power: 319 what do u mean about trying to sell it...also u dont need to use compound if u sprayed well and didnt get orange peel, runs, or try spots...if u buy normal clearcoat from a paintshop as in u buy a gallon with hardener its gonna be more expensive than a rattle can...but than again with a gallon of clear u can do a whole car and than some...
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Originally Posted by ragingSPAM
what do u mean about trying to sell it...also u dont need to use compound if u sprayed well and didnt get orange peel, runs, or try spots...if u buy normal clearcoat from a paintshop as in u buy a gallon with hardener its gonna be more expensive than a rattle can...but than again with a gallon of clear u can do a whole car and than some...
The wheel is turning...but the hamster is dead
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Rep Power: 306 Well when I painted my grill I got the primer and clear coat along with the paint from Paintscratch.com...the primer is fine (just liek any other) but the clear coat is ****...it sprayed on dull and didn't look like clear coat...so we wait a few days for it to dry and did what the site said about using compound on it...and we're going along...then we stop to look...it F*ckin buffed the "clear" right off!!!! WTF $50 on f*ckin $hit...and good ol' rustoliom clear for $3.75 worked PERFECT!!!
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Originally Posted by ShoelessEX
Well when I painted my grill I got the primer and clear coat along with the paint from Paintscratch.com...the primer is fine (just liek any other) but the clear coat is ****...it sprayed on dull and didn't look like clear coat...so we wait a few days for it to dry and did what the site said about using compound on it...and we're going along...then we stop to look...it F*ckin buffed the "clear" right off!!!! WTF $50 on f*ckin $hit...and good ol' rustoliom clear for $3.75 worked PERFECT!!!
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Yeah I got to hear Michele's horro story of clear coat and milky spray on her grille. We are both pissed at the moment that some teenie bopper girls got into a fight at our Wed. night spot and there were over 100 cars that night and now the cops roll through and you can't even stand there with a coffee in your hand (it's at the Starbucks in Orange, CT) they give tickets for loitering, wtf!!!
Anyways, I will be buying another can and sanding down the clearcoat again down to paint cause I really stretched one can to get it all. Now I will be going over the whole unit put back together. Michele got to see them tonight when she came with her man (my buddy) John and my girl. I think they pretty good and the new white LEDs are F'in hot!
Yeah I got to hear Michele's horro story of clear coat and milky spray on her grille. We are both pissed at the moment that some teenie bopper girls got into a fight at our Wed. night spot and there were over 100 cars that night and now the cops roll through and you can't even stand there with a coffee in your hand (it's at the Starbucks in Orange, CT) they give tickets for loitering, wtf!!!
Anyways, I will be buying another can and sanding down the clearcoat again down to paint cause I really stretched one can to get it all. Now I will be going over the whole unit put back together. Michele got to see them tonight when she came with her man (my buddy) John and my girl. I think they pretty good and the new white LEDs are F'in hot!
The wheel is turning...but the hamster is dead
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Rep Power: 306 Nah it didnt look bad at all...a lot better then black!...you're still a ricer though 
haha j/k! 
Hey thanks for the Rep Blouisgod!
haha j/k! Hey thanks for the Rep Blouisgod!
Last edited by ShoelessEX; Aug 29, 2005 at 03:46 PM.
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Rep Power: 336 ok so i primered my lids today. they are nice and white now. 2 coats like instructions said. i will post pics later. when i get my can on SSM paint. then i will paint them and take pics to put on this thread. thanx whelan. good DIY. do you mind if i add on with the lids?
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Rep Power: 336 ok...its been almost a week. today was my friday, so i have the next 2 days off. last sunday i primered my eyelids, and sanded them. the first pic is with the lids before the sanding to smooth the surface after i primered.
ok the yellow thing is the sanding sponge. its 320 fine grain. walmart like 4 bucks.
the primer and clear coat i got at lowes with a nose mask thats not in the pic. 13 bucks for all 3.
the special SSM paint was ordered the day i primered my lids. and it arrived 2 days ago. so it took only 3 days to deliver from conneticut or something.
the website is called AUTOLEVINE.COM its cheaper than paint scratch. it cost me 28.90 shipped. and the site is better too, just lettin folks know that there is a better deal out there.
anyway, the second pic.
these are the lids after sanding. i took about 1 hour on each one. just pretend to scrub a sink or tile or something. OCD helps lol. ok, it don't look like its smooth but they really are. there is a test i used just to make sure. i took my fingernail and ran it accross, if i felt a bump i kept sanding till it was smooth as can be. so tommorrow i will paint them and post pics of that. then clear coat them to try to show the shinniness. lol. hope this helps.
ok the yellow thing is the sanding sponge. its 320 fine grain. walmart like 4 bucks.
the primer and clear coat i got at lowes with a nose mask thats not in the pic. 13 bucks for all 3.
the special SSM paint was ordered the day i primered my lids. and it arrived 2 days ago. so it took only 3 days to deliver from conneticut or something.
the website is called AUTOLEVINE.COM its cheaper than paint scratch. it cost me 28.90 shipped. and the site is better too, just lettin folks know that there is a better deal out there.
anyway, the second pic.
these are the lids after sanding. i took about 1 hour on each one. just pretend to scrub a sink or tile or something. OCD helps lol. ok, it don't look like its smooth but they really are. there is a test i used just to make sure. i took my fingernail and ran it accross, if i felt a bump i kept sanding till it was smooth as can be. so tommorrow i will paint them and post pics of that. then clear coat them to try to show the shinniness. lol. hope this helps.
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Rep Power: 336 ok, the first pic is with the lids painted. and the second one is with the clear coat. its day and night. the first one looks a little rough, but the clearcoat really tightens it all up and smooths it all out.
i did 3 coats of paint, waiting one day for each coat to dry, and then 3 coats of clearcoat, also waiting like 12 hours between each coat. i waited just cause i wanted to make it perfect. and it paid off.
i did 3 coats of paint, waiting one day for each coat to dry, and then 3 coats of clearcoat, also waiting like 12 hours between each coat. i waited just cause i wanted to make it perfect. and it paid off.
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Rep Power: 336 ok these are the mounting pics. i used mounting tape from scotch. when you mount them, align the top corner of the lid to the tip of the hood. pic added for that.
so this is what it looks like. yay!
so this is what it looks like. yay!
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Rep Power: 0 Looks good buddy, now just get some of your touch up paint or the leftover paint from the lids and paint those washer nozzles to match the car. I did and the hood looks so much cleaner than if they were black. Or you can go pick up a set of painted ones from Honda for like $15 a piece. They give you the ones made for an Accord which come body colored. But they do fit. I just put a bunch of coats of touch up and they came out good.
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Rep Power: 336 thats cool! great idea! i have touch up paint actually for the trunk area cause my gf slammed it, effin crap. anyway, ill try it. BTW your car looks SOOOO CLEAN!!! im almost jealous. we have the same ride. im debatin on gettin a RS grill and painting it SSM. should i paint it or leave it black? im so torn lol.
so, did you take the nozzles out first or what?
so, did you take the nozzles out first or what?
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Rep Power: 0 The nozzles come right out, you just unclip them from under the hood and pull them off of the clear hose.
I am not a fan of the RS grill just cause it has that RS label on it. My friend bought the Tsunami grill I think, it looks just like a stock grill with the middle line only no H emblem. I like the stock grill so it won't be going away.
But if you get the RS leave it black imo.
Funny you should mention clean, I just spent 5 hours the other day detailing the inside and outside of the car like crazy for the winter season up here. I also slapped on my bra cover to keep the paint clean and chip free.
I am not a fan of the RS grill just cause it has that RS label on it. My friend bought the Tsunami grill I think, it looks just like a stock grill with the middle line only no H emblem. I like the stock grill so it won't be going away.
But if you get the RS leave it black imo.
Funny you should mention clean, I just spent 5 hours the other day detailing the inside and outside of the car like crazy for the winter season up here. I also slapped on my bra cover to keep the paint clean and chip free.
Originally Posted by Big Rob
Just out of curiousity, if mirrors are that easy to match to the car with that paint, why don't people paint bigger parts like body kits with it?
