Any update on the "sand blasting issue"?

[critical_mass]

Hello guys;

I've had my X5M for almost 2 months now and I've noticed the sand blasting issue on the front passenger and driver door in addition to the lower rocker panel.

Just live with it? I am getting a clear bra installed next week; it jut hurts me to see this damage in just weeks of ownership

[UrbanExtant]

I had almost my entire car covered in XPel Ultimate the day I took delivery, and it shows no wear the last time I checked. I have 11k miles on my X5 M, will have owned it a year in May. I expected damage, living on Cape Cod, where they use sand over salt on the roads, do to us being a sole source aquifer and all.

[trev230]

I had the same issue with my previous X5. On this one I had the rockers, wheel arches, and bottom half of the doors done to prevent it

[Payton3485]

Ditto to the replies here. I had SunTek paint protection film installed on my F85 yesterday. With our cars I feel it's a must to get. I had the following completed:

- Full Wrapped Hood
- Full Wrapped Front Fenders
- Side Mirrors and Door Cups
- Entire Front Bumper
- Headlights and Fog Lights
- Rocker Panels

[trev230]

I used Suntek as well.

[critical_mass]

Originally Posted by Payton3485

Ditto to the replies here. I had SunTek paint protection film installed on my F85 yesterday. With our cars I feel it's a must to get. I had the following completed:

- Full Wrapped Hood
- Full Wrapped Front Fenders
- Side Mirrors and Door Cups
- Entire Front Bumper
- Headlights and Fog Lights
- Rocker Panels

The problem is there area I have marked in this picture is where most of the sand blasting is occurring (top of the rocker panels).

[UrbanExtant]

Originally Posted by neurotichamster

The problem is there area I have marked in this picture is where most of the sand blasting is occurring (top of the rocker panels).

If you do an XPel Ultimate template for the rocker panels on the X5 M, it also includes the bottom 10" of the doors, up to the first major metal crease from the bottom up. I have that much on my doors covered. I decided not to do the full doors, and I do regret that, I'm thinking of having them done in a couple months. On an occasion dirt from our half mile long driveway will splatter halfway up the doors in the rain.

[critical_mass]

Originally Posted by UrbanExtant

If you do an XPel Ultimate template for the rocker panels on the X5 M, it also includes the bottom 10" of the doors, up to the first major metal crease from the bottom up. I have that much on my doors covered. I decided not to do the full doors, and I do regret that, I'm thinking of having them done in a couple months. On an occasion dirt from our half mile long driveway will splatter halfway up the doors in the rain.

Thanks for the clarification. It seems to occur (for me at least) up to the first major metal crease from the bottom up, as you said.

[UrbanExtant]

Here's a link to the Xpel site for the X5 M. It's pretty informative.

http://www.xpel.com/paint-protection...2015/BMW/X5_M/

[Payton3485]

Yes, my installer used SunTek for the front end including the hood but used Xpel for the rockers. The protection extends to where you pointed out.

[PatrickC23]

This is good info - I decided no mud flaps but am going to do the rockers with the XPel cut out

[Payton3485]

Here's a slightly better picture taken outside. You barely notice the film until you get really close up on it.

[trev230]

That's the same way mine are. We did the lower half of all doors

[UrbanExtant]

In case anyone would like to see with some actual dirt, the areas that get nailed on the X5 M, attached are some pics from this morning, after driving down our half mile long dirt driveway in the rain this week. Next warm day, she gets cleaned up, but in the meantime, I thought these might help illustrate the exact areas of concern for people.

[elisiX]

Excellent info in this thread.

Bumping for anyone new who might want to know to what extent you 'need' to wrap your car.

[iconoclast]

It gets much worse with spacers and wider wheels/tires. X5M had this issue going back to the E70. The only way to mitigate damage is to install paint protection film. When I had the E70 X5M it was BSM and it was immediately wrapped in PPF however others did not go for it and less than a thousand miles down the road they were making claims to BMW and some people had their panels repainted others had free PPF installed. If I recall correctly there was an OEM p/n for it for the E70 however I have not seen any for the F15 yet.

[P1]

I had this issue with my E70 M Sport, but on my F15 M Sport running 285/325 tires, I don't have any damage whatsoever. And I have 47K on the ticker.

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by P1et

I had this issue with my E70 M Sport, but on my F15 M Sport running 285/325 tires, I don't have any damage whatsoever. And I have 47K on the ticker.

Same here, no pitting or blasting issues and I have 275/315 with 5mm/15mm spacers. I'm only at 29k so far - maybe it's too early, I don't know, but I'll be on lookout for this issue

[Dinan-M]

Is there any way to remove sand blast, road tar and grime? Do I just need to repaint, then cover with clear wrap? Don't want to wrap damage area, but also don't want it to get any worst. Any suggestions?

[elisiX]

I didn't wrap my 16' X5M, and after a few drive days with the M Club, the front of the car and areas behind the front wheels, were destroyed. I mean, 40+ chips, pits and marks from the roads.

So for my soon to arrive 18' X5M, I'm looking at 3 options.

Option 1 - Full front 3.8k AUD

Option 2 - Full front + Rockers 4.5k AUD

Option 3 - Full vehicle 6.5k AUD

All of the above includes initial paint correction to remove any dealer delivered swirls and factory paint issues, and Gyeon (paint protection) inside and out, including windscreen and wheels.

It's tough to accept the cost when I also want KW V3's and an Eisenmann Race exhaust, but I want this car for 4 years, and being Black Sapphire, I can't imagine the paint without the protection.

[P1]

Originally Posted by elisiX

I didn't wrap my 16' X5M, and after a few drive days with the M Club, the front of the car and areas behind the front wheels, were destroyed. I mean, 40+ chips, pits and marks from the roads.

So for my soon to arrive 18' X5M, I'm looking at 3 options.

Option 1 - Full front 3.8k AUD

Option 2 - Full front + Rockers 4.5k AUD

Option 3 - Full vehicle 6.5k AUD

All of the above includes initial paint correction to remove any dealer delivered swirls and factory paint issues, and Gyeon (paint protection) inside and out, including windscreen and wheels.

It's tough to accept the cost when I also want KW V3's and an Eisenmann Race exhaust, but I want this car for 4 years, and being Black Sapphire, I can't imagine the paint without the protection.

Mine is BSM also, and again, with 47K miles. With careful washing and drying, the paint is still in very good condition. I just went in to the garage and checked the portion of the door that everyone is referring to and don't have any paint issues. I just have a regular X5 though, not an X5M. But I don't see that making much of a difference.

[P1]

Originally Posted by Dinan-M

Is there any way to remove sand blast, road tar and grime? Do I just need to repaint, then cover with clear wrap? Don't want to wrap damage area, but also don't want it to get any worst. Any suggestions?

My take? Get a good detailer to see if he can repair it. Maybe some light sanding together with lightly touching up the chips, then covering it with Xpel is probably your best bet.