Flaking paint

Posted on by Ian C.

Washing GP0203 today, I noticed that it is suffering the same flaking paint problem reported by a number of other GP owners, namely that the paint is flaking away around the dummy “air intake” on the passenger side of the front bumper:

There was clearly some sort of process control issue causing this, since multiple owners (goodfinder, Metal Man, eimr – all early delivery GPs!) have reported the same problem at the same location on the car (the paint around the driver side “air intake” is perfectly OK!) – so presumably there will be no problem having MINI USA take care of this …

UPDATE: After gaining warranty approval from MINI USA, the re-work was done excellently at my local & favorite body shop, Sublime Restorations … all’s well again with GP0203 🙂

28 thoughts on “Flaking paint”

  2. Well, at least the air intake helps cool your brakes. Oh, wait. It doesn’t. Never mind.

  3. Hey GPMINI,

    I got the same problem on my GP, except it’s on the driver’s side. My GP was sitting on the docks early as well, although did not get it until early October, long story. I’ve got an appointment to get the bumper painted, as the dealer has said they will do, it’s a warranty issue but not thrilled with the aftermarket painting 😦

    On a seperate note, I usually don’t acknowledge other posters comments as it usually just gives recognition to ignorant chatter but as a self described “vintage car investor” on another thread, “meng” seems to have some issue or fixation with the GP. If you are indeed a vintage car investor, you should already know that very few cars are kept in their original states and that’s what makes “originals” all that more valuable at shows, resale, etc. However, aside from these few cars the rest are usually customized to the owners wants/needs. Having addressed that, the “air intake” is a stock feature on the car and therefore what does your comment add to this topic? Each post I have read from you seems to be negative in some regard to either GP owners, and what they choose to do to their cars, or towards the car itself. If you don’t like the car fine, not everyone has too, but why bother even coming to this discussion board, I’m sure as a vintage car investor you have better things to attend to!
    I don’t call people names, and I won’t here either, but really what’s your point “meng”? That’s the last word I will waste on this subject.

    Good luck with getting that sorted out Ian, I’ll let you know how mine comes out, I need to get it ‘re’Armorfended’ as well.

  4. Actually, COOPS, I am independently wealthy and have inordinate amounts of time on my hands. But you are right, there is not much of interest here.

  5. Wow, a little tension on both sides here. Maybe it’s Meng The Merciless. The comment seemed benign to me and I think opinions good or bad are welcomed here as long as it stays civil which it seemed to be, but then I like eggs.

  8. Abrasive? Perhaps. But least I took your minds off that annoying flaking paint for a while. Boy, I sure hate it when paint flakes off the plastic surrounding a faux exterior design element.

  9. He can be quite amusing sometimes, too … it’ll be fascinating to see what comments come of putting a GP in a horse truck! 😉

  10. Hello, I am from Istanbul TURKEY, GP 1466.

    I got the same problem when the car was in 2k km. I noticed it after the carwash too. When I went to our MINI dealer, they told that it happened because a stone popped up from the road and because of the reason, this is not the fault of MINI.

  12. COOPS,

    It is not a warranty issue in here :S

    So do you think we can make our dealer accept the situation, if we e mail BMW AG?

  13. =;¬),

    Thanks for your opinion, but I can order a ‘GP’car cover if you have got one?

  14. It’s near impossible for that damage to be a stone chip. The paint is flaked on the horizontal, not on the vertical. A stone would have to rain down from above!

    And unless the paint quality is awful, you’d be left with just a simple CHIP, and not a layer of peeling paint.

    There’s enough examples of GPs with near identical damage, to point to it being a manufacturing issue – any refusal by MINI is simply trying to duck responsibility.
    [I wonder if MINI is reading this!]

  15. This is completely unaccaptable situation, BMW/Mini must recitify properly. Quite frankly, this car is supposed to be the zenith of R53 production, a collectors edition. Having such an issue is unbelievable.

    Quite frankly, BMW should be prepared to reissue the part properly painted, and fitted for free, and where necessary compensating owners for their wasted time and other expences.

  16. Emir,

    My dealer here is pretty good and my sales advisor, service advisor AND manager of the dealer all assured me it was a warranty item and that I will not have to incur any cost to fix. The unsettling part, and this gets to Tonyt3’s comment, is that it will be brought to a body shop for a repaint and NOT a new bumper. I’ve had experience with “repaints” and they NEVER look the same color or really the same texture as the original and I agree with Tonyt3, in that it should be a whole new bumper from MINI to avoid this problem because it’s obviously a manufacturer’s default, not the owner, because it’s happening all over the WORLD!
    Anyways, I’ll let you know how it turns out.

  17. Lucky for me, one of the body shops associated with MINI of Peabody is A1 excellent (they did the Union Jack roof, painted “S” roof, and painted hood stripes on other MINIs I’ve owned)

  18. Hey all

    I have just sent an inquiry to MINI International. Lets wait and see. Btw COOPS I want you to know, I had to copy some parts of your message in my inquiry =)

    Thank you

  19. No problem Emir, let me know what they say. I would push hard and try to get a new bumper out of it and then back down to getting a repaint paid for by THEM. This way it looks like you’re letting them off the hook because even though I agree with Tony in that a new bumper would be appropriate, realistically, I know they won’t do that.
    Good luck.

  21. The MINI USA rep that serves the Pacific NW said mine was because I popped out the fake airducts and put in functional ones from John Cooper Motorsports. Claim denied and I was not even allowed to plead my case as he only works from the garage and will not speak with owners. 😦
    oh well, track days are bound to chew mine up anyway. I’ll let you collectors fight this one. Maybe I can take another run at it another time.

  22. greetings!

    adrian from south africa here – GP1719

    so far so good wrt flaking paint (touch wood!). i only hand wash my car and as yet the paintwork seems fine, i would like to know however, what happens in the event of a small area touch up being required? thunder blue is a colour way, exclusive to the GP and as such won’t be ‘stocked’ by the dealers/bodyshops… As COOPS says, a repaint is never the same and given the exclusivity of the colour, will even BMW AG be able to guarantee matching paint if and when required?

    the reason i ask is because of the road quality in south africa; i get a lot of chips and even armour glazing doesn’t help…

  23. Thunder Blue paint is the same as a BMW color – here in USA my body shop easily mixed an exact match; the dealership also sells touch-up paint (color code A64)

  25. No, it’s not called Thunder Blue. Not sure of it’s actual name … “A64” paint code worked fine to identify it as a BMW color at my local body shop.

  26. Hello all,

    GP 0731 here in Paris, France. Same exact paint problem at the right bumper intake level. It definitely seems to me to be a fabrication defect. The dealership (BMW MINI Mirabeau) accepted directly to cover the repair. However they will only paint it. I’ll see how it comes out then see about having them replace the bumper.

    PS: The paint is referred to as Thunder Blue indeed.

    Good luck and tons of driving fun to all.
    Abdul.

  28. Mine was fixed by MINI of Main Line. They just required a regional person to allow. They removed front then repainted and re-installed.

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