I’m big on washing and detailing my own ride. But with all the work done on my M3 over the past year, and all the shows I attend where people just love to touch things, the car needed some work on the paint to get it ready for MPACT. As usual, I phone a friend, in this case, Dan from Turn7 Autocare.
While we’re at it, let’s add a few details to the M3 first.
BMW M Performance Fuel Filler Cap in Carbon Fiber
File this one under “silly”, “useless”, but also “cool”. It’s available from BMW directly, although Bimmerworld has it cheaper, so try there first.
To install, just clean your fuel cap with alcohol, peel the 3M backing off the inside, and press firmly onto the cap for about 30 seconds.
The cap must lock into place, so installing this straight isn’t in the cards (unless your car has a different cap orientation.) But you can prevent it from being installed upside down.
BMW gives you a sticker that maintains the “demo” on how to secure your fuel cap properly, but there’s no need to install it.
Filling up was never so much fun.
CarbonEX hood latch handle
This one actually is functional. I find myself popping the hood a lot more, and the stock plastic handle feels (and looks) like crap.
To fix, CarbonEX makes a very nice OEM+ option that is easy to install and looks much better. You can get it painted, but I don’t think a handle like this needs to draw attention to itself. The black solid T6 billet aluminum is nice as is.
To install, pull the latch open, and use a small flat head screw driver to pop out the retaining clip. It’ll then slide right off. Install the CarbonEX latch the reverse way.
It’s likely no one will notice these minor upgrades, but I do, and that’s the entire point.
MPACT prep with Turn7 AutoCare
As my M3 approaches two years of ownership, I thought it would be nice to treat it to a nice detail in preparation for MPACT.
Only I touch my car’s paint, so you will not find me at the local Shine N’ Go. But the level of work needed on the M3 exceeds my abilities.
Instead, I ask Dan Miele, owner of Turn7 Autocare in Westchester, New York, to make a house call. Dan is a former Larry protégé (in fact, the only one), and usually spends his time working on cars that are priceless. I simply do not know another detailer on his level.
“See Mike, you need PPF.” If I had, I would have had to replace it on the carbon fiber bodywork and rear trunk, adding even more cost. Dan will fix a few minor swirls on the rear bumper (a difficult place to avoid swirling due to all the dust kickup), and clean up the Shadowline trim around the windows. But the car will otherwise look as good as new.
I had applied a ceramic coating to the Shadowline trim, but it didn’t like it and fogged over. Dan can remove this with a small polisher and some (very) small sand paper. It’s painstaking work that makes me question why anyone would want to detail.
Likely for the same reason I shoot cars – to make them look good. With the car ready for Saturday (and upcoming Fall shows), it’s time to enjoy it!
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