Small Chip - Touch up vs. Repaint?

[CedarZ4]

There is a small chip (1/4 of an inch) at the corner of my quarter panel (where the edge meets the door and window). Money completely aside... would it be better to touch it up with paint and feather the clear coat or just repaint the whole panel? Both would be done at a body shop.

I would like to keep the factory paint, however, read that clear coat that was feathered (not a complete respray) tends to crack after a few years. On the other hand... aftermarket paint?

Anyone more familiar with automotive paint can chime in?

[paris1]

A picture would help!

[nicknaz]

I would touch it up and then if needed respray later. It doesn't sound like a bad enough damage to warrant a complete respay

If you do respray, take it to a BMW certified collision center and it should be around $900

[rking117]

touch up is better especially on the metal parts. if it were a bumper i woudl say go for a resray but then only maybe

[CedarZ4]

No picture as the car currently is at a BMW Collision Center. Nick, your suggestion makes a lot of sense if I were to pay for this myself. However, the BMW Collision Center will be doing the repair under insurance, and he gave me the offer to have either or done. If I choose the touch-up, I won't be able to get the respray later on. Respray sounds like a "better value" but if it's not necessarily the best way to go, I would like to keep the original paint. The manager at the Collision Center told me if he were to do the touch-up method, 99% of the people won't be able to tell unless they knew it was there.

rking - any reason why you say touch-up is better for meta/Al parts? My only real concern is flaking of clear coat and that should not be affected by the material, no?

[tranquility]

I guess that they can only spray the affected panel? They can't get the factory paint?

Must be lucky to have only 1 chip to worry about, I've had dozens on my hood/front bumper and can't be bothered anymore, just touch-up myself.

It's not an easy decision, a resprayed panel will look 'perfect' but might not exactly match the rest of the car vs touch-up not being perfect but the rest of the panel retains the original paint.

[CedarZ4]

It's a Certified BMW Repair Collision Center, so I'd imagine they use OEM paint. However, the curing process is different from factory, in which they bake it at high temperatures, so I'm concerned about longevity as this will be a long-term car for me.

I'm not concerned about color match as it will be blended with the door, so it's really the clear coat durability that concerns me, weather it be touch-up or full respray.

For what it's worth... my bumper had a lot of road rash, especially since I DD'ed it last year in the winter. Getting it repainted and will most likely be putting a clear-bra on. What sucks is the chip wasn't even my own doing. When the car got towed, the door got misaligned, and it chipped the quarter.

[toplessrydr]

Rule number one....always request a flatbed tow. I don't see why you need to be concerned. It's a certified body shop. Ask if they use original paint and go thru the multi step like factory. Your insurance will warranty the work so if it does flake or crack it's covered. However....you say you don't worry about color match........you should be.