40 hours of work condensed into a 40-minute video for your viewing pleasure to see a professional detailer restore the shine of an older BMW 3 Series. The car in question is a 318i from the E36 era that started in 1990 and ended a decade later. Equipped from the factory with the optional aero kit, the 3er finished in Alpine White belongs to a friend of the man behind the Canada-based Chromatic Garage channel on YouTube.
As it’s usually the case with detailing videos, we’re finding this soothing to watch and we’re enjoying the visual refresh the car went through. It included some minor paint corrections here and there, but we’re particularly impressed by the great attention to detail as even the badges were removed to fully clean the body and remove years’ worth of grime.
It wouldn’t be a complete exterior makeover without thoroughly cleaning the wheels, together with their lug nuts and the wheel wells hosting them. The pro detailer paid special attention to the slightly faded headlights by polishing them up and giving the impression this E36 just rolled off the assembly line even though the last one was made 22 years ago if we take into account the 3 Series Compact.
We’d be curious to see the car’s interior and learn about its mechanical condition. With the 318i’s owner deciding to have it extensively detailed, it can only mean this third-generation 3er still have plenty of years left in it. Back in the day, that M42 four-pot gasoline engine made just under 140 horsepower before being replaced in 1996 by the slightly more potent M44.
While it’s no M3 E36, it’s always a pleasure to see a BMW 3 Series being pampered, especially one that has been taken care of by previous owners and is still being looked after despite the vehicle’s venerable age.
Source: Chromatic Garage / YouTube
