Buffing or Color Sanding???

["Rabbit" <rabbit@xxxxxxx>]

If the stone chips are to the metal, you can buff and wet sand to your
hearts content, but at the very most all it will do is snmooth out the rough
edges of the chip (may make it look a little less noticable).  In order to
eliminate the chips, you'll need to do some painting first.  If your '95 325
hasn't been well taken care of, its quite possible the touch up will stand
out as much as the chip.  If the car still looks good, then you may want to
try using touch-up and apply it with a flat cardboard matchstick end (cut
the end into a point with scissors).  Rather than paint, you're going to
lightly touch the matchstick to the chip and let the paint flow off the
stick and fill the chip.  A couple coats will be required (let each coat dry
properly first).  Once you get the paint a bit higher than the factory
paint, you can attempt to wet sand using 2200 grit sandpaper.  Be very
careful, because too much sanding will eat away the clear.  Always keep the
sandpaper wet and renew it often.  Properly wet sanded, it should look
better than the oroginal chip (I hope!!).

It takes some practice to get the process down pat, but I've got confidence.
I've done it a few times on my '97 M3 (water base paint).  The newer paint
loves to chip in big gaping nasty chips.  Its possible your '95 has water
base paint, since BMW changed over to water base sometime during the '95
model year.  If your chips are unusually large, I bet you have water base
paint on your car.

BTW, a lot of manufacturers are having problems with water base paint.  A
colleague has a '97 F355 with water base paint the likes to peel off plastic
surfaces (i.e. bumpers).  Ferrari blames it on the paint manufacturers, the
paint manufacturers blame it on Ferrari's incorrect preparation, blah, blah,
blah.  Needless to say it will be a few more years before the car industry
has a handle on water base paints.

Scott