A silly problem with my 325is engine hood

Likely it has gas struts and these have failed - you first notice it in cold weather. Usually easy to change, though.

I suppose they may have put so much new paint on your hood that the air spring is no longer strong enough to hold it up.

Hi Dave, you were so helpful in explaining another problem I ad...could you explain how you think the gas struts work and whether there is some part of the hood 'suspension' I can look at to verify your theory? Also, Jack's suggestion about the weight of the paint was one the body folks raised as well.. if that's the case, will new struts have enough 'oomph'?

The struts are very simple. It has a piston at one end and the strut has a gas charge strong enough to hold the bonnet open, and also helps dampen the force when closing. Over time the gas pressure decreases and the charge is not strong enough to do its job. Don't think there is anything much to look at, as long as the joints are free to move just replace the struts and you'll be good as new. New struts will be more than capable.

They are basically a hydraulic version of a spring. But being hydraulic easier to modify the 'law' of the amount of support effort. Even to provide a constant effort throughout the travel which a simple spring can't.

Think he was having a laugh. ;-)

The hood is held up by a gas-filled shock absorber, for lack of a better word. You need to raise the hood and either re-attach the shock, or replace it.

Take it off and take it to the store and find another one that is the same size.

They're called gas filled struts. But not US gas. ;-)

Strut is the word I was searching for. It does _look_ kinda like a shock though, so he should be able to find it ...