Author Topic: How do I find out what color is my car? (Read 5402 times)

ezbst · « **on:** October 21, 2007, 05:27:29 PM »

Hey all.

First of all: no, I'm not colorblind.

I've purchased another 318is this weekend. An amazing example with only 75000km on the clock. The car is black but when I brought it home and parked it beside my diamantschwarz, it looked noticeably different. So I popped the hood and looked at the plaque on the cathedral and it says: "BMW - Sonderlack".

After muttering "WTF", I googled the term and it appears that it stands for "special lacquer". So I gather that the original owner ordered it with a non-standard color. Frankly, it looks like BMWs Jet Black to me, but I want the official word.

Any ideas how I would go about finding this out? The documentation that came with the car has no mention of it.

-ez

haledj · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2007, 06:44:45 PM »

thats awesome, a dealer might be able to tell you something with the VIN.

got any pictures??

Lukis · « **Reply #2 on:** October 21, 2007, 06:52:05 PM »

Sounds like you have gotten a nice car. picks??
Best way to go about it would probably be to go to a dealer with your vin number.

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2007, 09:45:28 AM »

Is there a number on the sticker? bmw paint is denoted by a 3-number code on that sticker.

ezbst · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2007, 11:34:23 AM »

Thanks for the tips guys... good call about the paint number, I'm going to have the check on that when I get home. Nothing jumped out at me when I was looking at it last time, but I can't be certain.

If not, I guess contacting the dealership or BMW is the next avenue.

I will add some photos on to my member profile post in the next couple of days as I prepare it for winter storage. The car is completely stock and very clean - this is the car I've been searching for about 3 years now - low mileage and all-original. I've actually started to believe that such cars have become the stuff of urban legends.... but there she is.

(if i sound like a kid that just got that long-awaited christmas present - well, that's what it feels like!!

)

ezbst · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2007, 11:22:54 PM »

UPDATE:

Well, I've located the digits on the color sticker, but after reading a few German forums it appears that the number 2 121 364 is actually the part number of the sticker! Heh!

I can't see any other numbers on there so until I contact BMW and determine the exact shade, I shall call it Mystery Black or Geheimnis Schwarz!

Got a nice ring to it, still... :cool: