Paint same color or different?

[conditioner]

Hello all,

My 88 635 is in need of a paint job. Its original color is salmon silver but after years under the sun, the paint has taken its toll (fade). I would like to have it painted this spring and recently thought about like a Laguna Seca Blue color. I just thought it would be different since I do like it on the M3. Any thoughts? I have 15's basketweaves on the car currently and a also a set of 18's m-parallels. Maybe the blue would look good with the 18's? I have thought about re-sale in the future but not overly concerned with value.

[volac]

I think blue is an excellent idea. I'm definitely going to consider the blue path once/if I repaint my car.

Although Laguna Seca Blue is very nice and bright, I think you can get that same pop with a bit more depth of say, a metallic, or even just having it a bit darker.

E.G. Tobago Blue



Or the blue of this 6er for example. Dunno what it is, but here's what it looks like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=fX0ywCz4_Z8

Since Tobago blue probably will be hard to find, www.automotivetouchup.com probably has a Le Mans Blue you can buy.

[ShapeShifter]

Original. Salmon silver is a fairly rare color and I think you'll apprceiate it more if it was in good shape.

Besides, would you pull the engine to do a proper color change?

[volac]

Besides, would you pull the engine to do a proper color change?

Yeap OP, this will be the main thing. Changing colors is pretty impractical unless you've got a heap of money sitting around, because to do it correctly, you pretty much have to take apart the whole car.

I think Lachssilber is actually fairly common (or at least that's all I see + every other car on the road is silver) but I'd agree with PorscheDude that you're probably just better off respraying the original color on.

[Ed Lyerly]

Is it worth $2500 more to you to do a color change properly ? If not, suggest you stay with the original color.

[conditioner]

Well I had not planned on removing the engine but I see your point. I am not fully informed of the extra work involved to re-paint it to another color but am sure there is more labor involved. Looks like I'm leaning to the original color.

________________
5-Sp, B&B Triflo, SS/Drilled/Slotted, Eibach/Bilstein Sports/Powerflex

[volac]

Well I had not planned on removing the engine but I see your point. I am not fully informed of the extra work involved to re-paint it to another color but am sure there is more labor involved. Looks like I'm leaning to the original color.

You'd be dealing with the following pretty much

Color change:
- remove engine, entire interior, exterior trim, bumpers, all windows and windshields

Color Respray
- None of these apart from removing exterior trim. A good job would take out the windshields on even just a respray, but it's not necessary.

[master6]

I would not buy it. Even if you re-spray the entire body. And then after all of that. I would still view the car as a non orginal, insurance total. Because it is not a numbers matching car, stupid idea. Buy another car in the color you want.

[Budget M3]

I say paint it how you like, but look for something that is "complimentary" to the original underhood color. I had a 1980 633 whose original color was that burnt orange (I forget what it was actually named). It needed paint, and I hated the color, so went looking for colors close to that, but with a bit more "pop". I found that Jaguar's Flamenco Mica Red Metallic was perfect--only had to respray the exterior and door jams. I left the underhood and other surfaces the original color which was a bit more "orangey" than the red, but close enough so that only the most educated eye could tell. Resale on that car held up quite well. I ended up selling the car 10 years later for twice what I paid for it (about the same as what I had into it at that point ), in part because the red paint made it very unique and desirable.

If you don't like Lachssilber, then go to the new car lots (BMW, Mercedes, Jag, etc) and look for something similar to your original color. I would think anything in the silver/gray family would look OK as long as it is not too dark. BMW's space gray metallic perhaps?

[Roku35]

I like Lachsilber. Looks great on a 6er, keep it original, and you will appreciate the car more.

[Zack01GC]

Keep it original. Working in the body industry, specifically paint prep and body work, it would be to your benefit, as well as to your wallets benefit to not do a full color change.

[conditioner]

Thanks all for the inputs. Seems like there is more involved than it's worth to swap colors. Common BMW colors are usually black, silver and bronzit. I really would like a 88-89 red or (dark) blue 5-speed but they're almost impossible to find which had me getting creative with the color change.

[bimas]

I like Lachsilber too. Look in some unaffected area, such as the inside of your trunk (you may need to pop one of the vinyl covers to truly see a nice clean piece) and decide if you like the color. It's hard to judge a faded car.

I agree that a color change is a very involved process. I am doing it because I have a project shell. Black to Hennarot, but mind you that there is no trim, no interior, no glass, no engine, mirrors, valances, sunroof...

I know that I am loosing originality, but I am building a car that I WANT. So if you really want something other than silver, do it! Just make it tasteful. I think that some new colors like Space Gray look great.