Where to find paint code?

[olywamat]

2001 330cic.

Where can I find the paint code for my car? Is there some kind of data plate or sticker somewhere?

I hate to admit the reason that I'm asking. I bought this car for my wife for Mother's Day, May 12th. Car was absolutely perfect in every way. Not so much as a rock chip on the hood or front bumper. In 980 miles, she has picked up 3 door dings, a major rock chip in the pristine windshield, and this morning she backed into her Maxima (which she parked directly in the way). I guess it could've been worse: Last night she started the car up to back it out of the garage and stepped on the brake to shift into reverse. OOPS!, that wasn't the brake, that was the accelerator. Engine revved to about 8K RPM before she realized what she had done!

At the risk of getting my head knocked off, some women were not meant to have nice cars. This BMW experiment looks like it might be a short one.

 

[Big Daddy]

It is usually on the left front shock tower under the hood. Are the door dings into the paint or just the clear coat? I have door dings removed every couple of years as I find them, never had one scratch the paint...knock on wood!

 

[olywamat]

I honestly don't think there is a data sticker on this car. The left shock tower has nothing. The right shock tower has the VIN engraved, but that's it. I have looked everywhere under the hood (including the bottom of the hood), the door jams, the rear edge of both doors, the glovebox, and the trunk. No dice.

Yep, the door dings are through the paint, as is the new set of scratches on the rear bumper cover. It appears as though BMW uses a black primer? Fortunately, the wheel well openings took the force of the door dings, so there is no denting of the body panels. Somebody is going to get some parking lessons this evening.

I believe my car is Steel Blue Metallic, but BMW had several greys and blues that year. Can anyone confirm this by looking at the photos in the link?

http://www.drispy.4t.com/photo_1.html

 

[William330]

Sounds like you have a Maxima she should drive.

But your garage is simply awesome!

http://www.drispy.4t.com/photo_1.html

 

[///M SPEED]

Matt the paint code should be where Dan stated. It will be in the German word for the color. With time I will try to remember to open the hood of the ///M and take a pic of the location. It's the same on all 3-series.....

P.S. I want your Trans-Am bad. My favorite is the 78 John Player Special (aka Bandit car). The 455 ci is awsome. Last Monday I saw a "71" Trans-Am w/Ram Air 455 ci. White with the Blue sripe. It was the guys baby and it look brand new as does yours.....

 

[///M SPEED]

Matt, I had a 2000 328i and my owners manaual stated:

The paint color code for your car is provided
on a sticker located next to the
type plate and on the first page of your
Service and Warranty Information
Booklet (US models) or Warranty and
Service Guide Booklet (Canadian models).

Not sure if you have any of these booklets, but I believe mine is located on the right shock tower. It should be a black sticker with the color type written German.....

 

[olywamat]

Thanks for the help guys. There is no sticker under the hood. Wonder where it went....

Thanks, too for the compliment on the Trans Am. That is one that I sold a while back. The red 71 Camaro is my favorite. Just a really nice driver without the original drivetrain. A blast to drive without worrying about it too much. The Impala on the other hand....

 

[Salamander]

Thanks for the help guys. There is no sticker under the hood. Wonder where it went....

I always think it's a bit misleading when people talk about the shock tower as the paint code location. Instead, locate the wiring coming out of the back of the left low beam headlamp, then look directly behind it about 4 inches -- there should be a rectangular sticker indicating the paint code and color written in German.

As for getting door dings removed, ask your dealer or your local CarMax store when the mobile ding and dent crew is coming around the next time. Look at the work they're doing, and if you like what you see, get a price directly from them (not from the dealer) for removing or filling in the dings and let them do the work. I had a pretty good size door ding taken out that way and to this day it takes me a good deal of looking under just the right lighting conditions to find where they did the repair.

 

[Big Daddy]

My paint code it on the shock tower, not the radiator/grille frame support.
Note this paint supplierlocation guide: BMW paint coed locations