Paint & color durability

[Unregistered]

Considering purchase of another Bimmer for the long haul, but given choices in paint and color, I need to know the following:

1. Is metallic or non-metallic BMW paint more durable and easier to work with for touch-up, spot painting, compounding, polishing, etc.?

2. Which have clear coat, and how durable is that?

2. What COLORS are most durable? (Brother has a silver '77, and its paint crapped out long ago. OTOH, old Alpine White Bimmers seem to still look fresh after decades. So, what colors last longest, bestest?)

4. Which colors seem easiet to keep looking good, and show the lines of the car best?

[Unregistered]

It's detailed and waxed spring and fall

[Unregistered]

How about metallic blue? Anybody had good, bad, or ugly experience with that?

[mjfeeney4]

My 95 is midnight blue has a lot of small chips. The color is not faded but the chips and scratches are noticable.

[AZ_Jason_S]

I have a metallic granite-silver. It still looks awesome and I live in Arizona where the sun is harsh. I get compliments all the time on how fresh it looks. However, I don't know if thats indicative of the color or the quality of BMW paint. I think metallics go to crap easier than solids. What I do know, red is the softest pigment and fades easiest. Black shows dings, dirt, and mediocre bodywork the most. If I had to guess, I would think white is the most forgiving color. It shows the least dirt and dings and reflects the sun well. Also, I would think all BMW paints are clear-coated.

[JR'Z 525]

My 92 is Azure Blue Metallic. The clear coat is shot. It has fade spots on the hood and roof. I also think the PO ran it thru roller brush type automatic car washers because there are fine scratches all over the car. I've tried several different methods over the last three years to hide the scratches. I can get it looking pretty good (from 5 feet)for a week or so then it goes up to a 10 (have to be 10 ft away)!
Gonna have to paint it one of these days but in the mean time I don't worry to much if my 4 yr old daughter gets to close on her bike....
JR

[scott540]

My alpine white still looks new after 9 years.

[Rick L]

I had to agree with Jason and Scott. White is most forgiving color. My Alpine White still looks like new!

http://home.comcast.net/~jungerishere/BMW4.JPG

[winfred]

sterling silver metalic bites ass but looks good when new, my 90 535ia and moms 90 325isa both only look good wet