1987 BMW Touch Up Paint (17 OEM Colors)

The 1987 BMW Vibe

1987 was the year of the power lunch and the ultimate driving machine. Whether you were carving canyons in a 325i or cruising the autobahn in a 735i, a BMW in '87 was a statement of Teutonic precision. We've cataloged 17 distinct shades from this vintage, and it's a masterclass in German variety. You had the staples like Alpine White-which basically defined the E30 generation-and a literal spectrum of metallics like Salmon Silver and Bronzit Beige. If you were really living the high life in an L7 or a 635CSi, you were likely draped in something deep like Royal Blue Metallic or Diamond Black. It was an era where the car didn't just look fast; it looked expensive.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the "Peeling Era." By 1987, BMW was leaning heavily into the basecoat-plus-clearcoat system, especially for those flashy metallics. It looked a mile deep in the showroom, but forty years of UV rays have a way of humbling even the best Bavarian engineering. The big threat here is delamination. Unlike the older single-stage paints that just fade into a chalky haze, this era's clear coat likes to lose its grip on the color beneath it. If your 535 or 325 has spots that look like they're "sunburned" or peeling like a cheap sticker, that's the clear coat giving up the ghost. Once air and moisture get between those layers, the bond is history.

Restoration Tip

On a 1987 survivor, your number one job is containment. If you see a stone chip, do not-I repeat, do not-leave it to the elements. In this era, a chip isn't just a cosmetic flaw; it's an entry point for moisture to start lifting the surrounding clear coat. Use a touch-up pen to seal the edges of that chip immediately. You want to "glue" the edge of the clear coat back down to the base color before the peeling spreads like a bad rumor. If you're working with a metallic like Sterling Silver or Cirrus Blue, remember that the "shine" comes from the clear you put on top, so don't skimp on that final step or your repair will look as flat as a 524TD on a steep hill.