1988 BMW Touch Up Paint (17 OEM Colors)

The 1988 BMW Vibe

1988 was the high-water mark for the "Executive Athlete." Whether you were rowing through the gears of an E30 M3 or cruising the corporate ladder in a 535i, your paint choice was your calling card. We've got 17 colors in our database from this vintage, and let's be honest-half the fun of owning a 1988 Bimmer is arguing about which shade of silver is superior. Between the iconic Alpine White, the deep Royal Blue Metallic, and the "I definitely work on Wall Street" Bronzit Beige Metallic, these cars weren't just transport; they were statements of German precision wrapped in high-solvent swagger. We even keep the SEM-matched Bumper Cover finish on hand because those black plastic trims usually gave up the ghost long before the engine did.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to The Peeling Era. By 1988, BMW was fully committed to the basecoat/clearcoat system, especially for the metallic finishes like Salmon Silver and Cirrus Blue. The "Agitate" here is delamination. While the paint itself was high-quality, those early clear coats often lose their bond with the basecoat after decades of UV exposure. If your roof or trunk looks like it's mid-sunburn with flaky, white edges, that's clear coat failure. Once that clear lifts, the basecoat underneath has zero protection and will turn into a dull, oxidized mess in a matter of months.

Restoration Tip

When you find a chip or a spot where the clear is just starting to lift, seal the perimeter immediately. Take a piece of 1500-grit wet sandpaper and very lightly "feather" the edge of the peeling clear coat. You want to remove the sharp "ledge" where the clear meets the air, which prevents the wind from catching it and peeling back more of the finish like a sticker. Once the edge is smooth, apply your touch-up layers and clear coat to lock it down. You aren't just fixing a blemish; you're performing a surgical strike to save the entire panel's skin.