BMW 528 Touch Up Paint (40 OEM Colors)

The Color Breakdown

BMW didn't just give the 528 a paint job; they gave it a personality. With 40 colors recorded over the years, they really went for it. You'll find everything from the earthy Sepia Brown and the "is-it-gold-or-silver" Bronzit Beige Metallic to the vibrant Cinnabar. BMW also has a bit of a love affair with beige-offering Safari, Savannah, Gazelle, and Luxor variations-so if your car looks "tan," you definitely want to check that specific name before you start dabbling with a brush.

What to Watch For

Before you pop that touch-up cap, you need to find your code. On most 528s, it's a black sticker hiding on the driver's side strut tower (the big metal mound under the hood), though some E39 models like to hide it on the underside of the hood itself. Keep an eye out for "paint popcorn"-those little rust bubbles that love to form on the wheel arches and the bottom edges of the doors. Also, if you're rocking one of the famous Alpine Whites, be careful: Alpine White, Alpine White II, and Alpine White III are all slightly different. Using the wrong "version" of white won't ruin the car, but it will require some extra patience to get the look just right.

Driveway Repair Tip

Since so many 528 colors are Metallics (like Glacier Blue or Sapphire Blue), your biggest challenge is the "shimmer." Those tiny metallic flakes like to settle at the bottom of the bottle like lead weights. Shake your touch-up pen or bottle for at least 60 full seconds-long after you think you're done-to wake up those sparkles. When applying, use the "less is more" rule: dab a tiny amount into the chip rather than painting a long stroke. If the color looks a bit dark at first, don't panic; metallic paints often find their true shade once they've fully dried.