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      12-18-2013, 08:34 PM   #41
rpagianotto
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Drives: F22 m235i 8AT
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: São Paulo

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Quote:
Originally Posted by advantage20
Quote:
Originally Posted by puma1552 View Post
I don't get these "individual" colors that come from a set of selections on the configurator online.

To me individual is when you are having the car painted one of a kind, not when BMW just takes a set palette of colors and says "yeah we're calling these individual and charging $2k for them even though Tom Dick and Harry might pick the same off the BMW website". A true individual color, sure they will need to track it down and stop production etc., and for that a fee is reasonable. These "individual" colors that you pick right off the website right below the regular colors are just the same as the regular colors, I'm sure they are preloaded at the factory ready to shoot just like Alpine White is.

Seems like an asinine way to price a color, there's nothing individual about them other than BMW breaks them out from the regular colors on the website, adds an "individual" header, and charges like two grand for them.
Not quite true. First, concerning the paint itself, an Individual paint not only contains a larger variety of pigments than a normal paint (visible from up close), it also has more layers. These 2 factors combine to give it a real depth increase, pretty amazing reflections and a real color amplitude according to varying lighting conditions (for instance Azurite Black is a real cameleon depending on whether it is under direct sunlight or under cloudy weather). An Individual paint also has a better outer coating to protect it.

Secondly, concerning the paint facilities, each paint requires specific robots etc. Individual paints represent a small percentage of the overall production and all in all are not as profitable to produce as, say, Sapphire Black or Glacier Silver.

And finally, you actually CAN create your own Individual paint that does not exist in the catalog (I have known a few examples), but at a price that is probably very high.

There is no doubt to me that BMW does make more cash out of an Individual paint than out of a stock paint, but not all of this premium is purely due to exclusivity, as these paints actually are deeper, better quality and cost more to produce
One thing that gets me, though, is that mineral white, an individual color to the m3/4, is a base color for the 1er and 3er.

However, the m3/4 gets sahkir orange as a base color, while the rest of the line-up only gets it as an individual color.

If you're right, the formula and painting process of these colors must be different on the m3/4 in comparison to all other BMW cars!
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