Advice needed: Doing a color change the right way - Topaz Blue to... ??

[Tbonem3]

If I ever do a full respray, it'll be San Marino

[repoman89]

San Marino on the e46 in those pics above looks exactly like my ILB car. I wouldn’t have even known that wasn’t a stock ZCP M3 with saturation cranked up maybe 5%.

[Halftim3]

What about Monte Carlo blue, is that a BMW color? San Marino does look nice though.

[jet_dogg]

I like smb but personally I’d keep it period correct and go with classic colors like avus or lemans.

[02_lsb]

Just a few years ago, a thread like this would be met with “it’s cheaper just to get a different color e46”. Different world out there with these e46 prices.

[Sharocks]

Doesn't make sense to go through all the hassle of respraying the car perfectly, a color that was available on the car from new.

You can buy an Estoril or LSB car.

If you're open to options, pick a color that literally no one would paint or have on their E46 M3's that way at least at the end of the day you can be like "I'm the only one" lol

[Nate047]

Man Topaz is pretty nice and it's almost a shame to change it. But hey you do you. If I were going to color change either of my M3s, I would do Atlantis Blue or a custom mix sort of similar to that, because it's super outlandish and I like a little flamboyancy.

[heinzboehmer]

Sometimes the color looks amazing to me. More often it's just "meh". This is 100% a personal preference and I want to LOVE the color of my car. When I bought it (used in 2012), I really wanted an LSB car, but at the time, couldn't justify the $4-6k premium people seemed to be asking for on them. Funny how if I move forward with this, I'm going to significantly pay for my impatience of not waiting to find an LSB car...

But as I said earlier, life's short and I'm not sitting on a car that belongs in a museum. To hell with logic! I knew when I posted this I'd likely get some polarizing replies. 🙂

The paint on my car is in OK shape, but could use a respray. I have the full maintenance and ownership history (I'm 3rd owner). First owner was women who only drove the car about 23k miles in 7 years of ownership - she needed a hip replacement and couldn't use the clutch anymore, but man, props to her for buying this car. However, she hit a traffic cone that marred/slightly gouged the front bumper. The 2nd owner put one of those full length carbon "spitters" (more of a lip) on the car, which did a number to the bumper cover underneath. Also, it has door dings, some bad touch-up work in spots, etc. Not sure if that stuff is from the 1st or 2nd owner. But all that to say... the car needs some love that's more than just a good buff. I bought it that way and knew I'd eventually address it.

Yeah I totally get that feeling. Until pretty recently, I always thought my car looked very meh unless it was in direct sun. My paint was not in the greatest shape and my opinion of the color changed drastically after a paint correction. Look at the difference in the color between these two pics:




I used to hate how hazy topaz looked in certain lights, but turns out that was just due to the paint being shitty lol.

Not knocking you for wanting to do a color change btw, just adding to the conversation

[Tbonem3]

There's also the small little detail that a quality paint job, incl door jambs/engine bay is like $20k. Unless you're going to maaco or you like rushed colorsanding, fisheyes & runs.

[oceansize]

There's also the small little detail that a quality paint job, incl door jambs/engine bay is like $20k. Unless you're going to maaco or you like rushed colorsanding, fisheyes & runs.

This ain't wrong. However, if OP does all the R&R of trim, seals, and mechanical bits then it can be done for way less and this does sound like the path OP is on.

I was on the same path as OP at one time but once I did an Imola swap (with brand new nappa) I lost interest. Car looks great as is.

[frenzy757]

Really partial to Chalk now =)

Or Dravit Grey

[tnord]

I would not change the color. I won't try to talk you out of a quality respray, as new paint and a good quality finishing will probably bring out the pop in the paint you're looking for. Don't certain coatings provide more a "bright" tech-y type of finish also? That's why I use plain old P21S carnuba on my jet black as I like the "softer" looking finish.

[jet_dogg]

Doesn't make sense to go through all the hassle of respraying the car perfectly, a color that was available on the car from new.

You can buy an Estoril or LSB car.

If you're open to options, pick a color that literally no one would paint or have on their E46 M3's that way at least at the end of the day you can be like "I'm the only one" lol

Being different for the sake of being different is dumb. Sounds like the porsche crowd "1 of 1 in the world with pink seatbelts."

Man Topaz is pretty nice and it's almost a shame to change it. But hey you do you. If I were going to color change either of my M3s, I would do Atlantis Blue or a custom mix sort of similar to that, because it's super outlandish and I like a little flamboyancy.

BMW has a lot of nice individual options for blues like atlantis, velvet, orient (which member zivagoless here has, bluewater, etc and a myriad of others. The problem for the OP would be not having seen these in person so paying 10k for a respray would be a huge gamble.

[usdmej]

OP it seems like the best two choices are to
- sell your car and find an equivalent one in either LSB or Interlagos blue
- pick a unique blue, find/pick a painter and do as much of the labor as you can to save costs/ensure the job is done right


tbh either choice will be significant time spent doing your due diligence

[Sharocks]

Being different for the sake of being different is dumb. Sounds like the porsche crowd "1 of 1 in the world with pink seatbelts."



BMW has a lot of nice individual options for blues like atlantis, velvet, orient (which member zivagoless here has, bluewater, etc and a myriad of others. The problem for the OP would be not having seen these in person so paying 10k for a respray would be a huge gamble.

Paying 10k plus on a respray for something that already exists is a waste though.

If you want an LSB car, just go and buy one. It won't drive any better or different, it's just smurf blue.