Some commercial services also allow individuals to use a VIN to access all this information themselves, helping anybody shopping on the second-hand market get a clear idea of how well the vehicle has been maintained. This information is all associated with the vehicle’s VIN, giving future mechanics an easy way to get an overview of all the work that’s already been done, without having to guess at how long the timing belt looks like it’s been in the car. The owner may be able to present a stack of paperwork detailing every service, but it isn’t uncommon for these kinds of records to get lost.įortunately, whenever a vehicle is serviced by a BMW technician, a computerized record of the work done is kept, including any parts replaced and the vehicle’s mileage. Checking BMW service historyīefore buying a used vehicle, it’s normal to expect to see a record of the maintenance work done on the car through the years. All essential information if you are buying a pre-owned or used car, simply want to do some comparison shopping, or wish to find the right upgrades or parts for your own car.Īs every vehicle has a unique identification number, knowing a BMW’s VIN can be a quick and reliable way of finding out more about the car and its past. You can even use it on certain motor vehicle registries to find out whether the car is considered a salvage (repaired after a major wreck) or is listed as stolen. Each of the 17 digits actually tells you something specific about your car, from when and where it was built to its feature-set. That seemingly random string of numbers printed on your BMW’s dash or on the driver’s side door jamb is more important than you think. There's a lot more that goes into understanding your vehicle.
Make sure you choose the right kind of clear coat for your BMW.Want to know your BMW inside out? Interested in having a full list of options your vehicle is equipped with? Then decode your VIN for free and we'll send you your full car specification, including head unit and software version.
Paint code 121 BLACK MATTE/MATTSCHWARTZ and paint code U83 FROZEN GRAY METALLIC both have a matte finish and require a special matte-finish clear coat. For the vast majority of BMW cars this is a high gloss clear coat, there are a couple of notable exceptions. Warning: pay attention to your BMW’s gloss or matte finishĪll color paints require being finished with a protective layer of clear coat. If it looks like the paint code doesn’t match the color of the car, you may have to contact the former owners to determine the color of the paint or seek the help of an expert with a spectrometer to determine the color.Įven if you’re sure you have the right code for your touch up paint, it’s always a good idea to double check by painting a test strip and comparing to the color of your actual car before going ahead with painting your car.
If you’ve purchased your BMW used, it is of course possible that it is no longer painted the original color. Getting the right paint code number is the first step to getting a perfect BMW touch up paint. Once you have the VIN number, contact your local BMW dealer and they will be able to look up your car and tell you what the paint code is.
On insurance or registrations documents.On the front of the dashboard on the driver’s side, visible through the windshield.The VIN number is a 17 digit code found in a variety of locations on your car and in the official paperwork for your car. If you are unable to find your paint color code sticker, you can still determine the paint code if you have your BMW’s VIN number.
How to find your BMW paint code using the VIN MINERAL GREY METALLIC/MINERALGRAU METALLICĮxample of a VIN Sticker.
BMW paint code stickers can be found in a variety of places under the hood.