[Fithian]

We have a 535i ordered for ED in Sept. We asked about getting the color Ruby Black, which is a 7-series BMW Individual Color. On the 7 it costs $1800 additional. BMWNA said they could do that color if we wished, but the cost would be $5000 over standard paint. Evidently it has to be painted from a can by hand, rather than by robot. Metallic paint is $500 (inv) extra, so this is $4500 above that. Seems like a lot to spend to get a unique color, but it is possible. Audi charges $2000 for the same option.

[scottz5]

Seems weird they are built on the same line? I would think it is a simple as punching the color in the computer. I could be wrong???

[RichReg]

WHHHHAAATTTT??? Painted from a can????

Yeah, sure, I can hear the salesguy now...."sorry sir, with the increase of labor costs in Munich, this is why we MUST charge you $5000".

They do no such thing. They have to stop the assembly line....move the individual car over to where they are painting the color you are wanting.....paint it there and then return the car back to where it was. (It may even be a finished product at that point)

On another note though, its interesting to know that you can special order paint on European Delivery...this was prohibited for many, many years by BMWNA! Very cool.

[TDS1]

That's too bad. I was looking to order a 535 XDrive via ED. I read about the individual program, but $5000 is too steep a cost for an individual paint color. It's seems reading other posts on this that the cost used to be less. Guess I will have to choose from the regular palette. I was looking at Azurite Black as an individual color. Wonder how close it really is to Imperial blue (which would be $4500 cheaper)

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by Fithian

We have a 535i ordered for ED in Sept. We asked about getting the color Ruby Black, which is a 7-series BMW Individual Color. On the 7 it costs $1800 additional. BMWNA said they could do that color if we wished, but the cost would be $5000 over standard paint. Evidently it has to be painted from a can by hand, rather than by robot. Metallic paint is $500 (inv) extra, so this is $4500 above that. Seems like a lot to spend to get a unique color, but it is possible. Audi charges $2000 for the same option.

Definitely not painted from a can. But as another member mentioned, they do stop the line and move the car to another area for Individual painting. If the sales guy saw the precision of the robots painting the cars in the factory, he would not dare say they are painted from a can.

Originally Posted by TDS1

That's too bad. I was looking to order a 535 XDrive via ED. I read about the individual program, but $5000 is too steep a cost for an individual paint color. It's seems reading other posts on this that the cost used to be less. Guess I will have to choose from the regular palette. I was looking at Azurite Black as an individual color. Wonder how close it really is to Imperial blue (which would be $4500 cheaper)

It's quite a bit darker. It's also more "metallic", and its a significantly different colour in sunlight.

[TDS1]

The BMW Frozen Grey is another color I would have great interest in. That would (almost) be worth the premium, however, I am not even sure that it can be ordered for my ED car. Anyone know if BMW is still making cars this color? That would be a truly unique car.

[positiveions]

from a can???????? what the heck! what, they have HANS and GERhARD coming up and spray painting the car with spray cans? I can just picture that

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by TDS1

The BMW Frozen Grey is another color I would have great interest in. That would (almost) be worth the premium, however, I am not even sure that it can be ordered for my ED car. Anyone know if BMW is still making cars this color? That would be a truly unique car.

I believe it has been an Individual option in Europe for some time...but now that BMWNA has decided to make this color part of its exclusive "Limited Edition" M3 Coupe, I doubt we'll be able to special order the F10 that way.

Doesn't hurt to ask the dealer, though....

[TDS1]

My new plan is to get the M sport package. If it is like the E60 package, then Carbon Black will hopefully be offered as an additional "unique" color. As long as there is an additional color that is interesting, I will go with that. M sport looks like it was a $3000 option on E60 Xdrive. Seems like a "reasonable" way to get a unique color, comfort seats, and M trim. I agree that Frozen grey seems unlikely given the hype for the limited edition M3.

[Fithian]

We decided not to go with the $5000 Ruby Black option. When BMWNA noted that it would be painted from a can, what they meant was that they had to take the 535i off the normal paint line and connect up the painting apparatus to a source of the Ruby Black, which is probably supplied in large containers, referred to as cans. Perhaps the $5000 is a reasonable cost, since that paint is not normally available on the 5 and has to be sourced from another plant that makes 7's. It would have been nice, but not that important, certainly not $5000 worth. BTW, we received the production number yesterday. ED is scheduled for early Sept.

[d-rive]

5&7 are build at the same plant. Dingolfing.

[Fithian]

Originally Posted by d-rive

5&7 are build at the same plant. Dingolfing.

I noticed that on Saturday at the BMW dealer event. Both 5 and 7 are built at Dingolfing. So why does it cost $1800 (+ metallic cost $500 incl in 7) for a 7 series and $5000 for a 5? Does BMW actually run both 5's and 7's on the same line, or just in the same plant? Still hard to believe $5000. OTOH, for those with deep pockets, it is available.

[RichReg]

Originally Posted by Fithian

Both 5 and 7 are built at Dingolfing. So why does it cost $1800 (+ metallic cost $500 incl in 7) for a 7 series and $5000 for a 5?

That's a good question....sounds over-inflated by the dealer to me.
I was quoted $2500 for a special paint ordering on my E90 a few years back, but I didn't do it.
$5000 is just crazy....

[TurboFan]

I think Krylon makes a Ruby Black - I saw it at Home Depot.

[Fithian]

We took delivery of the 2011 F10 535i in Munich on Sept 9. The delivery person shown in the video stated that the chassis is taken off the line and sprayed by hand instead of robots, thus justifying the $5000 charge for Ruby Black.

One day later, in Dingolfing, during our tour of the factory that makes 5's and 7's, the guide said that in the case of ruby black, it is kept on the line and painted by robot, since Ruby Black is an optional 7 color, and the 7's are painted on the same lines. This would indicate that the $5000 is mostly profit for BMW from the rich Americans.

If you are picking up in Munich, it is about a hour drive northeast to Dingolfing. English tours are on Fridays. There were 8 on our tour, which lasted 2.5 hours. Regensburg is nearby and worth a visit.

Still photos of delivery:

BMW Delivery Stills

Videos here:

BMW Welt Delivery

[jeff328xi]

Nice car, the color looks like Imperial Blue. Was there a lot of blue shaded lighting?

I hope your wife enjoys her car.

[Raptor04]

trust me.....those Germans know exactly how to make a profit with their options and individual paint schemes....prime example is the 335is........lets take the surplus engines from the 740 and put them in the 3 series and charge an extra $7K, and let's only sell it to the Americans because they are the only ones who will buy it! Or let's make a crazy paint color like frozen gray, only sell a handful and jack up the price.....I love BMW, but they have their pricing down to an art.

In Germany, or Europe for that matter, BMWs are more expensive than in the U.S. So when a person looks at spending that much money on an M model BMW over there, they usually just decide to go with a Porsche instead for a similar price. I see way more Ms and individualized/crazy colored BMWs in the U.S. than I ever saw in Germany. My red M3 used to standout like a Ferrari in Germany. Got the same looks as well.

[F10550xi]

IMO the $5k Individual paint is not be worth it for a different shade of black. Maybe for Estoril paint on a M Sport.

[fireman550]

Originally Posted by Fithian

We took delivery of the 2011 F10 535i in Munich on Sept 9. The delivery person shown in the video stated that the chassis is taken off the line and sprayed by hand instead of robots, thus justifying the $5000 charge for Ruby Black.

One day later, in Dingolfing, during our tour of the factory that makes 5's and 7's, the guide said that in the case of ruby black, it is kept on the line and painted by robot, since Ruby Black is an optional 7 color, and the 7's are painted on the same lines. This would indicate that the $5000 is mostly profit for BMW from the rich Americans.

If you are picking up in Munich, it is about a hour drive northeast to Dingolfing. English tours are on Fridays. There were 8 on our tour, which lasted 2.5 hours. Regensburg is nearby and worth a visit.

Still photos of delivery:

BMW Delivery Stills

Videos here:

BMW Welt Delivery

Cant see any sense in paying that much for a color but we must all do what makes us happy. If 5K will get you what you desire than roll with it...