# BMW Individual leather & paint on 330i?



## smalldog (Mar 23, 2003)

Is it possible to order custom leather colors (i.e., Cinnamon, Cream, Ecru, etc.) on a new 330i when buying from a BMW dealer in USA?

How much does it cost? Is it Nappa leather or Montanna? If it costs, hypothetically, $2,000, is that $2,000 for Nappa leather in my color of choice INSTEAD of $1,450 for Montanna leather in a standard color, or in ADDITION to $1,450?

If it is around $2,000 for Nappa in custom color, that seems like a pretty good value compared to the inferior Montanna leather.

Likewise, what about custom exterior paint colors, such as Sterling Grey or Silverstone? Are they available on 330i or 330ci, and how much extra does it cost?

(I've only ever heard of this stuff being ordered on M3's before.)


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

special order leather typically runs $3880

Paint runs $2000


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

You CANNOT get BMW Individual in the US. It just can't be done. In Canada you can, and you can choose form Alcantara or Nappa leather, an assortment of trims, and funky metallic colors. It is great stuff.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

mbr129 said:


> *You CANNOT get BMW Individual in the US. It just can't be done. *


Not Individual technically, but you CAN get special order colors and leathers.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

atyclb said:


> *Not Individual technically, but you CAN get special order colors and leathers. *


I know. He asked about Individual.


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## Llarry (May 17, 2002)

With all due respect for Mr. Imola (mbr129), while it is difficult to get special colors and interiors and the like, it has been and contnues to be done -- in very, very small numbers and at considerable cost to the buyer.

In addition to a lot of motivation, the prospective buyer needs a fat wallet, an excellent relationship with a very customer-oriented dealer and a bit of luck. And maybe a close relative who works at BMWNA.

All that said, I think the chance of getting Individual colors is probably still pretty poor. You've got a better chance of getting a special color or leather that is not Individual per se.

Imola Red leather is only available in Nappa, so yes: what your $3880 (or perhaps more now) buys you is Nappa.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

LMC said:


> *With all due respect for Mr. Imola (mbr129), while it is difficult to get special colors and interiors and the like, it has been and contnues to be done -- in very, very small numbers and at considerable cost to the buyer.
> 
> In addition to a lot of motivation, the prospective buyer needs a fat wallet, an excellent relationship with a very customer-oriented dealer and a bit of luck. And maybe a close relative who works at BMWNA.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your respect. I offer mine in return.

Don't give me an attitude. All I said was the truth. MY answer was regarding BMW Individual, and one simply cannot get it in the US. That was my ONLY point and I am undisputably correct. End of story.

Circumstances such as importing a car or having your father be the president of BMWNA are clearly excluded. And of course, with enough money, you can have Bangle himself add a Banglebutt to your M3 if you so wish.

Finally, I got my Imola Red by ordering the ZHP and did not and could not get Nappa with it.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

mbr129 said:


> *Thank you for your respect. I offer mine in return.
> 
> Don't give me an attitude. All I said was the truth. MY answer was regarding BMW Individual, and one simply cannot get it in the US. That was my ONLY point and I am undisputably correct. End of story.
> 
> ...


attitude? I didn't see any attitude in his post :dunno:


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

atyclb said:


> *attitude? I didn't see any attitude in his post :dunno: *


I am not "Mr. Imola."


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

mbr129 said:


> *I am not "Mr. Imola." *


oops, missed that 



But, while his Subject line may have referenced Individual, he clearly just wanted to know about getting special colors, which can and has been done often


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

atyclb said:


> *oops, missed that
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That is true, and I said so right away. Thruth is, I didn't read his WHOLE post (my bad), but I never gave incorrect information. Perhaps it was useless (since he may not want Individual anyway) but it was not "wrong."


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

While the Individual program does NOT exist in the US, interiors and exterior colors from the Individual program CAN be had in the US per LMC's post. It is true that there is significant extra cost and effort involved in this, but it can and has been done. In fact there are members of Bimmerfest in the US who own cars with colors from the Individual pallette.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

Kaz said:


> *While the Individual program does NOT exist in the US, interiors and exterior colors from the Individual program CAN be had in the US per LMC's post. It is true that there is significant extra cost and effort involved in this, but it can and has been done. In fact there are members of Bimmerfest in the US who own cars with colors from the Individual pallette. *


I thought this was already clarified about 3 times above? But yeah, you are right.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

mbr129 said:


> *I thought this was already clarified about 3 times above? But yeah, you are right. *


Looked about as clear as mud to me between all the arguing... :tsk:


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## smalldog (Mar 23, 2003)

*Thanks, Guys, but please, calm down*

atyclb was right. Although I said BMW Individual, I'm really just asking about getting custom colors. I assumed (improperly?) that any custom order = BMW Individual.

mbr129, I think Mr. Imola sounds pretty good. Maybe you should change your handle. After all, doesn't mbr129 refer to your old benz?

So, $3,880, huh? That's pretty steep, about $2,400 more than Montanna leather in standard color.

Custom exterior paint at $2,000 doesn't sound that bad, though, especially if you're comparing to it a standard metallic color, which is $475.

Oh well, ever since I saw an M3 Coupe on eBay in Dakkar Yellow w/Kiwi leather I really liked the idea of getting a custom color.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

*Re: Thanks, Guys, but please, calm down*



smalldog said:


> *atyclb was right. Although I said BMW Individual, I'm really just asking about getting custom colors. I assumed (improperly?) that any custom order = BMW Individual.
> 
> mbr129, I think Mr. Imola sounds pretty good. Maybe you should change your handle. After all, doesn't mbr129 refer to your old benz?
> 
> ...


Sorry for confusing you. I am sure we are all taking it well

I probably will confuse you some more now, but there is one exception where even lots of money cannot get you anything special order. That is if you do ED. When doing ED you can kiss good-bye to adding a rear-shade, or anthracite headliner, or special paint, etc. Don't ask me why. But as long as you don't do ED, with money and a helpful dealer you can get some special order stuff.

About my handle... the "mb" in mbr129 does stand for Mercedes-Benz, but the "r129" stands for the now previous generation SL roadsters (chassis R129). That was my dream car when I was little (I just thought it looked awesome), and I use the handle mbr129 in more than just bimmerfest. The chassis of my 190E 2.6 is actually W201.


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## Llarry (May 17, 2002)

mbr129 said:


> *I am not "Mr. Imola." *


My abject apology if you are offended by the nickname, which I did not mean in any derogatory sense. You have posted a number of times on the subject of ZHP colors and, if memory serves, ordered silver gray but switched to imola red.

My exact situation, although I haven't yet ordered and won't for a while yet. One week I've decided on silver gray and the next I'm thinking imola red. In my case, natural brown leather is a given, so it's more of an issue than just the exterior color; it's also the combo.

I recently realized the perfect solution to my problem: Silver gray exterior with special-order Imola Red leather, until I realized that the spec order Imola leather was info Jon got at NA for Lori, who was looking for a Cic. I don't think Imola Red leather can be had for a sedan or touring -- because I think that interior piggybacks off the availability of the pieces for the M3 interiors.

So I'm back to I dunno: Imola Red with NB leather (my favorite; Imola a bit tougher to keep good looking) or Silver Gray with NB leather (I know it's a BMW Canada officially-approved combo, but I'm still not sure.)

The one saving grace for me is that I have time to sit back and let you guys get your various ZHPs and get lots of feedback before I order mine. I in the mean time, I've got my perfectly good '01 330Ci to enjoy while I think about it.

Again -- apologies if you were offended, but no offense meant at all...just ask IndyMike "Mr. Tanin"......


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

*Re: Thanks, Guys, but please, calm down*



smalldog said:


> *
> Oh well, ever since I saw an M3 Coupe on eBay in Dakkar Yellow w/Kiwi leather I really liked the idea of getting a custom color. *


I wonder if it's the one local car (Dakar over Kiwi) that I've seen before. I took a photo of it parked next to a Phoenix over black and IMO Dakar is NOT flattering on a E46. There is also a 330ci in Dakar locally that doesn't look too hot.

What's still not too clear to me is that I've heard different things when it comes to getting Individual vs just nonstandard colors. I'm not sure if the cost is the same to get a non-standard but non-Individual color (Tourmaline, Dakar, Kalahari Beige, Imola, etc.) vs a full-blown Individual color (Mora, Arizona Sun, Atlantis, etc.)

Also, FWIW, I just looked and there is no longer a 3er Individual configurator on the main BMW global site.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

mbr129 said:


> *Don't give me an attitude. All I said was the truth. MY answer was regarding BMW Individual, and one simply cannot get it in the US. That was my ONLY point and I am undisputably correct. End of story. *


My friend has a Velvet Blue 325i. Whats the first thing you see when you open any of the doors? The lettering "BMW Individual" on the door sill. While we don't get the entire program, if you get a special order interior or exterior car, it *is* an "Individual" car. So technically speaking you are wrong.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

LMC said:


> *My abject apology if you are offended by the nickname, which I did not mean in any derogatory sense. *


Don't sweat it.. I was only kidding around.


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