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How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:25 am
by CutterMcGee
For nearly 20 years, I've owned a gorgeous, dark blue 911/993 cab 6-speed (1997). But I can't find any evidence on it anywhere of the official catalogue color. Other cars I've seen have a sticker on the underside of the hood. Mine doesn't. (I bought it used.)
One key is that, although it's dark blue, in certain sunlight conditions it can look sorta iridescent purple. When I search at
www.rennbow.org, it seems most likely to be
Ocean Blue Metallic,
Midnight Blue Metallic,
Iris Blue Pearl, or
Lapis Blue.
The car is a pretty basic spec ... nothing exceptional. So imagine it was NOT a paint-to-sample order. That leaves
Ocean Blue Metallic as the most likely shade, given that was a stock/standard color for 911's in 1997.
In any case, I would like to be certain about what it is. How can I find out?
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 8:29 am
by Tom
CutterMcGee wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:25 am
For nearly 20 years, I've owned a gorgeous, dark blue 911/993 cab 6-speed (1997). But I can't find any evidence on it anywhere of the official catalogue color. Other cars I've seen have a sticker on the underside of the hood. Mine doesn't. (I bought it used.)
One key is that, although it's dark blue, in certain sunlight conditions it can look sorta iridescent purple. When I search at
www.rennbow.org, it seems most likely to be
Ocean Blue Metallic,
Midnight Blue Metallic,
Iris Blue Pearl, or
Lapis Blue.
The car is a pretty basic spec ... nothing exceptional. So imagine it was NOT a paint-to-sample order. That leaves
Ocean Blue Metallic as the most likely shade, given that was a stock/standard color for 911's in 1997.
In any case, I would like to be certain about what it is. How can I find out?
Please post some pictures so we can see. Your descriptions sounds like my old Prussian Blue 911, but that would be very unlikely for your year. If there are no stickers left (including in the maintenance manual), then the only authoritative way I can think to confirm the color (assuming it's original to the car) is to get a certificate from Porsche. They used to be called Certificates of Authenticity, but go by other names now. You can order one here:
https://vehicledocumentation.porsche.com/usa/
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 8:45 am
by blueline
Tom wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 8:29 am
CutterMcGee wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 7:25 am
For nearly 20 years, I've owned a gorgeous, dark blue 911/993 cab 6-speed (1997). But I can't find any evidence on it anywhere of the official catalogue color. Other cars I've seen have a sticker on the underside of the hood. Mine doesn't. (I bought it used.)
One key is that, although it's dark blue, in certain sunlight conditions it can look sorta iridescent purple. When I search at
www.rennbow.org, it seems most likely to be
Ocean Blue Metallic,
Midnight Blue Metallic,
Iris Blue Pearl, or
Lapis Blue.
The car is a pretty basic spec ... nothing exceptional. So imagine it was NOT a paint-to-sample order. That leaves
Ocean Blue Metallic as the most likely shade, given that was a stock/standard color for 911's in 1997.
In any case, I would like to be certain about what it is. How can I find out?
Please post some pictures so we can see. Your descriptions sounds like my old Prussian Blue 911, but that would be very unlikely for your year. If there are no stickers left (including in the maintenance manual), then the only authoritative way I can think to confirm the color (assuming it's original to the car) is to get a certificate from Porsche. They used to be called Certificates of Authenticity, but go by other names now. You can order one here:
https://vehicledocumentation.porsche.com/usa/
Great resource Tom that I never knew existed. Thank you for posting that!
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:29 am
by CutterMcGee
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:41 am
by CutterMcGee
@Tom, thanks very much for the link to the documentation certificate! I've ordered one (cost = $125).
BTW...they say it takes 6-8 weeks to get it, and it appears to be a hard copy document (because they asked where to mail it).
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:48 am
by blueline
CutterMcGee wrote: Sun Feb 12, 2023 9:41 am
@Tom, thanks very much for the link to the documentation certificate! I've ordered one (cost = $125).
Worth every penny it to get that kind of info - what a great resource if needed.
Please let us know how it turns out - not just your official color but also the other info that Porsche includes in the report. I am curious as to how thorough and detailed the certificate is.
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2023 6:24 am
by CutterMcGee
Here's an example of how the Dark Blue turns to Purple in just the right kind of sunlight. It happened to be perfect for this just yesterday. In these 2 pix, I'm standing in the exact same spot, and I took the two shots just a second apart. I can't believe there's more than 1 color in the Porsche catalogue that behaves like this.
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 8:25 am
by CutterMcGee
Just got the official word: it's Ocean Blue Metallic.
Re: How can I learn my car's official color?
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:10 am
by toddinmd
Just saw this thread, I had a 99 Boxster & 2001 Boxster S that were Ocean Blue metallic and your pictures looked like the color of my old cars. Of course only pictures now, sold them along time ago.
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