[SwedeJohanson]

I just can't decide?

A long-shot is Tanzanite Blue, but I'd rather not pay $1,950 for paint.

Thoughts?

[roadkillrob]

Both are awesome - only 2 colors I really liked, I bought Phytonic which is similar to Tanazanite, looks very blue in the sun, dark blue in the shade where Carbon is dark metallic in the sun and black in the shade - actually thought it was black for years until I saw one on a sunny day and saw all the blue come out!

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by SwedeJohanson

I just can't decide?

A long-shot is Tanzanite Blue, but I'd rather not pay $1,950 for paint.

Thoughts?

It's $1950 for 50i and $2500 for 40i ($550 Priority 1 + $1450). This may confirm your decision more against Tanzanite Blue.

Carbon is gorgeous - but I like things low maintenance. Phytonic is my second choice after MW.

[MystroX5]

Carbon Black will stop you in your tracks when kept clean. It’s a big boy color and not for the novice in car detailing. Lighter colors allow you to get away with being sloppy in your maintenance routine but lack the dramatic effect. Think of carbon black as black with a midnight blue set way back in the paint. It’s a color shifting metalic paint in different light. To me, there is none like it and a signature BMW color.






In bright sun light

[X5_CC]

I once had a color similar to carbon black on my old Audi (called Moonlight Blue). Every person who saw the car in all 6 years I owned it thought it was black. It had to be in full sun to see the blue, and it was pretty dramatic when you saw it.

If you really want a blue car, get Phytonic. My X5 is mineral white, but I would have equally taken a phytonic blue had the mineral white not been available with the packages I wanted.

[wrickem]

They’re both nice, but the way that carbon black changes in the light is spectacular.

When I was selling my CB M3 and I pulled my “black” car out of the garage and it changed to ‘blue’ in the bright sunlight, I honestly saw the guy who bought its eyes glaze over. I’ve never seen that kind of reaction to any other color car.

On the flip side, no other car including jet black has made me and my buffer work so hard to keep it looking otherworldly as CB did.

[JasonX4MComp]

Originally Posted by SwedeJohanson

I just can't decide?

A long-shot is Tanzanite Blue, but I'd rather not pay $1,950 for paint.

Thoughts?

Carbon Black is one of the best colors BMW has and it looks great on the X5 when it is clean and the sun hits it. Phytonic Blue is a great color as well but doesn't have the pop that the others have. I would probably choose Tanzanite over both even with the cost.

[thomas_Rp]

Add your choice to this poll: https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/po...ts&pollid=9490

[JimmyGO5]

[IMG][/IMG]

Carbon Black!!

[Fuzzy Master]

If the choice is just those 2 colours, then I agree with MystroX5's comments.

I wanted something like Tanzanite Blue, but since it wasn't initially available, I also was looking at deciding between CB & PB.

I had a chance to see them side by side in the sunlight at a dealership, and the CB just makes the PB look so dull and boring by comparison.

One of the other things that helped me decide not to go with Phytonic Blue is that for the past year, just about every other X3 that I saw on the road was PB and I just didn't want to spend $100K (CDN) for an X5 that constantly reminded me of an X3 !

Due to several life challenges over the past several months I was unable to proceed with my purchase, but now it looks like I will actually be able to get what I want in the colour I want, Tanzanite Blue, even if there is a premium.

BTW, not sure if it will affect your decision but you can only get CB with ZTM (M sport) so you are paying a premium as well if you only wanted xLine.

[mntbiker]

For the past two years, we've had a TB M3 and a CB F15 X5 side by side in the garage. Both colors are very nice, but Tanzanite is much better in my opinion. CB is a lot of work to keep looking nice. Usually it just ends up dirty and losing all of its magic. Tanzanite seemed to keep the magic, even when dirty.

[robby818]

I think tanzanite is worth the cost and if it was available when I picked up my X5 I would have gotten it ...I live in Los Angeles and every other X5 is white or black. Having an individual color is a nice way to stand out from the crowd.

[Fuzzy Master]

mntbiker Thanks for posting that. It may not be what the OP was looking for, but it definitely confirms my decision to go with TB.

Living in the great white north means there is really only 2 seasons - winter & construction - so trying to keep CB looking its best would likely be similar to tilting at windmills... you just can't win...

[SwedeJohanson]

great posts and pics

love the x3 comment

maybe i will splurge for tanzanite

have about a month before i place my order

many thx!!!

[cygnusecks]

"Both black and white are seen as denoting status, luxury and quality." According to Forbes.

But I like the phytonic blue for its trade off between "looking like status" and ability to keep clean, as others have noted. Also I like the color in general as it's a little easier to spot at distance. The tanzanite definitely screams BMW though.

[heinzena]

I have CBM and I love it. Although when I see it, I see blue. I don’t see black.

[Fuzzy Master]

Originally Posted by heinzena

I have CBM and I love it. Although when I see it, I see blue. I don’t see black.

Its those BMW coloured glasses you're looking through...

[Denk]

Both are awesome, a clean black is hard to beat to me and that deep dark blue hue in Carbon Black is gorgeous! I had a Jerez black e92 that is very close to Carbon black, Carbon has a little more blue. It looked so good clean and in the sun or under lights the blue really popped but I spent just about every weekend keeping it clean. On a cloudy day Carbon will just look black. I went with Phytonic on the X5, it's a very nice blue and is just easier to maintain. If you love spending a lot of TLC on your cars, Carbon will reward...but then again, Phytonic will too. Tough call. Here's my old e92 showing off that deep blue.

[gofast182]

CB looks great but I find PB to be more interesting because it has such a wide range of different blues it looks like depending on the light.

[jra0113]

CB baby

[Abegweit]

Originally Posted by mntbiker

For the past two years, we've had a TB M3 and a CB F15 X5 side by side in the garage. Both colors are very nice, but Tanzanite is much better in my opinion. CB is a lot of work to keep looking nice. Usually it just ends up dirty and losing all of its magic. Tanzanite seemed to keep the magic, even when dirty.

Great shot, thanks for posting this. I have a Tanzanite 340 and agree with your comments, it holds up reasonably well when dirty, and looks awesome when clean. I was ready to go CB on my X5 until I heard that Tanzanite is coming. BMW Canada still hasn’t confirmed, but likely available here starting May production. A little more expensive sure, but when dropping $90K on a car, another $1500 to get the colour I want is an easy choice.

[TechCTU]

My vote would be Carbon Black. It's a nice deep blue and changes color.