10-19-2021, 12:18 PM | #1 |
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BMW Black or Carbon Black hard to keep clean?
Hi, I'm in the final stages of ordering an X5 but can't decide on the external color, I love the M sport line but is it very hard to maintain and keep the black or CB clean? Thanks in advance for your replies.
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10-19-2021, 12:36 PM | #2 | |
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My detailer who will do ceramic coating told me that the lighter/brighter color the easier it will be to keep looking good (not sure if he meant not having to wash it as ofter or just in general keeping the paint in better shape). I'd say get the color you like not the color that will be easiest to maintain. Carbon Black I liked a lot, it has a nice shade of blue to it (I don't know why it's called black to be honest), it looked really well on 5er. |
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West Austin38.00 |
10-19-2021, 01:15 PM | #3 |
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GS2019 Agree with above; get the color you most love. I have Sapphire black right now on my current x5 and as they say when it's clean it's a thing of beauty. Considerations: will it be garaged each day/night; do you drive on dirt or gravel roads regularly; and did you enjoy washing weekly. Mine is garaged and outside of rain it stays pretty clean. I most notice it getting dirty when or If I leave it outside overnight on nights that get wet/Dew. AND, in spring when we get loads of pollen floating through the air.
CB is a very nice color IMO (it would be my go to if I ordered Black...has a nice blue tint). I'm on order right now for Phytonic Blue - proper blue, bold, and a color I think is awesome! Good luck. |
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10-20-2021, 08:06 AM | #6 |
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10-20-2021, 09:10 AM | #8 |
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I have two black sapphire cars, and also live in Florida. Both are ceramic coated and washed every week by my detailer who only uses brand new microfiber towels each time. To keep black pristine, and keep swirl marks from taking over the entire car, it requires a lot of maintenance. If you want less maintenance, I would lean towards lighter colors.
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mar_carol55.50 |
10-20-2021, 02:16 PM | #9 |
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10-30-2021, 09:17 PM | #10 |
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I find black easier to keep clean than white. Trick is to use quality sponges, soaps and waffle weave drying towels. Now, one of my BMW is Jet Black and it's a pain. But my Black Sapphire Metallic is a breeze. Keep it metallic, and you're in good shape. Go non-metallic and you're in for a lot of frustration.
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11-01-2021, 11:33 AM | #11 |
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I’ve had a lot of cars. Cars of every color.
The fact is not whether or not it is clean. It is whether or not it looks clean. The same vehicle exposed to the same elements over the same period of time will have the same amount of dust or dirt on it - regardless of its color. I love detailing my car. I might even be fanatical about doing so. If you are the same, get whatever color you love to look at most. You won’t let it look dirty for very long! |
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jeffm8276.00 West Austin38.00 |
11-01-2021, 12:46 PM | #12 |
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Ceramic coating helps a lot 😎 This is my third BSM ...
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West Austin38.00 |
11-01-2021, 05:05 PM | #13 |
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11-02-2021, 10:25 AM | #15 |
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X5's look great in black but generally black cars are not as easy to keep looking clean. Also depends on where you live. I'm in the Northeast with wicked pollen in the spring and snow and salted roads in the winter(the salt spray they use on the roads is the worst).
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11-02-2021, 10:33 AM | #16 |
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Try living in the UK with different weather every day. Still would choose black over anything else though. It’s worth looking bad sometimes, because it looks so good when it’s clean, and a white car just never looks quite as good.
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jeffm8276.00 |
11-04-2021, 07:07 AM | #18 |
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I've been using an anti-static spray the past couple weeks and it really helps. Usually, the back of my X6 would be completely dirty within a day or two, now with the anti-static spray, I can go nearly a week without a noticeable build up of dust.
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11-04-2021, 08:54 AM | #19 | |
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I had an obsidian black Merc before - daily driver. I like things clean but it's not always that clean. Hand waxed by myself, no other coatings. I managed a wash once every 2 weeks without feeling too bad for the car. And it was so satisfying to look at after each wash. Be sure to use proper wash technique to minimise swirl marks! |
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11-04-2021, 01:26 PM | #20 | |
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11-05-2021, 01:28 AM | #21 | |
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With the above in mind, it's about taking that layer of grime off while minimising the chance of dragging it along your paint (since that's what causes marring). I did things much simpler back then which I'd cringe at doing now, but hey it worked back then (usually at the self-wash booths in the gas/petrol station). Steps back then were:
And voila! I used Autoglym Super Resin Polish once every 6 months or a year to fill up some of the microscratches I induced from the relatively wash method above. I'd then top with Meguiars Gold Class carnuba wax. I felt this combo worked perfect for the dark paint. Car detailing has been elevated to a whole new level the past 15 odd years I reckon. So I've also changed my ways significantly. Too much to say here, but the following are pretty popular detailing channels on Youtube that I enjoy(ed):
Obsessed Garage has their own website/store (great way for you to see the products they (Matt) recommend for each step without watching all their videos; they only sell things they recommend). Their Facebook group is also very helpful if you want to be serious about detailing. PS. you don't need a foam cannon, but it's nice to have (I use it for a pre-wash nowadays). |
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12-21-2021, 11:00 PM | #22 | |
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