# Carbon Black vs. Sapphire Black



## bren (Jul 1, 2002)

Does anyone know if these two colors are the same? 

I wonder if BMW just made different names to make the ///M cars seem more special (not that they aren't already :thumbup: ).


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

bren said:


> *Does anyone know if these two colors are the same?
> 
> I wonder if BMW just made different names to make the ///M cars seem more special (not that they aren't already :thumbup: ). *


no


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## chazzy (Apr 2, 2002)

Very different colors. Both dark. Sapphire Black Metallic is more of an ordinary metallic black, but it has a slight sheen to it ... almost a touch of bronze in the color to make it look amazing in the right light. But it's more of a traditional black. Carbon Black is also a dark metallic paint, but in the right angles, the depth of the color changes as you see blue in the mix. Both colors look like crap when dirty, which happens about 15 minutes after you wash it.


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## johnlew (Dec 25, 2001)

I never understood why people buy metallic in black. Plain black is so great when perfect, highly reflective, deep, solid. Why have it look permanently dusty? My opinion, of course.:dunno:


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## Chris330Ci (Jan 23, 2002)

johnlew said:


> *I never understood why people buy metallic in black. Plain black is so great when perfect, highly reflective, deep, solid. Why have it look permanently dusty? My opinion, of course.:dunno: *


Kinda like this?


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## bren (Jul 1, 2002)

johnlew said:


> *I never understood why people buy metallic in black. Plain black is so great when perfect, highly reflective, deep, solid. Why have it look permanently dusty? My opinion, of course.:dunno: *


Sapph. isn't reflective? Check the pic in my sig.

Regular black and Sapph. look very similar until you get into bright sunlight...that's when the sparkle from the metal flake shows up. Nobody who has seen my car in person has ever accused it of looking dusty....but I am a contributor to the Griot's Garage college fund. :thumbup:


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

Hey Chris, who said you could post a picture of my car :lmao: 



Chris330Ci said:


> *
> 
> Kinda like this?
> 
> ...


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## chazzy (Apr 2, 2002)

johnlew said:


> *I never understood why people buy metallic in black. Plain black is so great when perfect, highly reflective, deep, solid. Why have it look permanently dusty? My opinion, of course.:dunno: *


The black is very reflective, very deep, and very solid. You can make non-metallic black postively look like a mirror, but under most other conditions, it just absolutely sparkles. Not bling-bling like, but it really does have some amazing qualities. If you catch a clean SBM car, check it out in the sun. It definitely catches people by surprise to see that it's metallic.

When I get my digital camera back, I'm planning on taking some nice photos that will hopefully show its metallic qualities better.


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

Chazzy: Nice shot. Did you have your car wet sanded? I don't see the signature BMW orangepeel in your pic. 

Hmm... now that I think about it, being an M car means it was painted in the US. Does BMW use different paint/processes in the US and SA than they do in Germany? I know the restrictions are tighter in Germany than they are here, and I'd guess that the restrictions are looser still in SA. 

It would be interesting to compare the paint quality (orangepeel, hardness, etc.) between BMWs manufactured in different countries. 

--SONET


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

SONET said:


> *Chazzy: Nice shot. Did you have your car wet sanded? I don't see the signature BMW orangepeel in your pic.
> 
> Hmm... now that I think about it, being an M car means it was painted in the US. Does BMW use different paint/processes in the US and SA than they do in Germany? I know the restrictions are tighter in Germany than they are here, and I'd guess that the restrictions are looser still in SA.
> 
> ...


My M car has bad orange peel.

I actually se it in the above pic too. Look at the curb in the reflection


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## johnlew (Dec 25, 2001)

atyclb said:


> *
> 
> My M car has bad orange peel.
> 
> I actually se it in the above pic too. Look at the curb in the reflection *


The angle of the shot minimizes the peel. 
Head on, up close will show it fine.


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## chazzy (Apr 2, 2002)

The orange peel is definitely there.

I don't know the details of the paint process, but when the Z3s started production over here, there were numerous complaints about the water base paint and how it was very soft and prone to chipping. I believe that the consensus is that the paint is a lot better now than when they started and that all the paints are the same water base paint.


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## ed325i (Dec 20, 2001)

I have cosmos black. It's fairly reflective, with Zaino! 










Ed


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