# colors inside and out



## sanman (Dec 4, 2003)

I'm thinking of a couple of different color options for xi sedan, would love some input. Orient blue with gray or black leather interior... or.... silver gray w/ gray or black leather interior. I've had some sort of beige or tan interior in my cars for so long, I would love a change of pace.

Thanks!


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

sanman said:


> I'm thinking of a couple of different color options for xi sedan, would love some input. Orient blue with gray or black leather interior... or.... silver gray w/ gray or black leather interior. I've had some sort of beige or tan interior in my cars for so long, I would love a change of pace.
> 
> Thanks!


Sounds like 4 possible combos! 

Silver Grey is very quickly becoming the next Silver. I'd do Orient Blue/Black if I were getting a new E46 right now. We've done a handful fo them recently, and it looks awesome. Beware, though-- it'll need lots of care to stay looking good.


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

I'm really happy I didn't go with Orient Blue at this point. My Steel Gray can easily go for a week or so and still look clean. Orient Blue looks amazing when it's clean, but it's almost as hard as black to maintain. I love Silver Gray.


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

I'd go with either the Silver-gray with black or the Orient blue with Beige though I know you want a change so I might opt for gray interior.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

OB looks great with black or grey. PhilH is right about maintenance, though. You need to treat it as if though it's black.

I'm an anti-silver person, and was pretty disappointed when Steel Grey was replaced Steel Grey over Tanin Red (2001 only) was one of the best color combos going.


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## sanman (Dec 4, 2003)

SARAFIL said:


> Sounds like 4 possible combos!
> 
> Silver Grey is very quickly becoming the next Silver. I'd do Orient Blue/Black if I were getting a new E46 right now. We've done a handful fo them recently, and it looks awesome. Beware, though-- it'll need lots of care to stay looking good.


Thanks for the help! When you say you've done a handful for thm recently, what do you mean by that?


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

sanman said:


> Thanks for the help! When you say you've done a handful for thm recently, what do you mean by that?


I work for a dealer, and we've sold a handful of cars in Orient Blue/Black. 3ers, 5ers, 7ers. It's hot.


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## Terry Kennedy (Sep 21, 2002)

Kaz said:


> I'm an anti-silver person, and was pretty disappointed when Steel Grey was replaced.


I am really pleased with my Steel Gray / Gray leather wagon. Right after I bought it, though, I thought I might be the "kiss of death" for BMW - the last car I bought, a 1995 Eagle Talon in Wildberry Metallic (very close to BMW Merlot), had the following happen:

o The color was discontinued shortly after
o The model was discontinued
o The brand was discontinued

Now, when I bought the BMW wagon:

o The color was discontinued shortly after
o Rumor had it that the 3-series wagon would be discontinued in favor of the X3
o Owner gets worried about the brand 

But now I look at as owning a very unique car (and I've made it more unique as time goes by).


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

I dont know if its a possibility for you, but I think the MOST stunning color combination is OB/Nat Brown to see in person. While I used to really like the grey, it now seems a little boring. Id rather go with the subtle black interior, or the 2-tones Nat Brown. 

You might need to special order for a silver grey/Nat Brown, but they look great. Do a search in the showroom forum, and you should find some great color combinations


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## BillKach (Sep 22, 2003)

IMO the black leather interior is much more attractive than the lighter colors. I'm on my 3rd BMW with black inside and I love the look and feel.


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## blackhawk77 (Mar 16, 2003)

ajt819 said:


> I dont know if its a possibility for you, but I think the MOST stunning color combination is OB/Nat Brown to see in person. While I used to really like the grey, it now seems a little boring. Id rather go with the subtle black interior, or the 2-tones Nat Brown.
> 
> You might need to special order for a silver grey/Nat Brown, but they look great. Do a search in the showroom forum, and you should find some great color combinations


-

Ditto--The Nat Brown looks very nice in person--especially with the brushed aluminum vs. wood accents.

-


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## gIzzE (Aug 10, 2003)

yeah natural brown with birch trim is lovely.

Plus it looks than sporty than just a beige interior without making the cabin feel cold and small.

My one regret is going for black leather, the novelty soon wore off.


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## autobahn (Jul 12, 2003)

I have Steel Blue and Tan Interior and love it. 

If I got Black or Gray, I would get the Aluminum Columns Trim instead of wood. One reason I went with Tan is because of the wood.

Also, I do not like the fact that there is tan trim up around the dash. The front part is black, the part closest to the window is tan. The tan does reflect on the window. 

Doing it again, I might go for the Natural Brown leather which comes with a black interior/carpeting and a tan roof.


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## Artslinger (Sep 2, 2002)

I have Orient Blue with Gray interior. If I was to order a new car the color combo would be OB with Nat Brown and the Black interior would be a close second. I think the Gray is a little to boring looking. 

When recently polished/waxed the Orient Blue is stunning, and yes OB is a major pain to keep looking good. If you decide to go with OB buy yourself a polisher and plenty of detailing products.


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## mkco (Dec 15, 2003)

Love my Mystic Blue 325ci with black leather/titanium!


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## beauport (Jul 2, 2002)

I've got Steel Gray with Nat Brown which I special ordered (no extra cost) and it makes for a great combination. The Nat Brown is really two tones as the dash, upper door, back of the front seats, etc are black and makes the inside very interesting. The brown leather is rich in appearance. My 2 cents.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

Black leather is easiest to keep clean, and least likely to look like crap in five years.

The grey leather is way too baby blue looking for my taste.


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## sanman (Dec 4, 2003)

SARAFIL said:


> I work for a dealer, and we've sold a handful of cars in Orient Blue/Black. 3ers, 5ers, 7ers. It's hot.


What do you think of Orient Blue with natural brown interior? And would you use wood or aluminum trim?
Thanks!


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## TechnoAg (Sep 25, 2003)

I ordered mine in Orient Blue with Black Leather and the Aluminum trim. It's nice to hear from SARAFIL that a lot of other people are doing the same.

I also really liked the Orient Blue and Sand . Here's a thread with some pics


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## IndyMike (Dec 19, 2001)

Well, far be it for me to try and influence you (pssst, hey buddy, click on the links below), :angel: 

but if you want the rich and luxurious look get the wood trim, or for the sporty look get the brushed alu.


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## bbkat (Oct 27, 2002)

Natural Brown :clap:

I think OB/NB is the sweetest combo available. I decided to go with Silver Gray/NB due to the detailing requirements of OB.

Good luck!


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## Salvator (Oct 14, 2003)

My 325Ci is Sienna Red II (discontinued) which looks really good when spotless, nice / OK when dirty (which unfotunately is most of the time)... I have a tan interior, and my only complaint is that the seats really show a lot of dirt... My wife's 525iT (Silver with black interior) looks cleaner, but the 3.5 year old has a tendency to spill things, which surprisingly show up pretty badly on the black leather... every little crumb, juice spill or whatever stands out like a sore thumb... I'm thinking of going with sheepskin on my car if it gets too ratty looking!


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

blackhawk77 said:


> -
> 
> Ditto--The Nat Brown looks very nice in person--especially with the brushed aluminum vs. wood accents.
> 
> -


I have yet to see it with brushed aluminum... any pics?

I also like it with both the silver and black cube of the ZHP...


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## SizzlerMA (Sep 23, 2003)

*Try this color combo . . .*

What about Mystic Blue Metallic and Natural Brown?

Or Mystic with Black interior.

In either case, go with brushed silver trim---I've never been a fan of wood trim in cars!


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## tyler (Sep 17, 2003)

I have a Mystic blue with Sand interior and I like the contrast though hard to keep clean since Sand shows marks easly. I originally ordered Silver Grey with Gray interior but changed my mind when I saw one and it looked kinda boring. Silver Gray looks good with black interior in my opinion.


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

sanman said:


> What do you think of Orient Blue with natural brown interior? And would you use wood or aluminum trim?
> Thanks!


With a neutral color like a black or silver I would put aluminum trim with nat brown. With a blue, even a dark one like OB, I think wood trim will make a happier overall combo.

Let me see if I have a pic.


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## Dincic (Jul 27, 2002)

Black or grey is too common. Consider NB


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## edsmax (Jul 28, 2003)

*uh oh*



SARAFIL said:


> I work for a dealer, and we've sold a handful of cars in Orient Blue/Black. 3ers, 5ers, 7ers. It's hot.


Darn, and I thought my orient blue/black combo was kinda rare....Guess others are finding the secret of the beauty of this color combo!

Ed


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

edsmax said:


> Darn, and I thought my orient blue/black combo was kinda rare


:wave:


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## bavarian19 (May 11, 2003)

Dincic said:


> Black or grey is too common. Consider NB


:wow:

I love NB


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## gIzzE (Aug 10, 2003)

Don't you guys get the Birch wood as well as the Myrtle ???

Or the anthracite Birch ???


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

Terry Kennedy said:


> I am really pleased with my Steel Gray / Gray leather wagon. Right after I bought it, though, I thought I might be the "kiss of death" for BMW - the last car I bought, a 1995 Eagle Talon in Wildberry Metallic (very close to BMW Merlot), had the following happen:
> 
> o The color was discontinued shortly after
> o The model was discontinued
> ...


Rumours of the demise of the 3er Touring are nonsense. The X3 has had bad reviews in Europe - the interior is crummy and the car is barely less expensive than the X5 - and the 3er Touring is extremely popular, with the 320d and 330d variants outselling all the others. It's also a margin winner for BMW. While BMW NA might stop selling the Touring in the US just because it's easier to flog cheaply-constructed mini-SUVs to an undiscriminating public doesn't mean it's going to be "discontinued".

BMW has, for the nth year running, had its best year ever, so worries about the brand, in terms of its longevity, are unfounded. Personally I would worry about the ability and quality gap between BMWs and other cars shrinking.


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

gIzzE said:


> Don't you guys get the Birch wood as well as the Myrtle ???
> 
> Or the anthracite Birch ???


The US market doesn't get Birch as a factory option, although it's easy enough to buy it aftermarket.

Anthracite Birch is an Individual option. Consequently it's extremely expensive to buy.

Specifying an Individual wood trim at the factory - there are four or five variants at any one time - usually costs about the same as buying the bits yourself and fitting them. I was quoted £570 list for Anthracite Birch wood at the time I ordered my car; £410 (after discount) if I bought it from a dealer. This didn't include the handbrake handle, mind.


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## kyyuan (Jul 14, 2002)

Did somebody say Orient Blue and Natural Brown?  BTW--I really like the aluminum black cube trim, which has a shade of silver mixed in it. (hey, you peeps stop copying my color combo.... j/k)


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## numbersguy (May 21, 2003)

kyyuan said:


> Did somebody say Orient Blue and Natural Brown?  BTW--I really like the aluminum black cube trim, which has a shade of silver mixed in it. (hey, you peeps stop copying my color combo.... j/k)
> 
> Seeing is believing. That is a stunning combo!


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## dudley821 (Aug 5, 2003)

I have Black on Black, and I am never getting black again. It's the most beautiful car when it's clean but it gets dirty literally within 24 hours of washing it. I do love the black interior though, but natural brown is my favorite (didn't offer it in 99-the year of my car). If I had to get a new one, I would definately get Silver Gray with Natural Brown or Black, those are two sexy combos.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)




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## cronimi (Dec 6, 2003)

At the risk of sounding ignorant....  

Some of the int./ext. schemes do not appear to be available, based on the 'trusty' BMW Configurator at the BMWNA website. Are those merely suggestions? In particular, I'm planning on getting an '04 330Cic. I'd love to have it in Imola Red, but according to the site, Imola is only available on the sedan or the M. Can I get it anyway?

So if I can't get imola, I think I'm going for the Silver Gray, which (again, according to the Configurator) is only available with black or gray interior. But people here are talking about Silver Gray with NB interior. So can buyers "break the rules" of the Configurator?  Or is Silver Gray/NB available on the coupe or sedan, but not the convertible? And if that's the case, why? The existence of a soft top makes the NB no longer "work" with Silver Gray?

Please educate me -- I want to learn.


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## bbkat (Oct 27, 2002)

cronimi said:


> But people here are talking about Silver Gray with NB interior. So can buyers "break the rules" of the Configurator?
> Please educate me -- I want to learn.


You can get any combination of colors offered for a particular model. Special order - no cost

see my SG/NB  :bigpimp:


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## Tango (Dec 12, 2003)

I think the most stunning color combo I have seen would be steel grey or silver grey with imola red interior:thumbup:


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