Jet Black or Saphire Black

I would like to hear your input about these two colors.

I was planning on ordering the Mineral Gray but the more I think about it the more I like the idea of a black F30.

I am not however the kind of driver to wax and polish the car every Frdiay so....

Do you know which option is a little bit more forgiving? Jet Black? Saphire Black?

I am a bit worried that generally black will show every last blemish a lot more than gray (I know silver is the king at hidding many sins), so what do you guys think?

It it helps more than likely I will order the no-line with ZPP,ZLP,ZTP, BU Camera and PDC, HK, Heated seats. So this means not much chrome on the outside... Do you think Jet black would be a better fit on this case, or might Saphire provide a little more 'contrast'?

I never thought I would ever consider a black car, but the F30 looks so sexy in black!

Saphire Black looks to me like its already dirty because of the metallic flakes, so I suppose that's the one that won't show dirt nearly as much as the flat Jet Black which will show every little spec of dirt.

IIRC, both blacks are the same shade, but Saphire has those metallic flakes.

FWIW, I ordered Jet Black.

Metallic looks a little more "interesting" at night with streetlights, etc, otherwise they look almost identical if you're standing more than 10 feet away. As mentioned, metallic is supposedly better at hiding dirt and scratches. I opted for metallic primarily for that reason.

Thanks to both for your answer.
It kind of confirm my fears. I do like Jet black a little bit more, but should probably get saphire to avoid going crazy because every little detail will be more visible there....

my f30 is metallic black and it is beautiful when it is clean, but it stays clean for about 7 minutes after i wash it, assuming i don't drive anywhere in those 7 minutes. I got a flat black loaner and i thought the color looked cheap on an expensive car. It's worth the 500 bucks to have it sparkle for a few minutes a week.

Had them both on e90s and while the Sapphire's metallic paint is 'interesting', Jet Black looks great when freshly cleaned and detailed! Also, Jet Black is a no-cost option. The metallics are ~$500-600 extra if that helps.

Any black or dark deep colour is a 2 edged sword. When shining -- there's nothing better, but when not; nothing shows off the dirt more. IMHO go sapphire of 3 reason: 1.) when I saw side by side, freshly detailed, the Jet looked lower-rent, 2) metallic won't fade as much or fast; so in a year, #1 will be a bigger delta, 3.) as mentioned above it will hide fine scratches and swirl marks better (but remember black is alway the worst for this!!!). And as a side-bar, without the chrome to attract the eye, blacks negatives will jump out more. Mineral grey on the other hand is identical to my wifes VW and it never looks dirty and yet always classy.
BTW: I do have sapphire and have love/hate relationship

So, now that I believe to have settled on which options to get, color will take front line.......... And it might become the toughest decision...

IMO, BMWs look great in black and that is what is pulling me to the dark side. But I don't want to feel enslave to washing/detailing the car every 5 minutes...

I will spend some time staring at those 2 colors again when I visit the dealer ship, but I guess I wll have to spend some time oggling a mineral gray.
I've had a bunch of silver cars throughout the years, and that color is awesome to hide mostly everything, but I am starting to be bored by it.

Should I remain true to form and go silver again (it might become my signature look...), or be bolder and risk black (reading all your posts I am leaning towards Saphire). Or seek middle ground with gray.

As I said this part will be the toughest choice....

Gray is by far the safest choice to make. It almost always looks clean and it is very classy looking without being high maintenance like black. I would have gone gray but my last three cars were gray or silver so time for something new for me.

...and on the seventh day, God created Mineral Grey.

It's a lot darker than the old Space Grey, looks black at night. I didn't want another grey BMW either, but they did a great job with this deeper, dynamic shade.

BJ

I just got a 2013 X3 in Sapphire Black and Love it!! Its beautiful from up close and you can see the sun shine on the hood while driving. Just like you, i am a "Wax it every Friday" kind of guy and loves to keep it clean. Even after a week full of rain, the color is shining because of the metallic in it.

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

...and on the seventh day, God created Mineral Grey.

It's a lot darker than the old Space Grey, looks black at night. I didn't want another grey BMW either, but they did a great job with this deeper, dynamic shade.

BJ

It's true that gray is terribly rendered on BMW's site, at list BJ's picts look a lot more dynamic.

I started this thread trying to get some input in help me decide between Jet and Saphire Black and now minreal gray is back in the mix. How can interior color be so complicated!!!!

Thanks all for your suggestions and comments. It's hard to be mad when at this point something so "trivial' as color is my toughest choice

Originally Posted by 2013BMWX335i

I just got a 2013 X3 in Sapphire Black and Love it!! Its beautiful from up close and you can see the sun shine on the hood while driving. Just like you, i am a "Wax it every Friday" kind of guy and loves to keep it clean. Even after a week full of rain, the color is shining because of the metallic in it.

That's were the issue lies, I am not actually the kind of guy to wax every Friday and black has the potential to turn me into one.

From all the comments, I should probably rename the thread as Shapire Black or Minerlal gray. I like the sobber look of Jet black (paying $500 less would have been an extra bonus), but it seems it will require to much work to keep in good shape (one single bad choice of automatic car wash, and I might regret the rest of my time with this car) and might not offer enough contrast in a no-line configuration...

Can you imagine all this discusion and finding myself choosing red in then end!

Originally Posted by thegandalf

Can you imagine all this discusion and finding myself choosing red in then end!

This!

I've been where you are at, but liking Melbourne Red more every day.

Originally Posted by thegandalf

So, now that I believe to have settled on which options to get, color will take front line.......... And it might become the toughest decision...

IMO, BMWs look great in black and that is what is pulling me to the dark side. But I don't want to feel enslave to washing/detailing the car every 5 minutes...

I will spend some time staring at those 2 colors again when I visit the dealer ship, but I guess I wll have to spend some time oggling a mineral gray.
I've had a bunch of silver cars throughout the years, and that color is awesome to hide mostly everything, but I am starting to be bored by it.

Should I remain true to form and go silver again (it might become my signature look...), or be bolder and risk black (reading all your posts I am leaning towards Saphire). Or seek middle ground with gray.

As I said this part will be the toughest choice....

compromise with imperial blue

Originally Posted by voip-ninja

Metallic looks a little more "interesting" at night with streetlights, etc, otherwise they look almost identical if you're standing more than 10 feet away. As mentioned, metallic is supposedly better at hiding dirt and scratches. I opted for metallic primarily for that reason.

+1 thats the same reason I got it. This is the second car I got with that combination and I don't regret it one bit no matter what some say about black cars.
cheers
vern

Originally Posted by thegandalf

That's were the issue lies, I am not actually the kind of guy to wax every Friday and black has the potential to turn me into one.

From all the comments, I should probably rename the thread as Shapire Black or Minerlal gray. I like the sobber look of Jet black (paying $500 less would have been an extra bonus), but it seems it will require to much work to keep in good shape (one single bad choice of automatic car wash, and I might regret the rest of my time with this car) and might not offer enough contrast in a no-line configuration...

Can you imagine all this discusion and finding myself choosing red in then end!

You should look at my picture threads of the sapphire black with everest gray interior. It's one phenomenal looking combination... but with a 3-series you really can't go wrong unless you go blue exterior and red interior

We also refer to these types of threads as "first world problems". Kind of like "waaaah, I can't get video out in my 2013 BMW from my iPhone 5.

Coming from someone who has only owned Black BMW's except for a momentary lapse (see my signature below), I have to say that I still love Jet Black the best as it shines like no other when it is clean and streak/scratch free, but it is a very hard color to keep looking that way. Black Sapphire just doesn't have the depth of Jet Black, although it doesn't show the scratches as much as JB. You have to OCD like me, though, to keep either color looking pristine. Bottom line, JB is a truer black while SB is more of a very dark black/grey.

Ok, so let's recap:

=> White is a no go for me. For whatever mental block I cannot see myself in a white car...
=> Mojave and Bronze: I hope I won't offend too many people, but my grandpa had "gold" colored cars. I am not there yet...
=> Orion Silver: It has silver in the name, but I see it a in the Mojave and Bronze categories
=> Liquid blue metalic: I won't even go there...
=> Estoril blue: I like it but it would have to be an M-sport and not a daily driver (at least for me). And with Red seats. I like superman comics, but don't see myself driving one.
=> Red: Maybe next time... I think Red goes well with sport line, but I think that no line wouldn't not work well with red.

Side note: My wife might have an issue with Red/Estoril blue: Again I hope no one will get offended by this, but each time I mention them she rolls her eyes and tells me to wait until my mid-life crisis hits.

So, at least that takes care of many options:

=> Imperial Blue: Everything tells me I should like this color, but for a reason I don't. My wife likes it, but I don't see it happen.
=> Silver: I had already a few silver cars over the years and I need to get some contrast in my life.
=> Mineral Gray: At first this was my first choice but then black cought my eye....
=> Jet black: I really like it (even if it is the cheap option... I don't see why....) but after reading all this posts, I am convinced that I will regret is as I might not be able to keep it as pristing as it deserves
=> Saphire Black=> Also a great color and should be more forgiving...

Ninja: you are so right definitely a "first world problem". When I listen to a brat complain about life not being fair, I think: It's sure not and be glad that you are not having to figure out where to sleep in the night, or where you next meal will come from... And I did check your pictures out, and it definitely looks great. Those seats look amazing but sport line is not in the cards for me at this point.

Vern: Right now Saphire Black with black dakota interior is still my top choice. Although with no-line the black Dakota might make the interior too black (since there's only the matte silver accents - but nothing on the wheel or the climate controls.

BJ: The picts of your car got me excited again about Mineral gray.

In the end I think that with the F30 there is almost not way to go wrong!

Gandalf, last time I was at the dealer they had a baseline in Silver next to a baseline in Mineral Grey. The Silver looked much, much better.

I'm mighty fond of Sapphire Black Metallic.

What does your "gut" say? I was back and forth on black when I bought my 3 and originally had Space Grey Metallic on the order, as I didn't want to be a slave to the wash/wax gods. A day later, and after some prodding from the girly on that simple gut check question, I switched to BSM. I think BMW's just look fantastic in black on black and haven't regretted it one second. I also don't wash/wax it like a mad man, but then again, I also don't drive it everyday. Even dirty, it still looks good and nothing a touchless car wash can't fix in a pinch. I would highly recommend a clear bra, though, if you go with black. Not having a ton or rock chips on the front has saved me some sanity...I'm pretty OCD. Good luck, but I'm voting for BSM on black...go figure.

Originally Posted by thegandelf

BJ: The picts of your car got me excited again about Mineral gray.

In the end I think that with the F30 there is almost not way to go wrong!

So long as you don't choose black, you can't go wrong.

BJ

So funny BJ!

I went with Jet Black (with Everest Grey interior) on mine and agree with others that it looks phenomenal right after it's cleaned. However, I've had it for a little over 2 months and I'm already getting tired of cleaning/waxing it every week. Also, even though I've been using micro fibers, I've noticed several swirl marks already. IMO you should go with the Mineral grey.