Black

I have noticed an increasing number of black BMW 3 series. Starting from the top, Obama's Beast and Putin's ZIL are invariably black cars. But then it filters down to the smallest mini cars. Are they snobs? Of course the black colour is easiest to match in case of mishaps. But they do get hot in the summer. Are small black cars seen as more sporty?

Reply to
johannes
Loading thread data ...

Fashion, comes and goes. In the eighties black was an optional extra. Then it became rather common. For a time it was silver, then white. But I see too many white cars now so white must be passé now.

Reply to
DJC

It's probably because solid black is one of a very limited range of 'free' colours available when choosing a new car.

Alpine White and Jet Black are the only free colours available on a

3-series. Unless you want an MSport, in which case only Alpine White is free, as Jet Black isn't available.

Black is acutally a bloody nightmare to colour match, as is white. Park up black or white cars from different manufacturers together and you'll see the wide variances in shades available!

Black is a pain in the arse to keep clean, though - I love a shiny clean black car, but having had 3 now, I couldn't face it again. (My 520d is Mediterranean Blue, although I think Black Sapphire looks better).

Reply to
SteveH

I did have a black Fiat 132 2000 long time ago. Somehow I felt more important; more menacing :) Black is often used in movies for baddies. I think you had to pay a premium for black for the first VW Golf GTI.

Reply to
johannes

No, it isn't.

Reply to
Adrian

I have noticed a special effect of shiny black coloured cars: It is the best colour for producing a mirror imagine.

Reply to
johannes

Obama has several black cars, there is always a decoy car when he uses the car to attend functions, and he chooses the one to ride in "on the day".

I also heard that he has a trio of helicopters, again choosing the one to fly on the day.

I also heard that on his visit to meet the Queen, his demand to use 3 helicopters was rejected by Her Maj because last time he ruined her lawn.

No verification, but I hope it is true. ;-)

Reply to
Gordon H

That's ok, I've had mine over two years now, and it still looks great. I always try to park next to other white cars, because I just know they aren't going to fling their doors open.

It's worked so far.

Reply to
Gordon H

I heard that when the presidental car is decommissioned, it is destroyed by army gunfire. Partly to test the security and partly to erase manufacturing secrets.

Reply to
johannes

That isn't so. There are as big a range of 'blacks' as colours.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

So not bullet proof, then? Or do the US military make sure they have weapons which can pierce the presidential car's armour? ;-)

Think most could think of better ways of doing that.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

With the possibility of Donald Trump as President, I'd think it a good idea.

Reply to
Gordon H

I've been told black's a nightmare to match, but then I've been told that about lots of colours (red, especially), and I've seen some grim matches of silver. Anyone know what is (relatively) easy?

Reply to
Chris Bartram

The guy who sprayed my white Alfa 75 claims otherwise!

I had the Alfa and a white Nissan Primera at the same time - I think he may have had a point!

Reply to
SteveH

The snag is all paints weather to some extent. Some worse than others. To do an exact match to weathered paint needs considerable skill.

In other words, a repair to a near new car might well be invisible. To a few years old one, likely not.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

even if paint matches when the repair is new, a few years on it will be noticeable in many cases

Reply to
MrCheerful

Yes. Pal has a white SD1 Rover he's owned for ages. Over the years various small paintwork done as you'd expect on a car which gets enjoyed and cared for. At a first glance it looked very good, but he was not happy with all the various shades of white. He's just spent 12 grand on a full strip down bare metal respray.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

My elderly Mother made a comment that with all these big white saloons becoming fashionable do the business men driving them realise they look like they are on the way to take a bride to a wedding.

G.Harman

Reply to
damduck-egg

Of course he would lol

Reply to
Aloysius

It was really police cars going to white which made the colour unpopular after being so common. They did that for resale reasons. Then changed to silver when that became the most popular colour.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.