Brilliant Black Audi Paint?

S

silvergray

New member
Hi guys,

This is a bit of a repost, but I ordered an Audi A4 today in Brilliant Black.



Do you know if this paint is rock-hard like the rest of the Audi paint? I'd hate to get my car and have the issues the new BMW Jet Black paint has.



Thanks for the help, and sorry for kind of reposting!
 
It's probably too late anyways :) But from my limited knowledge, I thought that all Audi's have very hard clearcoats, but I don't know whether the Brilliant Black is an exception.
 
I detailed a briliant black audi A6 a while back that was swirl galore. I was getting extremely annoyed with the rotary because after I would take the swirls out, a brand new microfiber would marr the clearcoat again buffing the excess compound off. I wasn't 100% pleased with the final result but the owner was amazed. I know how typical Audi clear is, so I figured it was just an abnormal factory finish.
 
todd@bsaw said:
I detailed a briliant black audi A6 a while back that was swirl galore. I was getting extremely annoyed with the rotary because after I would take the swirls out, a brand new microfiber would marr the clearcoat again buffing the excess compound off. I wasn't 100% pleased with the final result but the owner was amazed. I know how typical Audi clear is, so I figured it was just an abnormal factory finish.
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You do realize, you just ruined Silvergray's day........
 
Haha no kidding! I've heard so much conflicting information.



"Its rock hard!" to "It marrs really easy, be careful!"



Gawwwddd! What to do?
 
People who visit this site should know by now: Don't buy anything flat. Go get a metallic paint. You can keep it 100% swirl free.:wall :wall :wall
 
tdekany said:
People who visit this site should know by now: Don't buy anything flat. Go get a metallic paint. You can keep it 100% swirl free.:wall :wall :wall
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But many people dont want metallic paint.
 
silvergray said:
Does anyone know from experience how Audi's brilliant black is?
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The only times I've heard about soft paint on Audis it *has* been on A4/S4s but it was always from a few years ago and always one of the *blue* colors. No, I don't know what the basecoat color could possibly have to do with it, but that's how it seems to work out.



I'd plan on it being *VERY* hard. Honestly, I wouldn't get that color for a daily driver, and I once said how I'd "always have a black car, I can keep black *so* nice..." But then I realized that there's more to life than detailing my car all the time ;) I truly think a black Audi would be asking for trouble that you don't need.



You could keep it marring-free with the right regimen, but it'd require many frequent, no-margin-for-error washes. No way would I want that, but then I have a lot of other interests and can only spend so much time on detailing; you might be in a different situation.



But man-oh-man would it be a pain to correct if it *does* get marred. One dealer wash and you'd have a *BIG* project on your hands.



Oh, and it isn't too late. I've changed special orders before...it takes a while for them to work their way through the pipeline and unless you specified some really weird combination of options the dealer can just take/trade it and still get you a nice silver ;) one.
 
I would not buy black if it were my daily driver. I have a black corvette that is a garage queen and still it is very hard to keep looking nice. Like accumulator said, God help you when it marrs up and it will sooner or later. You will spend each day picking it apart rather than enjoying it. You know where black really looks nice; on a rotating stage under a glass dome! Let me explain black this way. I get all excited to wash my vette with my foam gun, grit guards, sheepskin mitt and warm water that I ran to my outside spigot on my house. I wash my car very carefully without marring. Then I blow dry it with a dedicated electric leaf blower that I bought exclusively for this process. Then I dry the excess water with a waffle weave micro fiber towel. Then I spray it with a quick detail spray to remove any soap film. Then I spray it with another spray to enhance the shine. Ok, here comes the punch line that unfortunately is completely true. Then I stand back and drool over how awesome my car looks. That pleasure lasts for about 60 seconds, then I pull it back into the garage so the pollen and dust don't coat it too quickly. So, is this the kind of fun your hoping to get from black?



Patrick
 
Thanks again guys. Accumulator, you've got it right!



I test drove a CPO'ed Brilliant Black '06 today for a few hours. I didn't do much driving though. I brought her home, washed/clayed the hood, and busted out the PC. It only had 5K miles, so marring wasn't horrible, but it was bad. And dang, that paint was HARD!



I used the PC with Menz Intensive Polish and a yellow cutting pad = some improvement. Followed by Menz FPII, it actually looked decent.



I don't know, I just don't like the car as much in silver. Black looks incredible. Should I just bite the bullet and accept the inevidable marring? Should I pick another color?



Does anybody know how much it would cost to special order a unique color? I heard it was approximately $1500 to get a personalized color.
 
silvergray said:
I don't know, I just don't like the car as much in silver. Black looks incredible. Should I just bite the bullet and accept the inevidable marring? Should I pick another color?
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Don't take this personally please.



My mom said this to me once:



Smart people learn from other people's mistake.



Stupid people learn from their own.



So if you want headaches, do get the black color. :wall :wall :wall



Ask Scottwax what color he is buying next!! He drives black right now.
 
Man,

If you want black get black...Black cars look amazing when done right. Sure you can see the dirt and marring easier, but if black is what you like, get black. I have a black truck, and in years past, I have had both black and silver range rovers...The black always looked great.
 
silvergray- Yeah, you just gotta buy what *you* want, and if you really want black then that's what you oughta get. Heh heh, you can always trade it in (J/K, but I couldn't resist :o ).



In my case, I just happen to *love* how Audis look in silver, so I get the best of both worlds (the color I want to see when I look at my car and a color that doesn't need washed every other day).



That was a good idea, polishing the black A4 :xyxthumbs



Dunno about the special colors...let us know what you find out.



If you get black, get your wash regimen sorted out and you should be OK, you just won't have much free time ;)
 
Haha thanks Accumulator! You are a great asset to Autopia.

And thanks to everyone else! I really appreciate your feedback when making such a big decision!



I think I'll go with the black.



I guess I'll just polish her out every 6 months or so, and do my best to keep it swirl free in between. My foam gun will be working overtime for sure!
 
I've noticed a trend; all the pro detailers have moved from black to silver or grey cars. :) Me? I had 5 black cars in a row, and now I drive a dark grey car. I do not think I will go back. :D
 
change your mind! I just bought a 2007 Audi A4 S-line in black and its pretty! I had a g35 coupe in black and it was a pain to keep clean, but man when she was clean it was a head turner. Since then I've had a WRX and Audi A3 both in Silver, and why yes they were swirl free (as far as the naked eye) and kept clean, neither were head turners when you drove down the road.



I ordered a foam gun from AG and all new Zaino products to help keep the A4 in tip top shape, and hopefully I can keep it clean the majority of the time. Life is too short to worry about perfection on a daily driver. Wash it weekly, do your best to keep it unmarred, keep the inside clean and enjoy it!





BTW I've gotten more compliments in the 8 days I've owned this A4 then I did in 2 years on the A3 or the two years I had the WRX. People just love a clean black car.
 
Thanks Terry!



But if you got more complements in 8 days in the black S-Line than you did in the A3 in 2 years, I'd be crazy to change my mind. Right?



Haha, thanks and enjoy!
 
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