Brilliant Black Audi Paint?

**silvergray** · 05-24-2007, 08:40 PM

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!

**silvergray** · 05-24-2007, 09:25 PM

Accumulator? Somebody?

If its soft, I`m going to switch to their Phantom Black Pearl.

**mikebai1990** · 05-24-2007, 09:32 PM

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.

**todd@bsaw** · 05-24-2007, 09:37 PM

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.

**ron231** · 05-24-2007, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by todd@bsaw

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.

You do realize, you just ruined Silvergray`s day........

**silvergray** · 05-24-2007, 10:29 PM

Haha no kidding! I`ve heard so much conflicting information.

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

Gawwwddd! What to do?

**Thomas Dekany** · 05-24-2007, 10:50 PM

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.

**joshtpa** · 05-25-2007, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by tdekany

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.

But many people dont want metallic paint.

**silvergray** · 05-25-2007, 08:57 AM

Does anyone know from experience how Audi`s brilliant black is?

I only have 2 days to change my order!!!!

**Accumulator** · 05-25-2007, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by silvergray

Does anyone know from experience how Audi`s brilliant black is?

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.

**ptaylor_9849** · 05-25-2007, 03:29 PM

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

**silvergray** · 05-25-2007, 07:13 PM

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.

**Thomas Dekany** · 05-25-2007, 07:23 PM

Originally Posted by silvergray

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?

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.

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

**joshtpa** · 05-25-2007, 07:29 PM

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.

**Accumulator** · 05-25-2007, 09:12 PM

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

).

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