JB vs BSM

[adk749]

Can someone please post these two pictures side-by-side? I would prefer personal pictures rather than "professional" shots. Is there is a big difference between these colors? To me the BSM is a bit tiny bit more charcoal than the JB. Any and all thoughts are welcome. Thanks!

[rcracer_tx]

I don't have pictures of them, but I can tell you my opinion after deciding between the two. from a distance or in the shade, both look almost identical. However, when you get up close or in the sun, the BSM catches the sun and parts of the car shift color to a really dark charcoal grey color. I also found out that BMW has a much harder enamel on their metallic paints, making BSM much less prone to swirl marks. After seeing both of the colors dirty, i think the metallic black is a little bit less showing of dirt. After analyzing all that i could find, i chose to go with BSM.

[TagMan]

:reposthorse:
There are no facts to support that the paints are different in "hardness of softness". So many members have posted in previous threads to dispell of that rumor, and pretty much have made that clear at this point.

The difference is simply, and more realistically, the metallic appearance, which does indeed add a bit of charcoal to the BSM. The JB can achieve a greater depth and mirror-like appearance, but will also be more vulnerable to imperfections. Not because the JB is softer, but because it is not metallic, and the light refraction is less forgiving. When they are both clayed, polished, and waxed with quality products like Griots or Zaino, they are both gorgeous, and the difference again is the greater "depth" of color to the JB, and the subtle sparkle that the BSM achieves.

You can't go wrong with either.

[adk749]

I am having a really hard time with my color selection. I like the SGM but I am coming from an Integra that has "Supersonic Blue" (see below - not my car, but you can see the color). I bought that car straight from the brochure and it definitely has a "purpleness" to it that I have grown tired of. I do not want the same thing to happen if I end up getting the SGM. I am also afraid that the BSM will be too dark and show every little scratch, nick, and swirl. Other colors I am considering are crimson red, monaco blue, titanium silver. Any advice other than what you already gave me?

[TagMan]

If you are that concerned with the tiniest scratches and imperfections, then do NOT get any black at all.

Silver will by far show the least of all dirt and imperfections. It is the most forgiving color.

[Brandon26pdx]

I've seen BSM in direct/bright sunlight, and it almost sparkles in appearance...much more than your typical metallic silvers and greys anyway. To me, it's not quite as crisp as nicely detailed jet, but nothing looks as good as jet black when it's clayed and waxed.

But the BSM would probably hide swirls slightly better.

[BMW Dreamer]

A dealer by me has MANY 1 series now. WOW they have about 12. They just got in 2 black 135i conv's a white 135i conv and many others. I must admit the BSM 135i coupe and conv look awesome.
At the moment I am driving a black car and it WILL be the LAST black car unless I win the LOTTO.

I AM getting Alpine white. Maybe CR but I doubt it. The grey is too dark for me. I wish they offered the Space grey on the 3 series.

If you do get black(good luck) get the metalic black BSM not Jet black. Pure non metalic black is a bitch. Sorry for the French.

[lilsudds7117]

yea. i wish they had the space grey 2

[imported_Katera]

Pictures won't do them justice, you have to see them up close.

My observations: First of all let me say that when I first went looking for the color of my 1 I was totally and completely unbiased. I have never owned a BMW before and other then a metallic dark grey 08 Accord I just bought my wife, we have only owned white vehicles. Hence, I was flat sick of white and I didn't want another grey that would clash with the Accord.

Therefore I starting sorting out other colors, after a few weeks of looking, I decided to go Black. First off my 1 Vert is a 3rd car and not a daily driver. I can pretty much choose when, where and in what weather she will be driven in...so Black was on the table.

JB vs BSM:

The first thing I noticed was how similar they look up to about 20 feet away. It's hard to tell them apart until you get up to about that distance. At that distance....you CAN tell the difference.

Simply put, Jet black is a pure black where as BSM is a sparkely black. When the Houston sun hits JB you see...Black. When that same sun hits BSM you see sparkles in the suns reflection. I looked long and hard at both of them and they both show almost the same dirt and clear coat imperfections in day light.

So in choosing between the two don't think getting BSM is going to save you from seeing clear coat imperfections...it won't. If that is a major concern then I recommend getting a different color. SGM looks good as a sparkle paint and is light enough to hide imperfections well. Texas has his 135i Vert pictures up and it looks awesome. Search "dirty pictures" on the site and his car's thread will come up. Back to Blacks...

Money was not an issue in my choice. If I would of thought the BSM was better looking then I would not of given it a second thought in clicking that option. However, the more I looked at BSM the more it sparkled. Sparkle paint works ok in some colors but for me...it didn't do it for me in Black. I would get SGM if I was going sparkley paint, but that is the great thing about colors...they are 100% subjective.

What I do take issue with is *misinformation*. The person who stated above that BMW's Metallic sparkle paint is somehow "harder" then their base White,JB,Red is totally wrong. It is a stupid rumor that people "hear" and think it must be true. I asked my dealer about it when I was first looking, because someone here was asking if it was true. The service dept manager laughed and said ...umm no, they all have the same rigidity and clear coat cover. The only difference is the metallic <sparkle> flakes.

In the end, just go down to your dealer and look. They always have some JB cars and some BSM cars around. Maintenance is going to be the same...they are both black and when you see the BSM up close in the sun you will see what I'm talking about with the sparkles..and they both show imperfections should you not take care of them.

The question you simply need to ask yourself after looking is...Do I like a pure mirrored black? or do I like a sparkley mirrored black? Only you can answer that question. If you like black though, you can't go wrong with either....Just make darn sure you see them both in direct sunlight. You will see what I mean:wink: