NO pics, but I was wondering what you guys thought about a matte black E39? I am need of some paint and since my Busa is Matte Black I was thinking the E39 would carry that paint scheme really nice.... It would mean selling all my detailing stuff, but I think it would look sick.....


What do you think?

I personally hate matte black cars, and think they the only time they look good is on old American Muscle cars. Just my $0.02.

I personally hate matte black cars, and think they the only time they look good is on old American Muscle cars. Just my $0.02.


x2 Keep the e39 gloss. Even wet sand it.



Then polish the hell out of it.

There's some guy with a MB CLS AMG around here and he has spent a LOT of cash on the thing. DTM style body kit and 3 piece wheels. And it's all FLAT BLACK.

Thought it looked OK at first (although not my style at all), but the more I see it, the more I think the car just looks like it is waiting for repair from a bad accident.

So I vote no.;)

To pull off Matte black...

You'll need to be slammed!
DARK tint!
Big/wide wheels!
Super stretched tires!
loud exhaust!
LOTS OF HORSEPOWER!!!!

What I'm saying is that in order for a car to look good painted Matte Black it has to be agressive as all get out. It's gotta be mean! A stock E39 is just too docile to pull it off.

A matte black, slammed F430? Yes please!
A matte black, humvee with a big honk'n diesel engine? yes please!
A matte black, porsche turbo? not unless it's modded....

only matte black if it was the dark demon buts its a 528i so nay : /

It would mean selling all my detailing stuff, but I think it would look sick.....


What do you think?

Sick is definitely one word for it. The Busa pulls it off, but your E39 has a lot more sheetmetal. Not recommended is what I think.

I had my doubts and that is why I asked. Thanx guys for th informative feedback.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/ai_cls_01.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/ai_cls_04.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/ai_cls_02.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/ai_cls_03.jpg

any one say matte merc???

I would say No unless it's super modded. Most people will think you are driving a car that has been primed and no paint.

Like Brandon says, it takes a specific looking car to pull off a Matte Black finish.

Here are some pictures from a thread over at M5 Board. The last one is a photoshopped M5 in Matte Black.

http://www.jwhubbers.nl/ring/trip31/img/img_1596.jpg

http://cybirg.smugmug.com/photos/151059118-M.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/5597/matteblackjx0.png

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/2892/flatblack599mt8.jpg

http://capocheta.mintydiny.com/Picsforblog/matte5.jpg

This is a perfect example of matte black not working. The car is just not mean enough.
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/5597/matteblackjx0.png

Now this is just right!!! The agressive lines and just knowing that this car is a beast, is enought to justify it's dull paint.
http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/2892/flatblack599mt8.jpg

On this one it could work. :drool:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/BimmerDawg/Pattie%20Wagon/Wet/DSC00136.jpg?t=1196711088

I don't think that touring is matte black it looks too glossy to be a matte black finish.

Its not matte its glossy, but I was commenting that it could be matte and pull it off unlike say my 528.

Its not matte its glossy, but I was commenting that it could be matte and pull it off unlike say my 528.

Ahh okay...

Go for it, stand out.

The only people who would really think it just needed to be painted or wasn't finished are the people who don't know any better. If you have a nice car and you've got it matte black, odds are you probably meant for it to look that way. People will get the hint.

The ferrari looks about the best car I've ever seen! I didn't know matte black could look so good..

black was meant to polished up and shine like mirrors. Matte black on certain parts= yes.

whole car= no way.

Those cars in the pics look like the clay models they make in the design process. And matte really doesn't do anything to accentuate the lines on the car... the E39 has some really nice lines, too. I pity the fool who goes f------up the lines on the E39! :pityfool

I was down in Argentina and saw cars that were matte black, but it was actually a film all over the car. they were very well done. The day you want to sell it you can just peel it off.

"car wraps" - amazing stuff, I've seen pics of porsches with some wild wraps.

I've seen a couple all matte black American cars and it didn't look good. It would be worse on an E39.

Its like a 17 year old gang banger owned and painted it the only "cool" color he had seen on slammed Honda.

Jokes aside don't do it. You'll never be able to sell or even trade it.

yah, matte black looks sick on some exotics and highly modded cars. On your 10 year old stock 5 series though, it just wont look good.

All those cars look great when they are showroom clean. In daily life, when those cars get the least bit dirty, they will all look like they are primered and waiting for paint.

I painted one fender on my mustang to see if matte black would look good.

To me, only muscle cars. Don't do that to your e39.

Simple answer: no.

I have an e36 thats matte black. But i dont take care of that car at all. Its got a cracked windshield, cracked bumper and no interior door panels. I like to hit garbage cans, shopping carts, an big snowbanks with that bad boy.......All the while my "Gloss Black E39" sits comfortably in my heated garage;)

Matte Black would not complement your car..... AT ALL!!!!!!!

only matte black car that I have liked thus far is that one m coupe on the boards. batmobile, srsly.

Clearly one can do what one wants with their purchase but the E39 is a beautiful car and deserves better than to be treated like a civic, honda, camaro, mustang, etc. Just my $.02!!

Clearly one can do what one wants with their purchase but the E39 is a beautiful car and deserves better than to be treated like a civic, honda, camaro, mustang, etc. Just my $.02!!

not when done correctly

not when done correctly

So a high quality matte black job is much better than a medium quality matte black?

:rofl but yes, Frank.

i THINK i GET IT....


The replies after my reply were for the hell of posting I guess........

Most people only read the first sentance of the first post then they have to give their opinions, because you are only as important as your post count! :D

[QUOTE=SHWELL;

The replies after my reply were for the hell of posting I guess........[/QUOTE]

Threads tend to take on a life of their own. Then its too late to stop them. Even the OP is powerless.

Most people only read the first sentance of the first post then they have to give their opinions, because you are only as important as your post count! :D

They have to give their opinions even if it's none-responsive to the OP's question.

Like if I asked 'what paint is good to use on my wheels' and the reply is 'why are you painting your wheels?'

I think that CLS I see driving around here might be the one in the pics posted. I usually see it in the Carlsbad, CA/ North County San Diego area. Looks great in the pics, just seems unfinished to me when I see it in person. Full marks to the owner though, it's really well done....

But the Ferrari is secks in flat black!

Guess I'm a hypocirte! :dunno

Didn't read the whole thread (I did see the part about people on responding to the OP, and yes I'm guilty) but the Ferrari looks amazing, the rest are kinda bleh. As someone said, muscle and/or very high end models can look good, but painting an oldish bimmer matte black makes it look trashy IMO

Seems there are many more against matte black on an E39 than are for it

http://www.bmwclub.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=109380&highlight=H%26R

http://www.bmwclub.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=109380&highlight=H%26R

ewwwww......:devillook

Terrible. Reminds me of an all blacked-out mime. That or the car just came from a coal mine.

Re-sale value would be crap. I'd bet that even those that like it would not buy one.

Damn, you can find anything online these days...