axchung

Just ordered a 08 GL550 in obsidian black. Is that a better choice than the non metallic black? I personally haven't seen the ob black in person, but I thought that it would show less scratches. Some people said that metallic black always have a dirty look even when clean. Any comments?

cc5731478

That's what I've heard too from someone that owned a MB before I did. Plus I have a black Infiniti and when it's clean, it's clean!

Waiting-4-550

Got ob black and I'm truly impressed... Gotta go metallic with paint-- looks better quality-wise

boxboss

I have OB - it's a beautiful metallic black. That being said, it does look "dusty" when in the sunshine.

Dodson

When we ordered out GL550, I knew I wanted black, but was undecided on which one. I really liked the sample of the OB Black in the book, and was leaning that way, until I compared both at the dealer. I agree, the OB looks awesome, but in the sun the metallic made the black look a bit dirty. I ended up going for the regular deep black.

All blacks get dirty fast, but if you keep them clean, they look so nice.

AsianML

The "dust" is the metallic particles. It looks very nice up close actually, IMHO. I read that metallic paint shows swirl marks more than non-metallic, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem if you take care of it correctly.

WordSmith

We saw the obsidian black on another model, and it had a dirty look to it, even when freshly cleaned. We went for the black. Sorry. If you're having second thoughts, your dealer can change the exterior color on an order for up to 30 days. Ours did.

oinick

I was able to compare Obsidian with non-metallic black side by side at the dealer the day I placed my order.

The non-metallic was much prettier on the GL. It really looks great when it is clean. I put mud flaps on it to keep it clean and they work well.

As for metallic showing less scratches, I do not buy it. I have never hand washed my GL and it has absolutely NO scratches from the car wash at all. And the Obsidian looked kind of dull and dusty next to the flat non-metallic black.

One of the most amazing things is how cool this big black truck stays, even on a sunny day. This is due to the IR glass, I guess.

Stumblefoot

Were you able to put them on both the front and rear? My parts guy wasn't for sure if they will fit on the 550, so he's ordering them to see.

oinick

Yep, but it was not straightforward because I have running boards. The dealer did some kind of mod to the flaps to make them work with the boards. If you can make it work, I recommend it because it keeps the paint so much cleaner.

Stumblefoot

Thanks for the insight. Mudflaps are practically a pre-requisite out here, unless you like washing your vehicle everyday.

Wigwam

I compared both blacks in the showroom under the lights and also out in the sun. I went with basic black - I just liked it a bit better but both are very nice colors for this car.

oknish

Basic black when clean just looks gorgeous especially if you know what you are doing when cleaning it. The wet look and deep shine of basic black cannot be duplicated by any other color. But it is #!^* to keep clean. So you have to accept that with basic black you (who look at it everyday) will see some blemishes.

OB does a great job of hiding the everyday blemishes and can't be told different from basic unless under sun. But, I don't think OB looks "dirty" rather it "shines" differently due to the metallic particles, IMO.

AsianML - you sure that metallic shows more swirls than regular? My experience has been opposite.

boxboss

Nish, you know I only hand wash and religiously clean my OB. It doesn't look "dirty" in the sun, just a bit "dusty." I only notice it in direct sunlight. If I had to do it over again, I'd most likely get NM black. That being said, in no way does having OB lessen my enjoyment of my GL!

oknish

Hey Boss - I agree with you 100% that OB doesn't look "dirty" and the "metallic particles" are visible only under Sun. Couldn't agree more.