[Scudder]

I am about to order my first BMW and I am very excited. I cannot find anything in stock that is similar enough to the features I want so I am going to custom order.

Forgetting for a moment all the awesome stuff about this car and looking purely at aesthetics, I've agonized for days over colors. I finally decided this combo is the most interesting to me:

Luxury line
Imperial blue
Saddle brown leather

However, I cannot decide on whether to get this with the Burled Walnut or Anthracite wood trim. I really like the look of the anthracite wood in person but I have not seen it in person with Saddle brown leather. I also like the brown contrast of the Burled Walnut with the saddle brown seats (which I have seen in person). But then I wondered if that burled walnut wood is one too many colors on this car - especially with the stripe that goes through it (and the gray headliner that can't be changed). But then I look at a picture of saddle brown with anthracite and it looks nice but I wonder if there is enough brown/contrast. Gaaah!

Please help me - I am going insane trying to pick between the two and it is the last option I need to choose before I custom order. Give me your purely subjective opinions, please.

[DrivenByE30]

For you:
I would pick Burled Walnut (since you have Sađdle brown leather...)

For me:
I picked Anthracite because i have Venetian light beige leather...)



but then again, you could go either way based on your own personal preferences.

Personally, i think Burled Walnut makes the car lơoks "old"
(or at least makes you lơok like you have old tastes)
so if you are my dad's age, sure that would work...

but if you are my age... Anthracite is better...
But then Anthracite with Sađdle Brown might not be the best combo...

Again: up to you

[mith]

I am going to vote for Burled Walnut..they both look good but IMHO after seeing some of the pics of that interior combination I think it looks better than with anthracite..


http://rumors.automobilemag.com/file...-dashboard.jpg
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/file...ar-seats-3.jpg

Source:
http://rumors.automobilemag.com/bmw-...-rear-seats-3/

[Scudder]

Thanks for the replies/info so far. For those voting that did not post, tell me why you are choosing one wood over the other for this car. Maybe it will help me decide.

[Scudder]

Here is a good thread from this site that shows saddle brown with anthracite wood (albeit with a white exterior):

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=653548

The BMW official brochure (and most pics from auto shows) show Imperial Blue, Saddle Brown and Burled Walnut.

[jzcrna]

Anthracite for sure. Burl Walnut looks old. Frankly, I love saddle brown, but think that it is a difficult color to match with any trim.

[Xcution]

Hey I picked on the poll Anthracite...why because to me it is the best freaking trim out of all.

Taking into consideration the interior of the vehicle this of course will change. I personally am not a big fan of saddle brown, but since you are going with it I would say go with Burl. That brown to me makes the car look vintage imo and the burl to me gives it a classy old look so I would go with that.

Also if you put anthracite in there with the brown it is just to much dark I think. O well...5 cent i'm done ;p

[Scudder]

I do wonder how many people on the poll are just picking the trim they like the best and not what they think would go best in the car I am buying. I have a slight preference for the anthracite wood just on looks alone (looks especially sharp with the light interior). However, with the saddle brown leather that I am getting I think it is much more of a toss-up because the walnut seems to go well with the overall two-tone brown-black look.

The "old" issue is valid. I am 42 and 10 years ago I was disgusted by cars that had wood trim that looked anything like the burled walnut which seemed old and gross. I would seriously not buy a car just because it had that! However, as I've gotten older what once looked old and ugly now looks looks somewhat refined and classy (at least with this particular interior). However, I do think the anthracite has the same effect - just not sure if it goes well with the color combo I've chosen.

I know it is all subjective. I would say the poll shows anthracite winning but the burled walnut supporters have articulated their case a little better so far...

[jeffnin]

I ordered the Burl after seeing in person with Saddle Brown, decided that it looked "warmer" with the interior color and I also like the inlay that makes the Burl look nicer. While I like the Anthracite (I have the Dark Bamboo) on my X5, I decided to go with lighter color on my F30 with the Saddle.

[Ryan9095]

Anthracite with Saddle Brown, in my opinion, is a STUNNING combination. It adds the sophistication, luxury, and warmth that wood brings but it's modern and fresh. Plus, it stands out and is unique; burl is typical/classic and looks "older".

[PrinceBarin]

Originally Posted by jzcrna

Anthracite for sure. Burl Walnut looks old. Frankly, I love saddle brown, but think that it is a difficult color to match with any trim.

+1.

IMHO, I am not convinced wood trim has any place in this vehicle but there were certain features of luxury that I really wanted so I am stuck with it. That said, I think the anthracite & beige interior combo looks really nice.

[ibimmer954]

I have Saddle with Burl on my 535i. Honestly, color-wise I don't think there's going to be a big difference between Burl and Anthracite. In shade conditions, they will look almost the same. Only in the direct sun will you really see much of a difference. However, the "grain" of the two trims is quite a bit different. You should probably make your choice based on which grain you like. Horizontal or more rounded.

You can check out my garage for a shade pic of the interior. But here's a sun pic...

[jonwalton]

I have Saddle Brown with Anthracite wood and it is a perfect match. The walnut looked to old fashioned

[Photoman]

I've got the anthracite trim.

My Imperial Blue w Saddle Brown and Anthracite will arrive in June!

[AggieTexan]

I'm going to get the anthracite wood to go with my Oyster leather. Since they're both cool tones they seem to go well together, and I like the contrast of the wood with the leather. For brown leather I would probably go with the walnut, since they're both warm colors.

[Maz335i]

I'm confused!

I'm not 42 but 23 so not sure if age plays any role? I feel the burl goes nicely with saddle brown but also like the anthracite...I'm not sure???

I'm in the same boat as you...will keep an eye out to see what people are gonna say... :

[matt_435xi]

Originally Posted by Scudder

I do wonder how many people on the poll are just picking the trim they like the best and not what they think would go best in the car I am buying. I have a slight preference for the anthracite wood just on looks alone (looks especially sharp with the light interior). However, with the saddle brown leather that I am getting I think it is much more of a toss-up because the walnut seems to go well with the overall two-tone brown-black look.

The "old" issue is valid. I am 42 and 10 years ago I was disgusted by cars that had wood trim that looked anything like the burled walnut which seemed old and gross. I would seriously not buy a car just because it had that! However, as I've gotten older what once looked old and ugly now looks looks somewhat refined and classy (at least with this particular interior). However, I do think the anthracite has the same effect - just not sure if it goes well with the color combo I've chosen.

I know it is all subjective. I would say the poll shows anthracite winning but the burled walnut supporters have articulated their case a little better so far...

go with the burl wood, it has a fancy aluminum inlay in the wood. currently only offered (inlays in wood) on the F01 7-series. that is classy!

[JulieDriving]

Anthracite.

I've seen both over saddle brown.

At first, I wondered if the 'burl' would look more luxurious... but I thought it looked a little old in person.

However, this past week, I sat in an F30 with anthracite over saddle. Loved it! Now that was classy AND modern.

[Scudder]

OK, I ordered last night and got (drumroll....) anthracite wood trim. It was really a toss up for me. I really think I would have been happy with either choice, but each time I saw the anthracite wood in person I was taken by how cool it looked. So I had to go by pictures online that showed it with saddle brown and assume it will look ok with it.

I appreciate all the feedback which really did help me decide. Overall, the poll stayed true at 2 to 1 voting on anthracite over walnut. I do think either one would ultimately look good.

Excited and nervous about committing to my first BMW. Now I must sit back and try not to second guess all my choices while I wait for the car. I ordered Imperial Blue based on pics I've seen and one car I saw in a lot (on a cloudy day). Hoping I don't regret that choice. I have seen other blue 328i's recently on the road (fairly certain not 2012's) and they did not look as luxurious as Imperial Blue.

[Weaselboy]

Originally Posted by Scudder

Here is a good thread from this site that shows saddle brown with anthracite wood (albeit with a white exterior):

http://www.f30post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=653548

The BMW official brochure (and most pics from auto shows) show Imperial Blue, Saddle Brown and Burled Walnut.

Originally Posted by Scudder

OK, I ordered last night and got (drumroll....) anthracite wood trim.

I have Imp. Blue with saddle and anthracite and really like the look. The photos in the thread Scudder posted are a very accurate representation of how it looks in person.

[DrivenByE30]

You will love the Imperial Blue