Black Cars.

[tanuie]

Hi, What is the difference between obsidian black cars and a black car, i think the obsidian black is a metallic black with a paint code 197.
However i have a black car that is not metallic black, i think the paint code as
040 black. But not to sure?, i have had obsidian metallic cars in the past but this one appears to be just black. Be interesting on your thoughts.
Many thanks.

 

[C43AMG]

Yes they do Obsidian and a Flat Black.

 

[tanuie]

Yes they do Obsidian and a Flat Black.

Thank you for your answer, do you know the paint code for the Flat Black?

 

[Codger49]

I think there's more than 1, 040 is 'Black' and 696 is 'Midnight Black'

The paint code is usually on a sticker in the driver's door opening. These people have a list of codes: Mercedes Paint Codes - Car Touch Up Paint - Car Paint

Otherwise, just put up your VIN and I or someone else can get your original paint code from the datacard.

 

[tanuie]

I think there's more than 1, 040 is 'Black' and 696 is 'Midnight Black'

The paint code is usually on a sticker in the driver's door opening. These people have a list of codes: Mercedes Paint Codes - Car Touch Up Paint - Car Paint

Otherwise, just put up your VIN and I or someone else can get your original paint code from the datacard.

Hi Thanks for your reply, I have looked at the paint code by the drivers door and it says 197 which is obsidian metallic black, but having had metallic obsidian in the past this one isn't that, it looks like just black.

 

[SW18]

Hi Thanks for your reply, I have looked at the paint code by the drivers door and it says 197 which is obsidian metallic black, but having had metallic obsidian in the past this one isn't that, it looks like just black.

Could the car have had a total respray in the past before you owned it?

 

[tanuie]

Not that I know of.

 

[John]

Maybe faded in some way?

How does it compare to my CL in my gallery?

That is Obsidian Black...

 

[markjay]

... i think the obsidian black is a metallic black with a paint code 197...

Obsidian Black is code 197, but technically speaking it is not Metallic paint but Pearlescent.

Metallic paint uses very small flakes of aluminium, while Pearlescent paint uses small flakes of mica (synthetic material that resembles the shine of a natural pearl).

Flat black obviously has neither.

 

[tanuie]

Maybe faded in some way?

How does it compare to my CL in my gallery?

That is Obsidian Black...

Nice car John, I don't think mine is the same colour.

 

[John]

Cheers...

I've always thought Obsidian was a flat black.

It wasn't until not long ago I was reading through the CL brochure and it showed the colours available.

As above - there is a flat black and Obsidian is not flat!

Back in 1997/1998, I had an XR3i and I kept getting pulled over.

Turned out my car had a PNC marker against it and the cops turned up one day at random and I had to take the front seat out to find a metal plate just resting over the top of the chassis number - with a chassis number stamped into it!

I couldn't believe it.

Anyway, turns out the engine number and running gear were genuine but the body was from a nicked XR3i!

They didn't take it any further because the car was only worth a couple of grand.

I wonder if your car has a different body to the one it started with...?

 

[PobodY]

My Obsidian Black doesn't look particularly metallic or pearlescent, but it does look quite deep and lustrous; I assumed that was previous owners looking after it, but maybe that's the finish.

Having said that, I'm slightly colour blind and don't always see the same effect as everyone else with metallic paints. - Point in case; my grandparents had a metallic brown Sierra Ghia, but to me it was grey with some brown flecks when I got really close to it.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Obsidian Pearlescent black 0197

I looked at a very low mileage S500LWB at the weekend which was Obsidian black 0197, which had a deep pearlescent sheen, but the true sheen was only on the inner panels.

The main external bodywork clearly hadn't been detailed for a while, if ever, so it had a duller / flat appearance.

Which makes me wonder whether the 0197 Obsidian that you've seen is just a dulled down Pearlescent.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, the colour car be checked from the VIN or the touch up code. In the very unlikely case of a respray, there would be a difference between the inner and outer panels of the car - no-one resprays inner panels in the same colour.