Cabal_san

Wow, thanks for the input on the color diff between BB & PB.

Good too know.

FWIW, i think Monza Grey looks spectacular in the showroom. Haven't seen one out on the road yet. Plus its only on the high end A4/ or S4 so it was outa my price range, which is why I got a P-! Just happy to have Quattro more than all the other "bells n whistles". Ok I swear i'm not "old" but that last statement of mine sure just made me sound it! Ouch.

xtr3ma

Was going to save $ on BB until I saw them in showroom side by side, picked PB instead.

The peral effect looks good until light and it may actually lower the appearance of swirld and fine scratches.

McGriddle

Not an A4... but here's my Brilliant Black S4 under bright showroom lights and on a cloudy day with 40% tints. I really love the deep glossy look of BB over PB, but yes, it's a pain to keep clean!

Spacecadet_CC

If I could have gone Lava grey like the Europeans can get, I would have been very happy too!

bimmers2

um.. how come car wash is soooo... cheap?!

plA4keeps

I was also deciding between Phantom and Brilliant Black when I purchased my 2010 A4. A few folks encouraged me to steer away from Brilliant Black, suggesting it would be too hard to keep clean.

I went with Brilliant Black and have no regrets. At least to my eyes, there is nothing like a clean black car with a glossy shine. My A4 has not seen a standard car wash. I handwash in the warm months and use touch-free car washes in the winter.

If you are extremely ****, then black is probably not the best color for you. Personally, I don't need my car to always look showroom clean. It just doesn't bother me. During the summer I did love my Sunday morning therapy (hand washing)!

This car makes me smile all the time. I still find myself turning my head in my office parking lot to take another look before going to work.

Good luck with your decision.

-- plA4keeps

tgdA4

I do the same thing all the time

Hobbes

There is no appreciable difference in maintenance between Brilliant and Phantom black. They're both black.

a4Happy

Maybe this will help...

Both '09 Prestige's. On the left is Phantom Black with ADS (you can see a slight height difference) and the right is the Brilliant Black. The right (non ADS) vehicle looks higher partially because it is riding on taller winter tires. Figure ADS changes the difference in height by about half what you see here.

As you can see, it's INCREDIBLY hard to tell the difference between the two in just standard sunlight (or in this case, slightly overcast.) You really need direct sunlight. I will say, IMHO, Phantom Black looks somehow cooler when the sun is out in full light. Can't explain it really, you just look at it and say "somethin's different".

Wantboost

The phantom black is called phantom black pearl??
Also . What is mythos Black and how does it compare to the other black colors. ?

(Sry I know this is an old thread . )