Issue with trim colour
 

My X6 arrived at my dealer and I have a bit of a problem with the trim fitted by the factory. My dealer is contacting BMW to resolve the problem, but it may not as simple as we had first thought.

To save me posting a picture, take a look at the trim in the pictures on page 32 of this eBrochure. http://www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicle...catalogue.html
I trust you will agree that it looks like quite a light/mid brown wood.

Well I ordered what's described in the UK brochure as 'Dark Ash Wood trim - Code 4BN' and which seems similar to the trim within the this PDF as 'Dark Ash - Code 4BN' (see Page 11 - http://resource.bmwusa.com/Pdf_9aec1...35af904eb.arox )

Now, if you look at the Dark Ash/Dark Ash Wood (4BN) you would agree with me that it's 'dark', darker than the 'Dark Bamboo' trim (4AZ).

Well, after ordering Dark Ash, what's actually fitted to my car looks 'exactly' like the sample in the first link above (i.e. the light/mid brown wood veneer).

As far as I can tell from the various brochures, there is no mid-brown trim available for the X6, so either BMW invented a new trim just for my car, or more worryingly Dark Ash is nothing of the sort, and is in fact a light to medium ash.

If Dark Ash does not really exist (i.e. is a configuration error) then either I live with it (no thanks) or insist that it is changed to Dark Bamboo instead.

I'll let you know what we work out, but if in the meantime anyone else has ordered Dark Ash, I would advise that you go and double-check what you've really ordered. Either the configuration system is wrong or perhaps the trim colour doesn't really exist...:confused:

That sucks, hope it works out.

Steve - If you look at the 'build your own' on the BMW NA site you see the same thing.

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...ModelCode=0860

If you look at the interior trim options - when you select the 'dark wood' it looks darker than the 'dark bamboo' on the selector buttons.

Now scroll up to the picture of the car interior and when you switch between the two interior colors the 'dark wood' looks a lot lighter than the 'dark bamboo' - like the light color your described.

Bizarre - looks to me like the 'dark wood' color that they have in the brochure is not accurate/misleading.

Hope it works out for you.

This also happened to me. I ordered the dark wood instead of the bamboo and it came light. Since I have the saddle interior and it still looked sharp, I didn't argue about it. Had no idea it was happening to others.

The same thing was about to happen to me, luckily the dealer somehow new this and we changed the configuration to Bamboo..

BMW should really address this, I guess a lot of people will fall in this trap...

Heard this before from few others. Nothing dark about dark wood. Bamboo is darker.

Steve, that sucks.
I bet you feel gutted that this situation has arisen after waiting so long for your car.
I hope you can find a solution which satisfies you.
ATB Simon

Weird situation, that is for sure :)
I am made it easy for my self and orderer Aluminium Flywheel, so there is no way that thay can change it to wood by mistake. If they would change it to Brushed Aluminium, I would not care that much. But flywheel looks unique and nice in combination with oyster leather, so that is the way to go for me. :cool:
I just dont like the wood any more after having it for a long time in my current 528iA.
Steved, hope you will get it right with your dealer!

I don't like wood in cars, but I dislike Aluminium even more, so I always choose the darkest possible wood. With my 4.6is I chose Piano Black inside an Estoril Blue, which looked nice and classy. In my two 4.8is, I chose what was called Dark Poplar (inside Le Mans Blue) which was as near as I could get to Piano Black.

This time Dark Ash seemed the least wood like, and I've now found that it's this mid-brown tone, which does not look good against Black Nevada leather inside a 'red' car.

I'm expecting BMW to play hardball (i.e. say they've built it to spec), and then I need to decide whether to bring my press credentials into play. I'd rather not - they should really treat all customers the same.

Let's see what they do, but if I can bring any influence then I will try and encourage them to change the brochures before it spoils the experience for any other customer.

Well, I think you should have ordered the Bamboo :)

NOW you tell me.. :rofl:

Steve, it seems to me the only viable option left for you is to get carbon fibre trims. If you think Piano black is classy then CF will blow you away.

I doubt anyone is producing it for the X6 yet, but I'll see.

I'll do my best to see if I can live with the trim (assuming that BMW don't play ball), since I'd rather not let it spoil my enjoyment of the X6, but I'll see how I feel when its delivered at the weekend.

This is probably what you want ;)
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/..._261804_25.jpg
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/images/..._261822_25.jpg

Good news is that BMW have agreed to replace my trim, so I've opted to fit the Dark Bamboo trim (as above) instead. Hopefully they will now sort out their brochures and spec sheets to bear some resemblance to reality.

Here's a picture of my car before it is delivered tomorrow.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s...um/X6/X6R2.jpg

Looks great. Waiting for more pics.

For those who want to know what Dark wood trim is:

Which is clearly NOT Dark.. :dunno:

It seems that Bamboo and Aluminium are the most popular trims, but I'm sure this Ash trim would look fine against Oyster or Beige leather

Hey LeMans,

Do you have any pics like the ones above with the Aluminum trim? I have yet to see one up close like that.

shenard, I posted pic's of a Black 50i on 04/21.The thread is -Black 50i X6 Leather/Interior. I focused more on the leather but the aluminum is there.Hope this helps! PalBay

Steved, I think aluminium flywheel would be the best trim for you. Here are so pics with black leather/alcantara combination, looks nice and sporty to me :)

I like it in those pictures, but the problem when you see it is that it looks and feels like 'plastic' (in fact I think it is) and therefore cheaper than either wood or aluminium. I took a look at aluminum in an X6 yesterday and its nice, although cold to the touch so we'll stick with Bamboo.

I saw the trim only on small sample at the dealer, and that sample was fake - with that I mean that it was not the real trim as it is in the car, it was all plastic. And yes, that did look cheap. But as these pictures show, and as I can compare to what I have seen, on the pictures is REAL aluminium flywheel trim as to compared to samples. I have seen the aluminium in person as well, looks fine, but for such an unusual car it needs something special :) That's why I have made my decision : Oyster + Aluminium Flywheel :dancing:

That's good to know, since others like myself might otherwise base our decision on the dealer's sample. I have not had the chance to see it in person, so I look forward to seeing it on a car. I would like to have gone for this, but its probably safer to stick with what I know.

Thanks for sharing the pictures.

I guess the reason why the sample is fake was to let potential customers see the swirl design or however you wanna call it, but on a piece of plastic... well they have to save costs somewhere :rofl:
IMO as you are already going to change the trims, ask for a real sample of flywheel and decide then, as for such a uniqe car with unique color (at least it should be) a unique interior trim would be better than more "classical" wood, even though it would be Bamboo in your case. Btw. I like bamboo, but with light coloured leather such as beige/oyster.

The replacement trim has already been ordered. Look forward to seeing pictures of your car when you get it..:thumbup:

Good then, you are fast :) Hope they will replace it correctly when it arrives. My 35i will arrive end September the soonest, but most probably during October, so I still have to wait "a while" :popcorn: But it is worth it :thumbup: