[Paul330d]

I made the 250-mile round trip to Brussels (Belgium) this morning to check out the infamous lemon interior for real. I ordered it 'blind' on my 330d based on the photos on this forum, but really wanted to see it in person.

Overall, I was happy with my choice. Lemon is a fresh looking option and certainly makes a change from the beige I usually take. It is a bit more yellow than I had hoped and the privacy glass on the car in the showroom seemed to compound this. However, it was within my tolerance threshold, so I am keeping it.

The main thing I noticed - and this is the real purpose behind this post - was how poor the light grey roof lining looks with the highly contrasted black & lemon of the rest of the interior. It makes for far too many colours inside (lemon, black, aluminium, wood and light grey...), so I asked the salesman about the anthracite lining (€200 option here in Europe). He explained that while it is not the Alcantara found on the M6, the cloth used is slightly softer and higher quality than the standard grey. There was a 530d //M Sport a few metres away with the anthracite and I can confirm that it is slightly nicer to the touch.

So, I decided to stop off at my local French dealer on the way home and add the anthracite lining. I really think it will go much better with the lemon interior.

Now the photos. While I was doing the first shoot, I realised that the flash was bleaching the leather and not giving an accurate representation of the colours. So, I turned off the flash and went round the car again. Unfortunately, this has meant the pictures are slightly blurred, but at least you will get a good feel for the colour. Notice how the light areas appear ivory, almost light grey, while the darker areas are really quite yellow. This is exactly the effect in real life and I am at pains to explain why this should be.

Anyway, I hope the photos & comments will be of use to those of you contemplating the lemon option.

I have more pictures, if anyone is interested

P.S. my Blacklines arrived in the post this morning from the BMW dealer who sells on www.ebay.de (search on e90 heckleuchten) - excellent service, I only ordered them 5 days ago.

[bimmer4me]

Also, GREAT call on the anthracite lining. That is going to be money well spent. I agree it will bring the interior together much much better.

Which trim are you getting; Aluminum, Poplar or Walnut?

[Paul330d]

I have ordered the poplar, because while it adds yet another colour to the interior, I think the aluminium looks too pastelly on the lemon...

[bimmer4me]

When your Lemon/anthracite e90 arrives in March, post pics ASAP. I bet it will be one of the most stunning combos yet.

Oh yeah, don't forget to update your sig to show you are now getting the anthracite lining.

[Paul330d]

Originally Posted by bimmer4me

I bet it will be one of the most stunning combos yet.

Thanks for your encouragement. I am used to researching my cars, but getting the 330d just right has become almost an obsession - I'm exhausetd Posting some pictures of my 'creation' once it arrives is the least I can do after all the help & support I have had on this forum. Here are a few more photos of the showroom model this morning

[Paul330d]

More

[BMWMTL514]

Originally Posted by Paul330d

The main thing I noticed - and this is the real purpose behind this post - was how poor the light grey roof lining looks with the highly contrasted black & lemon of the rest of the interior. It makes for far too many colours inside (lemon, black, aluminium, wood and light grey...)...

I couldn't agree more and I find it is the same problem with the Terra interior. So many dam colors in the car (terra, black, alum or wood and light grey), I find it a bit much... I didn't know about the option for anthracite lining, is that something that is offered in Canada as well ? If so, it is probably something I need to ask my dealer as it is not an option when you build the car on www.bmw.ca.

[Paul330d]

You may need to see you dealer, the anthracite roof isn't shown on www.bmw.fr either.

[Tweak48]

That is a very sharp, sophisticated color set! If that was available in the US, I'd be all over it.

Congratulations. You will wind up with a very unique and beautiful auto. Please place at least one interior photo in the color thread on the main page for reference.

Nice! I like it!

[dtelle]

VEry happy that i was able to let you discover the lemon interior.

Imagine that i signed the order 2 meters away from this car. did you speak with a dealer? which one?

Regarding the black roof, i am still not decided. I saw here in HH a touring with M packet (and thus with a black roof lining).
It is for sure a different felling, But:

* i think you need to order with a black roof linig the roof window, the interior is much more darker whitout extra ligth coming from the roof (so 1400 euros for the touring...)

*if you choose the alu or titan trim, i think the grey roof lining is less chocking (with wood trim, you are rigth, there is to much color variant in the interior)

Nevertheless the quality from the material is better, you are rigth , but i don't know if the serie 3 is receiving the same material than the 5?? Next week i will go to the dealer close to my living place in Germany and will take pictures of the M-touring with black roof lining, thus you will have a better idea of this extra

In case of a touring, the black roof lining could be a usefull extra, since all plastics from the interior are black, inclusiv the ones which guides the cover over your luggages. Normally it is a grey plastic and this one is becoming dirty because of a black axe rolling and rubbing on this guide when you open the rear window.

But as said i didn't plan to order the roof window and it looks for me a little bit to dark inside.

I don't know, i am asking here your point of view?

PS: Yes you can send me all pictures! but you can wait, i am not at home this WE

[Paul330d]

I agree the black roof will darken the interior, but I have ordered the sunroof to compensate. The salesman - don't know his name, but he was quite young & tall, with a tweed jacket - told me he had ordered a Touring for himself with the lemon interior, because he loved it so much. However, although he preferred the black roof, he said he hadn't ordered it, because of the cost and because he had ordered the double panoramic sunroof which meant the grey cloth wasn't so visible anyway. He assured me that the anthracite cloth was indeed exactly the same as that used on the 5.

[Pretender]

Now I'm mad why the BMW NA doesn't carry such awesome interior (Lemon) like in Europe? Lemon is the most beautiful interior of all IMO. I always like the interior with lots of contrast like Lemon and terra (brown/black).

[Broken1]

I love lemon :-) yay

[RECC325]

I agree with all of you. I have lemon in my 325i too, and I just love it!!!!... It looks great. I have one complaint though, taking care of that color is a real pain in the ...., It's very difficult to keep it clean and nice.

Tell me if you had the same trouble!!!

[Paul330d]

Yes, I am expecting trouble on that score. The car in the photos was brand new and the seats were already dirty from bozos like me just sitting in it

[Broken1]

Originally Posted by RECC325

I agree with all of you. I have lemon in my 325i too, and I just love it!!!!... It looks great. I have one complaint though, taking care of that color is a real pain in the ...., It's very difficult to keep it clean and nice.

Tell me if you had the same trouble!!!

I have it down to a fine art.

#1 DON'T let poeple with cheap fake/imitation leather belts sit in your car. The colour comes off and it's really hard to take out!

#2 Buy a bottle of the BMW Leather Cleaning FOAM. I use this once every 2 weeks or so - it's quick and easy. Foam the seat, rub the foam in with a sponge - and wipe the excess off with a clean white cloth.

#3 Every 4 months or so, I spend an hour with the BMW Leather Cream - which cleans, moisturises and protects the leather. Don't be shy with the product - ample amounts all over the car with a sponge. Let it sit for about 5 mins - and then wipe off the excess with a white cloth.

My seats are looking 99% perfect and I've had the car for over 6 months. It's a little bit more work - but every time I drive past a car with the lemon...I know why I chose it. It's just so hot!

[Dante]

If you want to know what the anthracite headliner looks like in comparison to the boring grey go to

www.bmw.de

click on "car configurator"

choose any model, click "weiter"

click "Farbe, Interieur + Felge"

choose interiour

click "weiter", then click "Sonderausstattungen"

scroll down to "Optik innen & außen"

check "Dachhimmel anthrazit, Individual"

now click on the car-symbol on the upper left till you see the interiour

click "3D-Ansicht"...

...and have lots of fun

[Paul330d]

Thanks for that. It's kind of an artificial image, but IMO the anthracite lining looks a lot better than the standard light grey. Glad I ordered it

[LEDZEP]

I can almost smell the lemony fresh smell! Congrats on a good choice that we don't have here.

[Paul330d]

Thanks, LedZep. I am really curious to know why this is the only combo BMW don't offer in the States. If the South Africans and Guatamalans can order it, why not the Americans?

Originally Posted by Paul330d

Thanks, LedZep. I am really curious to know why this is the only combo BMW don't offer in the States. If the South Africans and Guatamalans can order it, why not the Americans?

Because we are more important.