Hope to be ordering a new Countryman soon! Thinking of going all black: Absolute Black and a black roof. Will be getting the 17" 5-star wheels with all season tires. Can't decide between the matte anthracite wheels or the glossy black wheels, was leaning towards black. But most of the black Countryman's I've seen posted have the Anthracite color wheels. Any opinions/suggestions? Thanks much!

 

Both are nice. One positive for the Anthracite is the flat finish shouldn't show the brake dust as much as the glossy black. And, believe me, there will be lots and lots of brake dust.

 

I've seen both in person and really like them both. The 17" black wheels we saw all had a chrome/silver ring around the edge. My husband is the one who is getting the CM and he didn't mind the ring on the wheel. If it was me ordering I'd have gone with the Anthracite just to have a solid color wheel, but I currently have an obsession about blacking out as much as possible .
Annette

 

+1

 

Totally dig the 17" in anthracite!!! If I didn't opt for the 18's I'd have gone for the 17 in anthracite. You can't lose really

Check out polojankins posts. He has a black/black with anthracite wheels.

 

Until you go with after market pads, an easy swap.

 

anthracite for sure for dust and they just look way cooler

Not to thread high jack but Oh how I wish I could find after-market pads. The dust is horrendous and I think even worse than my prior MINI - The earliest I have heard is fall but if anyone else has a line on replacement pads pm me please!!!

 

I have the 17" black gloss wheels and they have no silver lip.

 

I think it's the 18" wheels on the Countryman that have the chrome/silver ring around the black wheels, whereas the 17's do not. When we were at the dealership all the black wheels they had were 18" so we ordered our 17's sight unseen.

 

Exactly! the 18" have the silver ring...

 

Oops, y'all are right. We ordered 2 MINIs and I'm confusing my wheel size on the MCS with the hubby's on the CM, he got the 18's.

 

Thanks everyone for your input it was really helpful. I've decided to go with the anthracite color wheels. It sounds like they will be easier to keep clean looking from the brake dust/dirt. Plus, I think they will give some contrast to the glossy black paint on the Countryman. Now on to the couple dozen other configuration decisions I need to make!

 

I think you made the right decision...I made the same one for the same reasons. And I don't feel like I sacrificed anything by not going with shiny black, as the anthracite looks cool all on its own.

If it helps with any of your other configuration decisions I made the decision not to go with piano black trim for the very same reasons. I was afraid it will look crappy if/when the inevitable scuff from a kids shoe shows up or my idiot teenage son whacks it with his hockey stick. Once that shiny black surface gets some scuffs in it (and it will no matter how hard you try to avoid it) how will it look? How easy/difficult will it be to restore it to its old shiny self? If it was wood grain it could hide the scratches but that shiny all black surface won't hid anything...not even a fingerprint.

When I pick my options and colors in a car I try to think about not only how they'll look when the car first arrives but also how they're wear over time. Anthracite wheels are a good start...choose the remaining options wisely as you will be living with them for years to come!

Good luck.