Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by Jackwibble
My parents used to have a thing against black cars - some superstition from the old country I suspect. We never had one growing up. I bought one years ago for myself and last year my parents finally bought one. Now, including my In-Laws (whom I suspect followed the same supersition), we now have three in the family :-/
Generally speaking and in response to your question, it's a nice safe colour for a lot of cars and it's hard for a car to look 'bad' in black. However, on certain models, it can hide the detail and contours of the car and fail to bring out the best in it.
Definitely has to be metallic too.
That birdshit will etch your paint if you aren't careful!
Absolutely, it was gone within the hour...
Stunning motor, I wouldn't hesitate. If it does get a bit mankey from time to time, well it's a RR so will look cool anyway.
Yes...I always have a pack of bird poo wipes in the boot of the car. Even just for a couple of hours, your paintwork can be etched.Absolutely, it was gone within the hour...
Contrary to popular belief, it's not the acidity either:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...-your-car.html
True. I miss mine now its gone - didnt help that we live at the end of 5 miles of shite encrusted country road - sort of got used to the brown haze after a while...
I have had 5 black cars in a row over the past 18 years. Every time I come to change I say I will get a silver one, but I always end up going black. They just look great when clean and I get loads of compliments when freshly washed even though my A3 is now 9 years old. I have had it from new and have looked after it. Most people think it is only a couple of years old.
black is best
Black paint, beige (or tan if genuine leather) upholstery. Nuff said!
Simon,just a heads up your Photobucket isn't set to private.I've always had a softspot for black cars
They do take a bit more looking after though, less though than the current vogue for white cars though
This is from a couple of years ago and looked awesome in black
I have a black Skoda Superb, my first black car (previous cars were racing green). I have no issues with the black at all, although having only washed it <5 times since I bought it new in 2010 (and I live in central Scotland) then I obviously don't have car OCD. As good as any colour for a car I would have said.
Black cars look just ace but the colour does need a bit more looking after to ensure the car looks good.
Not to derail this thread, but do you hand wash or you a car wash service at gas stations etc? So far i couldnt be arsed to handwash,but if i got a more expensive ride id reconsider if this was a real issue to the paint.?
No....
I always hand wash my car
oops
thanks
The £3 places don't really wash your car, more like sand them down...
Last black car I owned was easy to clean. Could tell any missed spots within seconds of rinsing. I hand wash once a week roof, hood, trunk, front quarter to door to rear quarter. Used local self wash with handheld water spray nozzles once a week and car wash that does undercarriage once a month in winter.
Got a grey cloth interior to help with heat in hot summer sun here on island.
If you must get a black car, make sure you get a matching cat...
(I'd washed this a few days before and we had one of those rain storms that leaves annoying sandy marks...)
Just bought my first black car and I love it!
Likely to be very good for resale too as there are so many silvers / greys about
Cool
What did you get, and how are you finding keeping it clean?
I've always found the darker colours harder to keep clean until you hit black. Black seems to have the intensity to overpower the dirt. Dark blue is the very worst.
OCD = no black car, get silver instead, at least scratchs and grime wont show as much.
have had metallic and pearlescent and looks great when freshly waxed but easily picks up dirt.
off topic - how do you keep cats off your canvas roof?
in a word.............. NO!
I've had a few cars in black, hard to keep clean and show every little mark/scratch, I spent a fortune getting them detailed!
My last 4 cars have been white, a great colour, after the inital "dirt look" they don't get much worse and my OCD doesn't kick in because you can't see every little blemish!
White is great. You never have to wash them.
I've owned one black car...whilst I loved the car and the blavk looked amazing when just cleaned, I wouldn't get a black car again. Every single mark is shown and the dust off the roads is a nightmare. I'm on my fifth white car and it is a doddle to keep clean, the worst thing being dead bugs on the front (again, also easy to see on a black car).
Quick thought from a fellow 4x4 owner - can you do the roof?
I have a Discovery 4 and even at 6'2", standing on the side steps and tyres, I struggle to chamois the middle of the roof - three sunroofs seemed such a lovely idea until that first wash, then the reality of watermarks visible from inside caused that OCD twitch we all know and love...
Dark blues suit the RRS, and Corris Grey is also a popular colour - looks good and is easy to look after.
Oh, and the wife's Mini Clubman is black, so I'm not prejudiced in general, although her roof is a little easier to reach :)
Is there any truth to the rumour that black cars incur higher insurance premiums?
Black cars can look great but only just after cleaned. Black cars and OCD re car cleaning is a definite no unless cleaning your car is all you plan to do with your life!!!
I have a black discovery and very happy with it but I can live with it looking less than perfect. I also have a grey TT which does not show the dirt from a distance.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Here's a few of my black cars after being detailed, they look awesome but don't stay that way for long!!!
and nice easy white!
Black looks a lot better though ;-)
Some nice motors.
Nothing is more pleasing to the eye than a black car Andrew but they soon look grubby.
Mine have been Audi Phantom Black which is metallic and also a bit more forgiving.
Twice a year with them I would clay bar then three stage machine clean polish and wax which kept any surface swirling and a scratching to a minimum.
I currently have a Daytona Grey A5 coupe which is fantastic and hiding dirt which means more time at weekends and wifey has a solid white A3 which is excellent to clean. Both these are Black Editions with gun metal grey five spoke rotor alloys which again hide the brake dust.
Now ordering an A6 black edition and this time going for white as the black trim and rotors set the car off so well.
So...black is great by me, looks fantastic but expect to graft or spend to keep it tip top.
Trust all else is well mate
Paul
I hear you on the Daytona Grey, had an RS4 a few years ago in that colour...........
Daytona Grey is on my outgoing Q3. Great colour but fancy a change from grey.
The black that I am considering is metallic.
I've had black cars in the past and would definitely have one again. Remember, black cars look cool!
Black is the best colour for them I'd say
Black cars look sweet when cleaned and waxed too
BMW 530d touring.Cool
What did you get, and how are you finding keeping it clean?
Not bad keeping clean, but have had a few dusty rain days that needed rectifying immediately.
Keep it on the driveway, and not as bad as expected
I was beginning to doubt the black, especially after a neighbour had a visitor in my future car to be, in the red and looking great.
However, the last few comments are turning me back towards the black again!
Black..........
Worth a drive of the new D4 engined Volvo's as well Andrew. Class leading emissions & MPG figures + 181bhp!
Paul
Looks very nice Paul.
I have already upset a dealer by cancelling my Mercedes order! Don't encourage me to look at other cars (almost bought a Volvo when I lived in Hampshire - it gobbled up the M3 motorway!)
Yes for a 4x4.
For anything else, a nice gunmetal grey.
10 years old mistreated Sapphire BLACK....just after a quick wax and polish with an old rag
it looks awesome for about half a day... It's a high maintenance colour...
Gunmetal grey must be very easy to live with and still looks great
I've currently got a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, before that a black Merc C350 and before that a black Maserati Gransport. If you are happy to wash and wax regularly there is no better colour in my opinion. However, if cleaning is a chore not a pleasure DO NOT get black!
Thanks for the continuing input chaps.
Just saw a black Evoque pass the house, and it looked the mutt's nuts!
I'm pretty sure black cars are faster ;)
But in all sincerity, I have a black c class and it's a bit of a pain- wish I'd gone for grey actually
Never again, not solid black anyway.
My wife's Q3 has been a nightmare....roadside foliage marks it...brush past it in your mohair cardi ( if you have such a thing ) yep marks it.
I can scratch it ( quite badly ) with a light rub from my fingernail.
General response from those in the industry is that " its black Sir, bound to show up the marks "
Well yes, I understand that, its not showing the marks thats the problems, its the fact a feather falling from the sky is liable to put a scuff on it.
The car has been checked by an independant assessor instructed by Audi UKand its got a few issues, including boiling/popping of the topcoat and areas where there is no colour coat at all.
The likelihood is that it is going back subject to upcoming negotiations with the dealer and Audi UK.
Its been machined polished twice already ( 6mths and 3000mls ) by the dealer and their agents, the lastest attempt to try and help was to GardX it.
Couldn't find a reference to scratch protection the their website, but felt no harm coud be done. How wrong was I !
Not sure what they did, but the protective coating turned into a sticky magnet for dust and grit fallout, resulting in giant sandpaper on wheels.
Its taken 3 very careful washes to remove it as recommened by the aforementioned assessor, though lots still remains embedded in the finish. Plus the finish seems to leave water stains all over the car when was washed.
We do live in a hard water area, but I have never had to spend several hours trying to remove the spots before!
Maybe ours was just a Friday afternoon car, so unfair to use as an example, but its put me off solid black forever.
Advice given to me by insiders was to buy a white car!
That said, my car is black, but its Deep pearl black and does not seem to show up marks easily at all, and as others have said it looks great once its been waxed and had a layer of extra gloss protection.
Never again for me too, had 3 in the past and just too hard to keep clean and scratch free.
Its a tough choice depending on the car as some just look spot on it black, but for me I'm done with them!
You cancelled your mercedes order
l've got an ML in metallic black, best car I've driven
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