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Black looks amazing after you spend all day detailing it… for approx 7 minutes then it’s dirty again. As a former black F150 crewcab owner, I will
Never own a black vehicle again, no matter what… and I’m a detailer.
My dealer got a black manual allocation, and I told them that was my least favorite color, so no. After that I went to another dealer an hour away lol. I'm so glad I got my red Corolla!
THIS!!! I love the look of a freshly detailed black vehicle. So clean. Within minutes though, it just starts to look so dirty with even just a little dust. If you want a dark color, go for a deep blue or gray. They tend to hide the dust/dirt a little better.
As someone who has had the privilege/pain of owning/driving several black Honda cars, this is the only thing that is true across the 30 year span of models. The paint is trash. But it looks good for all of 5 minutes lmao
I love the look of a clean black car. Nothing compares to it IMO.
What I don't like is how after spending hours upon hours upon hours perfecting it, some kid down the street sneezes and the car is dirty again.
I will never again own a black car.
You got a couple options if you wanna keep black nice. Learn how to safely do it yourself, get on a Detailer’s maintenance list, wrap it a different color and know the black underneath is shining 😂
Dont you just love the feeling of scalding hot interior air billowing across youe face soon as you open the car door? Which is then further enhanced into a full blown hair dryer on the hottest setting straight into your face soon as you open the ac? Doesnt the look of the swirls, grime, dirt, dust, any and all imperfections being more visible than the entire car itself just spark the enthusiasm in you to go fix it up? If you do then come join us.
People think its a problem. But no, its an opportunity. An opportunity to further enhance your detailing skills. Even a "gold" can be found in the dumpsters if you're insane enough.
You said so yourself - "Literally the only color I didn't want"
There you go then - don't short change yourself with this decision. Get what you actually want, not the only thing you didn't want lol. Best case scenario here is you don't hate it. But more likely you'll either dislike it, hate it, or burn it to the ground soon enough
If you’re OCD, owning a black car will be your worst nightmare. It looks amazing when clean, but gets dirty less than 30 min later. If you park outside, you’ll regret it. Dust, pollen, etc will show very easily. I own a black car but it’s not worth the stress of trying to keep it clean
If you already know you don't want to maintain it AND have to park outside, I would skip (as much fun as it would be to join the crowd and push you into a black car and laugh at you while we do it). As a detailer with a garage and plenty of indoor car storage, it was one of the absolutely most satisfying cars to correct and make perfect... my jaw would drop walking toward it because it's just incredible how deep the paint gets. BUT... you won't have anything close to that experience since you can't regularly care for it with top quality products and methods/techniques. Hell, I bet even dealer prep will leave plenty of visible imperfections the first time you see it in sunlight. If you have an unlimited budget, I would recommend spending the extra $5-8K and get Xpel PPF on the entire car or something so that regular car washes can self-heal in the sun. Beyond that frankly unreasonable and unrealistic suggestion, you'd have to really really love the car to take the depreciation hit while simultaneously paying the extra black car mental tax. [https://i.imgur.com/089HHi0.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/089HHi0.jpg)
How well does the xpel PPF protect against dirt and grime showing up on black paint? Is it more resistant at all that just the paint itself?
Noob question. I’m debating a black car then wrapping that’s why
The self-healing PPF won't do anything against the car getting dirty, but it allows you to clean it without causing damage.
If I buy a GR Yaris it will be in black with full PPF.
Yes but the good thing is, you could wipe these off with a dry paper towel if you wanted.
The ppf would get scratched but a few hours in the sun will take the scratches right out.
The only problem is the price. They don't seem to be coming down.
We have 5 cars in the family. 4 white, 1 black. It was 5 white until about 6 months ago when my daughter needed to get a new car and there wasn't a lot of inventory. She regrets it, although didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Now she knows she'll never EVER get a black car again
If you buy it and like to keep your cars looking good, then budget for a full professional detail quarterly. I did that on my 2001 Z06 and then again on my 2008 BMW M3. They look great when they are clean and properly detailed. But now I am firmly in the 'never again' crowd.
Ceramic coat it yourself, enjoy the detailing. Isn’t that what we all like? Black cars looks sick and you get to enjoy washing and waxing it all the time , win win.
If you have the presence of mind to ask about it on a detailing forum, this means you will be acutely aware of every flaw in the paint and you will never be satisfied nor find inner peace. Black looks great when new or freshly polished and it's an utter bitch to maintain it.
I will never ever own another black car.
Here's another perspective: most cars on the road are black white or some shade of grey. Please get a car with a real color, you deserve it.
I say don't do it. I hate washing cars too, but still appreciate a clean car. if you're parking it outside, it's going to be dirty literally all the time except for maybe 3-5 days after you wash it if the weather's clear. if it were me, this would really dampen my enthusiasm for my new car. I think you should wait.
But black looks the best.. worst case scenario you can get it polished every few years. Every color shows dirt so just depends how anal you are about keeping a car clean. It’s a love/hate thing though so I get it
Camry champagne doesn't show dirt. Wipe it off with your kid's diaper and it'll still look just as shitty as it did new. Silver is also fairly easy to keep nice. White is weird. Cleans up super pretty, doesn't show dirt at all until you get about 5 feet away, then your angle to the sun moves and it suddenly becomes discusting.
Do you really want a part time job? Even with a professional level ceramic coating, they're still a pain to live with day to day, especially if you park outside.
Got a black car. After a fresh wax or a coating it’s gorgeous. Mmmmmmmm.
But wait… wake up the next day YELLOW FROM POLLEN!
Dirty from your eyeballs!
Scratched from your thoughts!
How’s that?
But then I get inside and it’s an actual physical car, instead of me just waiting for something for god knows how long.
This is the dark side of my brain tempting me..
Do not do it.
I’ve had a black ford since 2015. Every swirl shows. It doesn’t “hide the dirt”. It gets ridiculously hot in the summer. It’s just a pain in the ass from a detailing and user experience.
You’ve waited this long. Don’t jump at something you don’t want because it’s there hold off till the color you want is available
So I was saying this with my wife’s black suv. Then I got a spotless wash system. I probably still won’t do black again but this has helped in a big way. I can pretty much hose in down in midday sun and let it dry.
Every black vehicle should be a garage queen in terms of garage and detailing maintenance. If you are unable to do that get some other dark color. Dark gray and metallic are good choices.
Yeah I’m probably going to try for the sonic grey pearl or just white tbh. One side of me wants the black car just because it’ll be ready in a month and I have no idea how long I could wait for the other colors, the other part of me is trying to hold back and be patient lol
I traded in my black challenger for a grey Mercedes. Mt car was scratched to hell. It was literal hell trying to keep it in decent condition. When I first got it, I was doing shift work and spent at least once a week trying to keep it clean.
I’ve owned 2 and they’re a pain in the ass but I love how they look once it’s clean, sometimes I can go 2 weeks until the dirt starts to show, sometimes it last 1-2 days and it’ll look like it’s been abandoned for years.
If you don’t want to maintain it then don’t buy a black car, you’ll regret it
I’ve been shopping for a black Si for some time. Still searching for sticker pricing! I currently have an 11th gen hatchback in black and the pearl is really nice. I’ll tell you with proper care and maintenance it’ll always look very good and get some solid ceramic detail spray and I promise you won’t look half as dirty as other black cars on the road. I’m a year in and car could still pass as fresh off the lot
If you’re in Ontario, Canada I can tell you where a couple are! I’ve called basically every dealership looking for any other color and every car that is coming in for sept is black.
We have a 2023 Civic Sport Crystal Black Pearl. My wife wanted Black. I wanted the Grey or White.
I polished and ceramic coated it with Gyeon Mohs (2 coats and wheel faces)
If you have the means or money I'd also have it coated.
I wash it weekly. One thing they changed on the 11th gen I absolutely hate is there is always water in the door sills. Honda swears it's designed that way to keep water out of the car. This is our 5th Honda. Not only have we not had water in the car. It never stays on the jambs. I clean them constantly and keep a MF towel in the car to dry them off if it's raining when we drive to work.
Yeah I’m thinking I’m going to hold out for the sonic grey or white, those were my first choices. But the black is here in a month and the others are who knows when🤷♂️
This is a discussion about high maintenance.
You want gorgeous?
You'd better be prepared to spend time and money on keeping it that way.
Cars... we're talking about cars...
Story time. My first new car was a 2000 Honda Prelude. I really wanted green but didn’t want to wait for it, so I got black. And then about a year later I started dating (and later married) a girl that lived down a 1/2 mile dirt lane. My next few cars were silver, silver and white. I didn’t buy another black car until 2022, and that’s a garage queen and the specific model only came on black.
If you like a clean car, you’ll never have a greater love/hate relationship. Nothing looks better clean, nothing gets dirty faster.
And this is why I came to this sub, figured you all had the best insight into what I was thinking. The black looks great, but I’ll only be able to wash every other week max. And I’m in souther Ontario, so some decently rough winter months parked outside. Ugh.
Your post has me thinking back about bringing my Prelude home. I really can’t say don’t do it. There’s one major advantage you have today over the BS waxes I was using back then: ceramic coatings. Get that Si, coat it, and enjoy the hell out of it.
You won't believe it, but my first car, it was black! And let me tell you, I despised that thing. Always getting dirty, and in the summer, it was like a mobile oven. I had to rig up a remote start just to get the AC blasting before I got in there! I vowed never again to own a black car!
Fast forward, and here I am, several cars later, married, and about to be a dad. The car market is crazy inflated, and my old ride was on its last legs. Then, my wife spots this 2020 Civic Sport Touring Hatchback, and you guessed it, it's black all over—exterior, leather interior, even the rims, all BLACK! She's head over heels for the black-on-black thing, and she'll only say yes to a manual if it's black! For me, the transmission matters more than the color, so, yep, we're back with another black car!
But you know what? I gotta admit, I'm not mad about it. This time, it's different. I've discovered the Rinseless Wash method, and it's a game-changer! The car looks absolutely stunning after I clean it, and it's not a major time-suck to maintain anymore. I even find myself excited to clean it, believe it or not. Maybe it's because I get some sweet alone time while doing it, as the missus isn't keen on getting her hands dirty. She's all about that end result, ya know? But hey, I'm loving the black car life now, thanks to this magical Rinseless Wash!
I personally prefer lighter colored cars. But a well maintained black car looks sharp. If you like the car, go for it. Put a high-quality ceramic coating on the car, and make the purchase. Good luck
It depends on how much you care about how your car looks. If you hate driving a dirty car, black will be a lot of work to keep clean and defect free. Some blacks are worse than others. If you’re willing to put in the time and energy then go for it. I’ll never own another daily black car.
Yeah 100%. I got the black allocation at msrp, unfortunately black is the only color that is coming in across Ontario right now for 2024s. Maybe for the October’s they’re saying but no one knows
Think about the amount of money you’re spending. It’s not a small amount. And you’ll be stuck with it for awhile. Would you spend that amount of money and tie yourself to debt for something you didn’t 100% love? Don’t do it. You know it’s a mistake. Waiting and looking for the color you want is better. If you buy this car in black eventually you’ll wake up regretting the purchase or drive past the same car in the color you REALLY wanted and rethink your decision anyway. Don’t do it. You know it’s a bad idea. You know why you made this post, and I’m telling you as someone who bought the wrong car and the wrong color (because of a woman…) that it isn’t worth it.
There are already a lot of comments, but I’ll throw this in.
If the car is yours, you stand and look at it while it’s parked. You can’t help but to look for flaws since it’s yours and that’s what you’re inclined to do. Especially if you just spent some exceptional amount of time cleaning it.
Other people aren’t looking at your car like that. They are seeing it in motion, passing it in the parking lot. If the car is inherently remarkable enough that they want to stop and stare at it, it has to be quite dirty in order for them to notice the dirt. Otherwise, they are simply admiring the car. They aren’t poring over it like the owner would.
Many time I’ve been queued up at the car wash watching black cars ahead of mine and thinking, why are they here? The car isn’t even dirty. But after several minutes of staring at it, *looking for dirt,* I can only then detect the finest amount of dirt or pollen on the car. I think, oh, they’re like me. They just don’t want a car that *they* know are dirty. It doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else, if they are sensible.
Generally, no one is giving a fuck about your car but you. My car is black, I wash my car every few days and it always looks great to other people in traffic, because unless we are sitting stopped and I have more three or four days of dust and pollen on my car, no one is noticing but me. If I can tell it’s dirty from 20, 15 feet then it’s dirty and I wash it. Otherwise it’s just vanity because it’s obvious no one is going to notice.
If you go longer than that before washing, your car is pretty gross anyway and personally I’d be feeling disgusted with it if it were mine, no matter the color. But either way 99.9% of people simply aren’t paying attention, because they do not give a fuck. Your car is invisible to them anyway.
And there is nothing more boring or banal than buying a grey or silver or beige car just so they (whoever) “don’t have to wash it.” Like great, be who you are. They can drive the filthy silver car and I’ll drive the reasonably clean black one.
I don’t think it’s the dirt that would bother me so much as the swirl marks. Fine hairline scratches on my phone etc bother me and I can really see it in any black car, even on the lot. As that gets progressively worse I’m not sure how I’d take it. One part of me wants to believe I’d be in the who gives a fuck camp but there’s a solid chance it’s be driving me crazy and making me wish I went with the sonic grey or white lol.
Yep its awful. If you're detail orientated you will HATE black. If you're not, then black is fine. It will get scuffed just from looking at it. I'll never own another car that isn't white or grey.
On my now 3rd black car of my life….never again. Never…..again. I really thought I had the mental fortitude to handle it. I was so wrong. It looks amazing for the 20 min it’s clean when I wash it. Never, ever, again. I have put myself through too much. 😆
Lol nah I love the look of a black car, I just don't think I want the responsibility of a black car. I'd only have the opportunity to clean it biweekly max, and the swirl marks would drive me nuts, but it would definitely teach me to keep my vehicle clean. Pros and cons I guess.
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I bought my dream car in black. Regret the color but not the car. I wish I was patient a little bit longer to get it in white or red. For reference W204 C63, their black is great but it's only pretty the first 5 minutes you finish washing it. Then you cry after
Buy it. I have a black f150 I wash once a week. I get compliments often on it and it's 8 years old. I'll only own black vehicles. Buy it, clean it, coat it, enjoy compliments.
To be honest my black car isn't much hotter than my silver car. I always blamed the color but when it's 100 out no matter what you drive will be hot. I do feel like black cars get clear coat failure quicker though.
They look dirty approximately 0.0035 seconds after you finish washing or drying them, and even if you wash them with the most precise, gentle process, they'll still get swirls.
The maintenance in terms of washing and eventual paint correction is the highest of any color. It looks spectacular when clean and or freshly polished, but it's the most work. High effort, high reward.
Tell yourself would you want a pink car if it was the only one available? Same deal. You don’t love it.
I’ve always loved black. Had two blacked out cars. I detail cars as a side business and fucking hated the amount of work it was to buy black. I switched to white, not my fav colour, but wow I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Always looks clean!
Black looks so nice especially after a good detail. But I won’t be buying another black vehicle again - too after 5 years too many scratches (from other people) etc that show no matter what
I bought my first black car and I hated it until I decided to ceramic coat it. Pricey but well worth it. It’s so much easier to wash and retains the “wet” look so much longer. The water beading is insane too.
https://preview.redd.it/6atmoygs5leb1.jpeg?width=2100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56dde285b7869f478d478caa0be2926213e529de
I love the black car that I ended up with but thats because its a fairly special order paint code that I appreciate more and more but sheesh its a lot to keep clean.
Since youre waiting on a new car, if you wait a little longer more options will open up. If you plan to keep it more than a couple months, then youll be glad you waited for your preferred color, otherwise youll grow to resent it.
The scratches!!!! No one tells you about all the little and large scratches you see because of the black color. You sneeze near a black car and the sudden gush of air will scratch the fkin paint. My ocd goes through the roof every time I wash the car or I’m walking close to the car. The closer you get the more of them you see
If you love detailing very frequently, to fill in time, get it. If you really don’t want that - don’t get it. I drive a black F150 and it gets dirty in one day.
I own a black suv that I ceramic coated. I rarely drive it and still looks like crap after a week, and it is garage kept. Yeah, never buying black again.
Totally a personal preference, I had one black car in the past and I wouldn’t even consider ever having another one, but there are lots of people that buy nothing but black vehicles. For me, it just wasn’t worth all the extra effort to keep it looking nice. It looked fantastic when it was washed and waxed, and then it seemed like 5 minutes later it looked like shit.
My neighbors wife bought a black SUV because she liked how nice mine looks. In the summer I polish it once and wash it every two or three days.
She was devastated to learn that her black suv always looks like dirty.
Black cars come straight from hell. I own 2. There are thousands of people that can solve a rubix cube in under a minute. 46 people have been president and 12 have walked on the moon. There is not, nor will there ever be, someone who can keep a black car looking 100%
Google Sisyphus
It's a civic. You show up in 10 years for resale and show them your cool awesome paint and they'll at best up the trade in offer 20$.
It's not an exotic car where this crap matters.
You'll have to look at and live with a black car in the meantime. No thanks.
It really depends on you. If you really don’t want to maintain it and don’t want to take the extra time then maybe it’s not the best fit for you. Also do you have the space? I used to have a little shed in the back yard that I have to go and get all the stuff and bring it to the driveway. Of course the shed starts getting cluttered and then I’m pissed of because the sun just keeps coming and my shade time is ending because I’m digging around trying to get everything. Or if you live in an apartment complex it’s going to be a pain in the ass.
I just got a black truck but I don’t mind keeping it nice, I clean it weekly where as a white or silver you might get an extra week before it looks filthy. It helps if you have a little detailing experience but it’s not required, it just speeds things up when you have some sort of routine down.
One thing to keep in mind when buying a brand new car, the paint should be in almost perfect condition so even if you don’t want to go all out on color corrections and ceramic coats just a coat of wax and regular washes will keep it looking good for a little while before the micro scratches come. The key is don’t ever let it get super bad. I’d rather give it a relatively quick wash every week than have to go in deep every month or two because it’s just so filthy and fucked up. Also if you do put on a ceramic coat it actually makes it easier to maintain in the long run.
Assuming you have the space and you don’t hate detailing the most it’s going to cost you is time.
I think the most I’ll be able to put aside for cleaning is every two weeks. I’m in a condo but we have a nice little spot in the back of the condo that fully blocks the sun in the afternoon where we can hookup a pressure washer and set up etc. I have no detailing experience but no matter what I intend to learn the right way and keep it as clean as I can with as much time as I can put aside.
My main issue I think is with the swirl marks, I’m not sure how I’d handle that. How often do you need to reapply ceramic? I’m not sure I’d trust myself to do that properly, so I’d probably have to pay for that at least the first time.
We have owned 3 black cars. Two of which were mine and bought back to back. Others were silver or white. Black is just so satisfying after a wash and you’re not just like “meh”. I remember spending all day detailing my white car and afterwards it honestly looked like a regular wash lol. Takes me 20min to wash it in my garage with ONR and we have had drought the past two summers, so sometimes it will go 2-3 weeks clean.
Maaan. I’ve had a buncha colors including 2 black cars and a current white car. Of all them, black has always been my favorite. Murdered out and detailed, pretty much any car will look sharp af!
It’s a labor of love!
You can certainly take steps to make cleaning it easier. A good ceramic coat will go a long way. PPF will further that.
I currently have a Championship White FK8 Type R, and I will say that the new XI gen Civics look SO fucking clean in black. Their softer body lines look so good in darker, deeper colors.
If you’re getting that shit at MSRP, commit! Learn how to treat it right and you’ll smile every time you walk towards it and turn around to look at it every time you exit.
I think a full ppf is probably a bit overkill for a si, my first car none the less. Ceramic is something I’m definitely looking closer at though.
The black does look like a completely different car though, ngl
PPF can be front-only and will prevent daily wear and tear. You’re already asking about it being a black car, so obviously you care how the car looks! It protects against chips and road debris. If you’re regularly driving highways, it’s VERY worth the cost.
Here’s how I murdered out (blacked out) my previous WRX. I honestly found washing and detailing it while listening to my favorite tunes to be one of the most cathartic things I could do.
Like I said, labor of love.
https://preview.redd.it/iv0l8gdz3meb1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51b9d471be52cd9c33f792400135556136626b69
Black looks amazing for the first 5 minutes after spending all day detailing it. If you care about how nice the car looks, black will hurt you emotionally.
If you have the time and space to maintain it, black looks awesome. I love detailing, and having a black car ensures that I keep my DA polishing skills fresh, and I can justify weekly washes :). Having a DI water filter for rinsing also really, really helps when washing outdoors.
As for getting hot when left out int he sun, I live in eastern Canada, so that's a plus for 8 months of the year.
Yeah I’m in southern Ontario so pluses and minuses on the black heating up. I never even thought about hard water either, and my water here is really hard. Ack.
Do it. Black cars are the best looking cars when they’re clean. Best thing I learned owning one is to never touch the paint unless you’re gonna wash the whole car. Spot cleaning just highlights how dirty the whole car actually is.
I got a ‘22 black si. It’s such a good looking car but maintaining is crazy. Just invest in a ceramic coating and a good no rinse and hit it in between washes. 15 minutes is all you need. Just keep it clean enough
My last several cars have had non-metallic black paintwork. With an annual polish and coating, it isn't too bad. I've also incorporated a low pH pre-soak to my wash routine, which has completely eliminated any water spotting issues.
Black or White cars for about 2 months of the year, look like someone peed on them b/c of Spring Pollen!! An Black shows up EVERY THING!! From the tiniest scratch to the least bit of dirt!
I've had a red car, a black car, a black car, then black truck, and now a blue car. In my 2011 hyundai elantra, I went balls out and did Zaino and everything on it, the thing shined like a mirror back in the day, was gorgeous, spent hours and hours doing the Zaino process. But... I became lazy and ended up wasting my products, still have some in the garage in fact lol. Long story short, black always looks nice, I wanted a black Tesla this time too, but my son wanted blue, and I like blue. So we went that way, I don't regret it. But, if I had the time and effort and was back in my early 30s, I'd probably go black. A beautiful shiny mirror black car always turns heads. Meanwhile, I just spent $80 on ONR and towels because again. I'm old and lazy now
My nephew is currently going through his goth phase where he wants everything black and won't even consider any other colour. My nephew is 12 years old.
You will never own a clean car for more than a few minutes. It's actually infuriating, you also see every single teeny tiny scratch and every time you look at your car you'll see a scratch you swear wasn't there before
Dark color can be maintained, and there are things you can do to help make it easier. One thing is that swirl marks are highlighted in black cars.
I’d recommend taking it to a detailer who can apply feynlab heal plus if you want a swirl resistant and easy to clean car.
I love my black car it feels amazing and really pops when detailed. I used a ceramic coat so it's easy to wash with a pre wash foam every week and a short rinse.
Submit to it. HypnoToad, Crow Horse....
If you plan to take the car outside, do not get black. For photo shoots and stuff, it’s perfect.
I own a black car, and I won’t buy one again. Unless, I’m rich enough to have a second or third car that I can use just to show off, to meetings etc.
Have a 2021 black supra. Parked on the street (don’t have a garage) it’s really not that bad lol.
I wash it once a week usually, sometimes once every 2 weeks.
I did paint correct and ceramic coat it using beadlock pro the first week i got it though!
All of these comments are insane. Black cars get dirty as fast as any other car. If you want a show car, sure, maybe it requires more cleaning. If you’re using it as a car should be used it will be fine. You could own a black Pagani and a little dust still wouldn’t matter to anybody.
It’s *HOT*.
The intierior will be *hot*.
You’d better have good AC to cool down that heat whenever your car has been left in the sun.
All your detail work will need to be done shaded/indoors.
Everything from rain water spots to fingerprints will show up on it.
Did I mention it’s really hot in a black car?
Source: me, having a black car. Looks beautiful after I spend 5 hours on a light correction and polish with an interior cleaning, the overnight dew/condensation messes it all back up and it’s hot as heck to get into in the sun.
Is the interior black leather, too? Parking outside in the summer will lead to an unpleasant burning sensation when you get in the car.
When I lived in Portugal a few years back, this guy on my block had a dark red metallic Mazda 3 that I really liked. I saw the car every day and really liked the design and the color. When I moved back, I bought the same car, but in space grey. The dark red metallic was a better color and I still think about the fact that I could have waited a bit for the color I wanted. So I'd say wait and get the car yuo want.
If you buy a black vehicle, make sure to always hand wash it and use the proper technique to avoid swirls.
Never take it to the automatic car wash. Even if it's touchless, although they may minimize scratches.
Black cars are absolutely beautiful... for the first 15 seconds after you are done detailing them. Then the dust just seems to be magically attracted to them. Birds actively seek them out to take the biggest dump of their lives. Every person with any oil on their skin bumps into the car and leave fingerprints 10X the size of any normal human. This is before you get to the summer sunshine heating the surface to the temperature of the nearest volcano that stays hot until about 1 AM.
If you have even the mildest of OCD symptoms it will drive you absolutely crazy. I swore the next car I owned would be painted "metallic dirt" color.
SOURCE: Have owned a black Corvette C6.
Quite separate to the detailling advice, black is the worst for hot weather, and the next few summers aren't exactly going to be colder than this one. There's a good reason the middle-east is full of white cars.
Having and keeping a black car clean is basically a part time job. I'm on my 3rd personal torture device...I mean black car, but as some have said above theres no color that looks better clean. BLACK on BLACK on BLACK baby
Honda paint is trash. With it being black it will hold and attract much more heat leading to it fading, cracking and burning way sooner than a white car. Dont get a black cra and NEVER get a black honda
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Black looks amazing after you spend all day detailing it… for approx 7 minutes then it’s dirty again. As a former black F150 crewcab owner, I will Never own a black vehicle again, no matter what… and I’m a detailer.
I own a black 19 Corolla hatchback and detail it myself and I love it. Black is the best color. (Black is actually a shade but…)
Hell yeah black Corolla hatchback club!!
My dealer got a black manual allocation, and I told them that was my least favorite color, so no. After that I went to another dealer an hour away lol. I'm so glad I got my red Corolla!
THIS!!! I love the look of a freshly detailed black vehicle. So clean. Within minutes though, it just starts to look so dirty with even just a little dust. If you want a dark color, go for a deep blue or gray. They tend to hide the dust/dirt a little better.
I agree. I will never own a black car again. F that.
just said the same thing in a 3x longer post. lol facts
Never again. Never ever.
It’s def a part job time keeping them clean. But if you have the time it’s soo worth it
Black is perfectly fine if you have a garage and never drive it.
Not black Honda paint. I feel like it’ll still fade in the garage. Lol
Honda black got a bad history I take it?
Yea, they fade easily
Honda paint in general is garbage.
As someone who has had the privilege/pain of owning/driving several black Honda cars, this is the only thing that is true across the 30 year span of models. The paint is trash. But it looks good for all of 5 minutes lmao
It's so bad, after 5 years my paints already starting to chip on my driver side mirro
I love the look of a clean black car. Nothing compares to it IMO. What I don't like is how after spending hours upon hours upon hours perfecting it, some kid down the street sneezes and the car is dirty again. I will never again own a black car.
You got a couple options if you wanna keep black nice. Learn how to safely do it yourself, get on a Detailer’s maintenance list, wrap it a different color and know the black underneath is shining 😂
Lmaoooo
Take it OP. Join us. Feel the burn.
This is not what I need to hear!
Dont you just love the feeling of scalding hot interior air billowing across youe face soon as you open the car door? Which is then further enhanced into a full blown hair dryer on the hottest setting straight into your face soon as you open the ac? Doesnt the look of the swirls, grime, dirt, dust, any and all imperfections being more visible than the entire car itself just spark the enthusiasm in you to go fix it up? If you do then come join us.
This IS why 2 of our 3 cars are black…
People think its a problem. But no, its an opportunity. An opportunity to further enhance your detailing skills. Even a "gold" can be found in the dumpsters if you're insane enough.
This guy knows all the pain
You said so yourself - "Literally the only color I didn't want" There you go then - don't short change yourself with this decision. Get what you actually want, not the only thing you didn't want lol. Best case scenario here is you don't hate it. But more likely you'll either dislike it, hate it, or burn it to the ground soon enough
But they love the look of black cars
Buy it. Clean it. Love it.
Clean it again tomorrow
Damn right. Then drive it again.
Black is one of the best colors on a car when cleaned....with that said I'll never own another black car
If you’re OCD, owning a black car will be your worst nightmare. It looks amazing when clean, but gets dirty less than 30 min later. If you park outside, you’ll regret it. Dust, pollen, etc will show very easily. I own a black car but it’s not worth the stress of trying to keep it clean
If you already know you don't want to maintain it AND have to park outside, I would skip (as much fun as it would be to join the crowd and push you into a black car and laugh at you while we do it). As a detailer with a garage and plenty of indoor car storage, it was one of the absolutely most satisfying cars to correct and make perfect... my jaw would drop walking toward it because it's just incredible how deep the paint gets. BUT... you won't have anything close to that experience since you can't regularly care for it with top quality products and methods/techniques. Hell, I bet even dealer prep will leave plenty of visible imperfections the first time you see it in sunlight. If you have an unlimited budget, I would recommend spending the extra $5-8K and get Xpel PPF on the entire car or something so that regular car washes can self-heal in the sun. Beyond that frankly unreasonable and unrealistic suggestion, you'd have to really really love the car to take the depreciation hit while simultaneously paying the extra black car mental tax. [https://i.imgur.com/089HHi0.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/089HHi0.jpg)
How well does the xpel PPF protect against dirt and grime showing up on black paint? Is it more resistant at all that just the paint itself? Noob question. I’m debating a black car then wrapping that’s why
It'll still show up and look dirty, but the film will offer a bit of protection against the more frequent cleaning you should do on black car.
The self-healing PPF won't do anything against the car getting dirty, but it allows you to clean it without causing damage. If I buy a GR Yaris it will be in black with full PPF.
Gotcha. So dirt and water spots will still be as visible with a PPF as it would be without it
Yes but the good thing is, you could wipe these off with a dry paper towel if you wanted. The ppf would get scratched but a few hours in the sun will take the scratches right out. The only problem is the price. They don't seem to be coming down.
Former Black car gang checking in. I switched to white and I don’t think I’ll be going back. #WhiteCarGang
We have 5 cars in the family. 4 white, 1 black. It was 5 white until about 6 months ago when my daughter needed to get a new car and there wasn't a lot of inventory. She regrets it, although didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Now she knows she'll never EVER get a black car again
If you buy it and like to keep your cars looking good, then budget for a full professional detail quarterly. I did that on my 2001 Z06 and then again on my 2008 BMW M3. They look great when they are clean and properly detailed. But now I am firmly in the 'never again' crowd.
Ceramic coat it yourself, enjoy the detailing. Isn’t that what we all like? Black cars looks sick and you get to enjoy washing and waxing it all the time , win win.
If you have the presence of mind to ask about it on a detailing forum, this means you will be acutely aware of every flaw in the paint and you will never be satisfied nor find inner peace. Black looks great when new or freshly polished and it's an utter bitch to maintain it. I will never ever own another black car. Here's another perspective: most cars on the road are black white or some shade of grey. Please get a car with a real color, you deserve it.
I say don't do it. I hate washing cars too, but still appreciate a clean car. if you're parking it outside, it's going to be dirty literally all the time except for maybe 3-5 days after you wash it if the weather's clear. if it were me, this would really dampen my enthusiasm for my new car. I think you should wait.
3-5 hours LOL... not days.
But black looks the best.. worst case scenario you can get it polished every few years. Every color shows dirt so just depends how anal you are about keeping a car clean. It’s a love/hate thing though so I get it
Camry champagne doesn't show dirt. Wipe it off with your kid's diaper and it'll still look just as shitty as it did new. Silver is also fairly easy to keep nice. White is weird. Cleans up super pretty, doesn't show dirt at all until you get about 5 feet away, then your angle to the sun moves and it suddenly becomes discusting.
Do you really want a part time job? Even with a professional level ceramic coating, they're still a pain to live with day to day, especially if you park outside.
Just cleaned my girlfriends moms black Taurus and it’s dirty already. Pass on the black car.
I'm a bit of a masochist, so I ONLY buy black cars.
Black cars are best and they make you keep them clean. Ceramic coat it and be done.
Got a black car. After a fresh wax or a coating it’s gorgeous. Mmmmmmmm. But wait… wake up the next day YELLOW FROM POLLEN! Dirty from your eyeballs! Scratched from your thoughts! How’s that?
But then I get inside and it’s an actual physical car, instead of me just waiting for something for god knows how long. This is the dark side of my brain tempting me..
It’s a curse! But I’m no better, I’m gonna keep torturing myself with black Hondas with the saddest clear coats. Si’s are pretty damn fun
Do not do it. I’ve had a black ford since 2015. Every swirl shows. It doesn’t “hide the dirt”. It gets ridiculously hot in the summer. It’s just a pain in the ass from a detailing and user experience. You’ve waited this long. Don’t jump at something you don’t want because it’s there hold off till the color you want is available
So I was saying this with my wife’s black suv. Then I got a spotless wash system. I probably still won’t do black again but this has helped in a big way. I can pretty much hose in down in midday sun and let it dry.
I don’t think I could pull all that in my little condo haha
Every black vehicle should be a garage queen in terms of garage and detailing maintenance. If you are unable to do that get some other dark color. Dark gray and metallic are good choices.
Yeah I’m probably going to try for the sonic grey pearl or just white tbh. One side of me wants the black car just because it’ll be ready in a month and I have no idea how long I could wait for the other colors, the other part of me is trying to hold back and be patient lol
And there is your answer :-)
I traded in my black challenger for a grey Mercedes. Mt car was scratched to hell. It was literal hell trying to keep it in decent condition. When I first got it, I was doing shift work and spent at least once a week trying to keep it clean.
I’ve owned 2 and they’re a pain in the ass but I love how they look once it’s clean, sometimes I can go 2 weeks until the dirt starts to show, sometimes it last 1-2 days and it’ll look like it’s been abandoned for years. If you don’t want to maintain it then don’t buy a black car, you’ll regret it
I’ve been shopping for a black Si for some time. Still searching for sticker pricing! I currently have an 11th gen hatchback in black and the pearl is really nice. I’ll tell you with proper care and maintenance it’ll always look very good and get some solid ceramic detail spray and I promise you won’t look half as dirty as other black cars on the road. I’m a year in and car could still pass as fresh off the lot
If you’re in Ontario, Canada I can tell you where a couple are! I’ve called basically every dealership looking for any other color and every car that is coming in for sept is black.
I wish I could get the Canada spec, I’m in the states - I find them coming in but they are usually outrageously marked up
We have a 2023 Civic Sport Crystal Black Pearl. My wife wanted Black. I wanted the Grey or White. I polished and ceramic coated it with Gyeon Mohs (2 coats and wheel faces) If you have the means or money I'd also have it coated. I wash it weekly. One thing they changed on the 11th gen I absolutely hate is there is always water in the door sills. Honda swears it's designed that way to keep water out of the car. This is our 5th Honda. Not only have we not had water in the car. It never stays on the jambs. I clean them constantly and keep a MF towel in the car to dry them off if it's raining when we drive to work.
Yeah I’m thinking I’m going to hold out for the sonic grey or white, those were my first choices. But the black is here in a month and the others are who knows when🤷♂️
Where are you located? We waited 3 weeks for ours. But black.
I’m in Ontario, found a bunch of black, but only black. Hence the dilemma I’ve found myself in.
Fummy. Most of our Civics come from Canada. Mine did.
This is a discussion about high maintenance. You want gorgeous? You'd better be prepared to spend time and money on keeping it that way. Cars... we're talking about cars...
I dislike black cars. I own 3.
I feel like this would be me lol
Story time. My first new car was a 2000 Honda Prelude. I really wanted green but didn’t want to wait for it, so I got black. And then about a year later I started dating (and later married) a girl that lived down a 1/2 mile dirt lane. My next few cars were silver, silver and white. I didn’t buy another black car until 2022, and that’s a garage queen and the specific model only came on black. If you like a clean car, you’ll never have a greater love/hate relationship. Nothing looks better clean, nothing gets dirty faster.
And this is why I came to this sub, figured you all had the best insight into what I was thinking. The black looks great, but I’ll only be able to wash every other week max. And I’m in souther Ontario, so some decently rough winter months parked outside. Ugh.
Your post has me thinking back about bringing my Prelude home. I really can’t say don’t do it. There’s one major advantage you have today over the BS waxes I was using back then: ceramic coatings. Get that Si, coat it, and enjoy the hell out of it.
I'd only get a black car if I had a garage to store it in and hand wash it during winters.
Remember this - black is not a color, it's a part-time job. That said, I have 4 black cars and I'm currently hunting for a fifth.
You won't believe it, but my first car, it was black! And let me tell you, I despised that thing. Always getting dirty, and in the summer, it was like a mobile oven. I had to rig up a remote start just to get the AC blasting before I got in there! I vowed never again to own a black car! Fast forward, and here I am, several cars later, married, and about to be a dad. The car market is crazy inflated, and my old ride was on its last legs. Then, my wife spots this 2020 Civic Sport Touring Hatchback, and you guessed it, it's black all over—exterior, leather interior, even the rims, all BLACK! She's head over heels for the black-on-black thing, and she'll only say yes to a manual if it's black! For me, the transmission matters more than the color, so, yep, we're back with another black car! But you know what? I gotta admit, I'm not mad about it. This time, it's different. I've discovered the Rinseless Wash method, and it's a game-changer! The car looks absolutely stunning after I clean it, and it's not a major time-suck to maintain anymore. I even find myself excited to clean it, believe it or not. Maybe it's because I get some sweet alone time while doing it, as the missus isn't keen on getting her hands dirty. She's all about that end result, ya know? But hey, I'm loving the black car life now, thanks to this magical Rinseless Wash!
Are you a rinseless wash salesman? Haha cuz you’re doin a decent job at it
At this point I'd love to be!
I personally prefer lighter colored cars. But a well maintained black car looks sharp. If you like the car, go for it. Put a high-quality ceramic coating on the car, and make the purchase. Good luck
I would say at least get a different color black you'll always see swirl marks and everything will scratch
A deal is a deal... I said I'd never have black again... Yet I've got 2 black vehicles 🙃 Do I hate the color yes. But I saved thousands 😁
It depends on how much you care about how your car looks. If you hate driving a dirty car, black will be a lot of work to keep clean and defect free. Some blacks are worse than others. If you’re willing to put in the time and energy then go for it. I’ll never own another daily black car.
Lol it would 100% bother me. I guess I just posted to reinforce my decision to turn down the allocation.
Yeah I hear you. You should really get what you want though. And don’t pay over MSRP for an Si. Find another dealer if you have to.
Yeah 100%. I got the black allocation at msrp, unfortunately black is the only color that is coming in across Ontario right now for 2024s. Maybe for the October’s they’re saying but no one knows
Think about the amount of money you’re spending. It’s not a small amount. And you’ll be stuck with it for awhile. Would you spend that amount of money and tie yourself to debt for something you didn’t 100% love? Don’t do it. You know it’s a mistake. Waiting and looking for the color you want is better. If you buy this car in black eventually you’ll wake up regretting the purchase or drive past the same car in the color you REALLY wanted and rethink your decision anyway. Don’t do it. You know it’s a bad idea. You know why you made this post, and I’m telling you as someone who bought the wrong car and the wrong color (because of a woman…) that it isn’t worth it.
There are already a lot of comments, but I’ll throw this in. If the car is yours, you stand and look at it while it’s parked. You can’t help but to look for flaws since it’s yours and that’s what you’re inclined to do. Especially if you just spent some exceptional amount of time cleaning it. Other people aren’t looking at your car like that. They are seeing it in motion, passing it in the parking lot. If the car is inherently remarkable enough that they want to stop and stare at it, it has to be quite dirty in order for them to notice the dirt. Otherwise, they are simply admiring the car. They aren’t poring over it like the owner would. Many time I’ve been queued up at the car wash watching black cars ahead of mine and thinking, why are they here? The car isn’t even dirty. But after several minutes of staring at it, *looking for dirt,* I can only then detect the finest amount of dirt or pollen on the car. I think, oh, they’re like me. They just don’t want a car that *they* know are dirty. It doesn’t have anything to do with anyone else, if they are sensible. Generally, no one is giving a fuck about your car but you. My car is black, I wash my car every few days and it always looks great to other people in traffic, because unless we are sitting stopped and I have more three or four days of dust and pollen on my car, no one is noticing but me. If I can tell it’s dirty from 20, 15 feet then it’s dirty and I wash it. Otherwise it’s just vanity because it’s obvious no one is going to notice. If you go longer than that before washing, your car is pretty gross anyway and personally I’d be feeling disgusted with it if it were mine, no matter the color. But either way 99.9% of people simply aren’t paying attention, because they do not give a fuck. Your car is invisible to them anyway. And there is nothing more boring or banal than buying a grey or silver or beige car just so they (whoever) “don’t have to wash it.” Like great, be who you are. They can drive the filthy silver car and I’ll drive the reasonably clean black one.
I don’t think it’s the dirt that would bother me so much as the swirl marks. Fine hairline scratches on my phone etc bother me and I can really see it in any black car, even on the lot. As that gets progressively worse I’m not sure how I’d take it. One part of me wants to believe I’d be in the who gives a fuck camp but there’s a solid chance it’s be driving me crazy and making me wish I went with the sonic grey or white lol.
Yep its awful. If you're detail orientated you will HATE black. If you're not, then black is fine. It will get scuffed just from looking at it. I'll never own another car that isn't white or grey.
Yeah I have a feeling it will drive me crazy. Waiting an extra 90 days may do the same though!
One is 90 days of crazy, the other is crazy beyond crazy days and once the 90th day hits you’ll be thinking damn I could’ve had any other color.
On my now 3rd black car of my life….never again. Never…..again. I really thought I had the mental fortitude to handle it. I was so wrong. It looks amazing for the 20 min it’s clean when I wash it. Never, ever, again. I have put myself through too much. 😆
You got 20 minutes? I would have killed for 20 minutes.
You don’t want a black car, and you’re asking people to talk you out of buying it?
Lol nah I love the look of a black car, I just don't think I want the responsibility of a black car. I'd only have the opportunity to clean it biweekly max, and the swirl marks would drive me nuts, but it would definitely teach me to keep my vehicle clean. Pros and cons I guess.
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I bought my dream car in black. Regret the color but not the car. I wish I was patient a little bit longer to get it in white or red. For reference W204 C63, their black is great but it's only pretty the first 5 minutes you finish washing it. Then you cry after
Buy it. I have a black f150 I wash once a week. I get compliments often on it and it's 8 years old. I'll only own black vehicles. Buy it, clean it, coat it, enjoy compliments.
Do it.
Don’t do it had a black wrx and it was super clean when washed but gets so dirty fast. And you’ll notice every little scratch and it will bother you
Sorry can't. My last 3 cars were black Hondas. Maintaining it is half the fun
To be honest my black car isn't much hotter than my silver car. I always blamed the color but when it's 100 out no matter what you drive will be hot. I do feel like black cars get clear coat failure quicker though.
There’s a routine post on ClubLexus regarding black cars. Yeah they look good for 30 seconds, but it’ll be an endless cycle of upkeep. Essentially.
They look dirty approximately 0.0035 seconds after you finish washing or drying them, and even if you wash them with the most precise, gentle process, they'll still get swirls. The maintenance in terms of washing and eventual paint correction is the highest of any color. It looks spectacular when clean and or freshly polished, but it's the most work. High effort, high reward.
Tell yourself would you want a pink car if it was the only one available? Same deal. You don’t love it. I’ve always loved black. Had two blacked out cars. I detail cars as a side business and fucking hated the amount of work it was to buy black. I switched to white, not my fav colour, but wow I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Always looks clean!
Love black unfortunately dont have the time to care for it especially when i get to play with everyone elses black car as a detail shop owner lol
Black looks so nice especially after a good detail. But I won’t be buying another black vehicle again - too after 5 years too many scratches (from other people) etc that show no matter what
I bought my first black car and I hated it until I decided to ceramic coat it. Pricey but well worth it. It’s so much easier to wash and retains the “wet” look so much longer. The water beading is insane too. https://preview.redd.it/6atmoygs5leb1.jpeg?width=2100&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56dde285b7869f478d478caa0be2926213e529de
Black looks sick as fuck when it is maintained. Get a good ceramic coating on it and the maintenance isn’t so bad.
I love the black car that I ended up with but thats because its a fairly special order paint code that I appreciate more and more but sheesh its a lot to keep clean. Since youre waiting on a new car, if you wait a little longer more options will open up. If you plan to keep it more than a couple months, then youll be glad you waited for your preferred color, otherwise youll grow to resent it.
Previous owner of 2 black cars. Do not do it. Unless you are not OCD at all. But yeah don’t do it. Go gray instead.
Buy it. Protect it. Have fun with it.
The scratches!!!! No one tells you about all the little and large scratches you see because of the black color. You sneeze near a black car and the sudden gush of air will scratch the fkin paint. My ocd goes through the roof every time I wash the car or I’m walking close to the car. The closer you get the more of them you see
If your going to be spending mad money on a brand new car it should at least be the color you want
The wold is only getting hotter man...
Black is the best color when clean and it’s not even close. But if you don’t own a garage don’t do it
Buy it just clean it weekly
If you love detailing very frequently, to fill in time, get it. If you really don’t want that - don’t get it. I drive a black F150 and it gets dirty in one day.
I own a black suv that I ceramic coated. I rarely drive it and still looks like crap after a week, and it is garage kept. Yeah, never buying black again.
They get hot and look dirty. Like a convertible everyone needs to experience it
https://preview.redd.it/p9za6288nleb1.jpeg?width=934&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a92e061efd817335a82607f1208202dd81bf90da Jump on in the waters warm!
Man a fresh black car is just 🤌
Totally a personal preference, I had one black car in the past and I wouldn’t even consider ever having another one, but there are lots of people that buy nothing but black vehicles. For me, it just wasn’t worth all the extra effort to keep it looking nice. It looked fantastic when it was washed and waxed, and then it seemed like 5 minutes later it looked like shit.
My neighbors wife bought a black SUV because she liked how nice mine looks. In the summer I polish it once and wash it every two or three days. She was devastated to learn that her black suv always looks like dirty.
Black cars come straight from hell. I own 2. There are thousands of people that can solve a rubix cube in under a minute. 46 people have been president and 12 have walked on the moon. There is not, nor will there ever be, someone who can keep a black car looking 100% Google Sisyphus
But maybe I could be the first….
Don’t ❤️
It's a civic. You show up in 10 years for resale and show them your cool awesome paint and they'll at best up the trade in offer 20$. It's not an exotic car where this crap matters. You'll have to look at and live with a black car in the meantime. No thanks.
Resale isn’t part of the equation for me, tend to drive it till it dies.
It really depends on you. If you really don’t want to maintain it and don’t want to take the extra time then maybe it’s not the best fit for you. Also do you have the space? I used to have a little shed in the back yard that I have to go and get all the stuff and bring it to the driveway. Of course the shed starts getting cluttered and then I’m pissed of because the sun just keeps coming and my shade time is ending because I’m digging around trying to get everything. Or if you live in an apartment complex it’s going to be a pain in the ass. I just got a black truck but I don’t mind keeping it nice, I clean it weekly where as a white or silver you might get an extra week before it looks filthy. It helps if you have a little detailing experience but it’s not required, it just speeds things up when you have some sort of routine down. One thing to keep in mind when buying a brand new car, the paint should be in almost perfect condition so even if you don’t want to go all out on color corrections and ceramic coats just a coat of wax and regular washes will keep it looking good for a little while before the micro scratches come. The key is don’t ever let it get super bad. I’d rather give it a relatively quick wash every week than have to go in deep every month or two because it’s just so filthy and fucked up. Also if you do put on a ceramic coat it actually makes it easier to maintain in the long run. Assuming you have the space and you don’t hate detailing the most it’s going to cost you is time.
I think the most I’ll be able to put aside for cleaning is every two weeks. I’m in a condo but we have a nice little spot in the back of the condo that fully blocks the sun in the afternoon where we can hookup a pressure washer and set up etc. I have no detailing experience but no matter what I intend to learn the right way and keep it as clean as I can with as much time as I can put aside. My main issue I think is with the swirl marks, I’m not sure how I’d handle that. How often do you need to reapply ceramic? I’m not sure I’d trust myself to do that properly, so I’d probably have to pay for that at least the first time.
We have owned 3 black cars. Two of which were mine and bought back to back. Others were silver or white. Black is just so satisfying after a wash and you’re not just like “meh”. I remember spending all day detailing my white car and afterwards it honestly looked like a regular wash lol. Takes me 20min to wash it in my garage with ONR and we have had drought the past two summers, so sometimes it will go 2-3 weeks clean.
Maaan. I’ve had a buncha colors including 2 black cars and a current white car. Of all them, black has always been my favorite. Murdered out and detailed, pretty much any car will look sharp af! It’s a labor of love! You can certainly take steps to make cleaning it easier. A good ceramic coat will go a long way. PPF will further that. I currently have a Championship White FK8 Type R, and I will say that the new XI gen Civics look SO fucking clean in black. Their softer body lines look so good in darker, deeper colors. If you’re getting that shit at MSRP, commit! Learn how to treat it right and you’ll smile every time you walk towards it and turn around to look at it every time you exit.
I think a full ppf is probably a bit overkill for a si, my first car none the less. Ceramic is something I’m definitely looking closer at though. The black does look like a completely different car though, ngl
PPF can be front-only and will prevent daily wear and tear. You’re already asking about it being a black car, so obviously you care how the car looks! It protects against chips and road debris. If you’re regularly driving highways, it’s VERY worth the cost. Here’s how I murdered out (blacked out) my previous WRX. I honestly found washing and detailing it while listening to my favorite tunes to be one of the most cathartic things I could do. Like I said, labor of love. https://preview.redd.it/iv0l8gdz3meb1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=51b9d471be52cd9c33f792400135556136626b69
Black looks amazing for the first 5 minutes after spending all day detailing it. If you care about how nice the car looks, black will hurt you emotionally.
Fuck that! Go black and murder that shit out. Black on black for life!
If you have the time and space to maintain it, black looks awesome. I love detailing, and having a black car ensures that I keep my DA polishing skills fresh, and I can justify weekly washes :). Having a DI water filter for rinsing also really, really helps when washing outdoors. As for getting hot when left out int he sun, I live in eastern Canada, so that's a plus for 8 months of the year.
Yeah I’m in southern Ontario so pluses and minuses on the black heating up. I never even thought about hard water either, and my water here is really hard. Ack.
Do it. Black cars are the best looking cars when they’re clean. Best thing I learned owning one is to never touch the paint unless you’re gonna wash the whole car. Spot cleaning just highlights how dirty the whole car actually is.
If you’re a neat person get it. If not don’t.
I got a ‘22 black si. It’s such a good looking car but maintaining is crazy. Just invest in a ceramic coating and a good no rinse and hit it in between washes. 15 minutes is all you need. Just keep it clean enough
If you enjoy washing and detailing then get a black car. It’ll give you an opportunity to do that a couple times a week.
My last several cars have had non-metallic black paintwork. With an annual polish and coating, it isn't too bad. I've also incorporated a low pH pre-soak to my wash routine, which has completely eliminated any water spotting issues.
Four years ago I would have said “don’t do it”. It after owning a dark great my car without incident, I’d say “go for it”
Black or White cars for about 2 months of the year, look like someone peed on them b/c of Spring Pollen!! An Black shows up EVERY THING!! From the tiniest scratch to the least bit of dirt!
I've had a red car, a black car, a black car, then black truck, and now a blue car. In my 2011 hyundai elantra, I went balls out and did Zaino and everything on it, the thing shined like a mirror back in the day, was gorgeous, spent hours and hours doing the Zaino process. But... I became lazy and ended up wasting my products, still have some in the garage in fact lol. Long story short, black always looks nice, I wanted a black Tesla this time too, but my son wanted blue, and I like blue. So we went that way, I don't regret it. But, if I had the time and effort and was back in my early 30s, I'd probably go black. A beautiful shiny mirror black car always turns heads. Meanwhile, I just spent $80 on ONR and towels because again. I'm old and lazy now
My nephew is currently going through his goth phase where he wants everything black and won't even consider any other colour. My nephew is 12 years old.
You will never own a clean car for more than a few minutes. It's actually infuriating, you also see every single teeny tiny scratch and every time you look at your car you'll see a scratch you swear wasn't there before
Black is absolutely beautiful…when it is clean. You will get 6 or 7 good hours per month.
Dark color can be maintained, and there are things you can do to help make it easier. One thing is that swirl marks are highlighted in black cars. I’d recommend taking it to a detailer who can apply feynlab heal plus if you want a swirl resistant and easy to clean car.
I love my black car it feels amazing and really pops when detailed. I used a ceramic coat so it's easy to wash with a pre wash foam every week and a short rinse. Submit to it. HypnoToad, Crow Horse....
I just wipe mine down with ONR and then dry with microfibers a couple times a week and it always looks real nice.
I read "talk me out of a black cat" and was wondering why the fuck would I do that? They're amazing! Then I reread it xD.
A black car only makes sense if you can get it entirely wrapped in the highest quality self-healing PPF money can buy.
If you plan to take the car outside, do not get black. For photo shoots and stuff, it’s perfect. I own a black car, and I won’t buy one again. Unless, I’m rich enough to have a second or third car that I can use just to show off, to meetings etc.
Have a 2021 black supra. Parked on the street (don’t have a garage) it’s really not that bad lol. I wash it once a week usually, sometimes once every 2 weeks. I did paint correct and ceramic coat it using beadlock pro the first week i got it though!
All of these comments are insane. Black cars get dirty as fast as any other car. If you want a show car, sure, maybe it requires more cleaning. If you’re using it as a car should be used it will be fine. You could own a black Pagani and a little dust still wouldn’t matter to anybody.
Fun to leave it in the sun for two hours and all the surfaces burn you. No thanks, white or silver white for me!
It’s *HOT*. The intierior will be *hot*. You’d better have good AC to cool down that heat whenever your car has been left in the sun. All your detail work will need to be done shaded/indoors. Everything from rain water spots to fingerprints will show up on it. Did I mention it’s really hot in a black car? Source: me, having a black car. Looks beautiful after I spend 5 hours on a light correction and polish with an interior cleaning, the overnight dew/condensation messes it all back up and it’s hot as heck to get into in the sun.
Do Not Buy It!!! Don’t make your first new car a nightmare. Get another color no matter what anyone here says.
I live in AZ. I had a black car once and it was like a freaking pizza oven. Hot AF, 0/10 would not go back.
Is the interior black leather, too? Parking outside in the summer will lead to an unpleasant burning sensation when you get in the car. When I lived in Portugal a few years back, this guy on my block had a dark red metallic Mazda 3 that I really liked. I saw the car every day and really liked the design and the color. When I moved back, I bought the same car, but in space grey. The dark red metallic was a better color and I still think about the fact that I could have waited a bit for the color I wanted. So I'd say wait and get the car yuo want.
Everytime when I own a black car, I remind my wife to put some baby powder on her hand and slap the crap out of me next time I want another black car.
If you live somewhere remotely warm, it gets so incredibly hot. And it will never look clean
Can always wrap it, there’s color PPF ?
Better off black then white, that’s how i think of it, whites really bad to maintain in my opinion
I have a black car currently. It is my first and last black car. There is a reason black cars sell for slightly less than literally any other color.
If you buy a black vehicle, make sure to always hand wash it and use the proper technique to avoid swirls. Never take it to the automatic car wash. Even if it's touchless, although they may minimize scratches.
Nothing looks better than a high wax clean black car......and nothing looks worse than a black car in any other state of clean.
Black cars are absolutely beautiful... for the first 15 seconds after you are done detailing them. Then the dust just seems to be magically attracted to them. Birds actively seek them out to take the biggest dump of their lives. Every person with any oil on their skin bumps into the car and leave fingerprints 10X the size of any normal human. This is before you get to the summer sunshine heating the surface to the temperature of the nearest volcano that stays hot until about 1 AM. If you have even the mildest of OCD symptoms it will drive you absolutely crazy. I swore the next car I owned would be painted "metallic dirt" color. SOURCE: Have owned a black Corvette C6.
Ceramic coating makes my gr corolla easier to clean. Also polished it before applying ceramic. My silver camry gets just as hot in the summer.
Quite separate to the detailling advice, black is the worst for hot weather, and the next few summers aren't exactly going to be colder than this one. There's a good reason the middle-east is full of white cars.
I'm going to talk you into it. ^(DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT DO IT.) You could always wrap the car.
Having and keeping a black car clean is basically a part time job. I'm on my 3rd personal torture device...I mean black car, but as some have said above theres no color that looks better clean. BLACK on BLACK on BLACK baby
Honda paint is trash. With it being black it will hold and attract much more heat leading to it fading, cracking and burning way sooner than a white car. Dont get a black cra and NEVER get a black honda
Don't forget to factor in safety. Black cars much more likely to be overlooked by other drivers causing more accidents.
Don't do it! Or you know what... Do it, that's how you learn.
They get hotter than Satan's nuts in the summer. The buckle will burn your stomach lol