What color (s) should one consider for a new car?
11-20-16, 07:36 AM
#16
Some of what I write here is information gained from my own general experience (not personal opinion, but experience)...some from body shops, some from other articles on the subject I've read, and some from the auto industry itself.
Second, the question of paint care/maintenance comes in. * * * Black paint, whether smooth or metallic, if done correctly at the factory, can be just like a mirror when freshly washed/dried and waxed, and will really impress people (such as your Friday or Saturday night date)
. But the laws of physics apply......black paint can heat up terrifically on a hot sunny day, especially in desert climates, and that can shorten its life, even with a good clearcoat.
Second, the question of paint care/maintenance comes in. * * * Black paint, whether smooth or metallic, if done correctly at the factory, can be just like a mirror when freshly washed/dried and waxed, and will really impress people (such as your Friday or Saturday night date)
. But the laws of physics apply......black paint can heat up terrifically on a hot sunny day, especially in desert climates, and that can shorten its life, even with a good clearcoat. 
11-20-16, 02:00 PM
#17
Lexus Test Driver
Black has gotten my attention again. This is due to the fact that so many new cars these days are coming with CHEAP, unpainted black plastic trim below the rear bumper. I can't stand that look, and at least the black paint makes an excuse for it to appear all painted.
Also agree, the selection of special or unique colors has really shrunken in the last five years (Mini being the exception, good for them). Lexus used to have the neatest colors, but is now regulated to the "seven standard" colors. One of the reasons I'm holding onto my IS250 is because Glacier Frost Mica looks so crazy cool in different lighting conditions. They should have called it Abalone.
Also agree, the selection of special or unique colors has really shrunken in the last five years (Mini being the exception, good for them). Lexus used to have the neatest colors, but is now regulated to the "seven standard" colors. One of the reasons I'm holding onto my IS250 is because Glacier Frost Mica looks so crazy cool in different lighting conditions. They should have called it Abalone.
11-20-16, 03:45 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Just to be clear, this is not a come recent phenomenon really for luxury cars. It comes over from the Germans, who have never had a wide palette of colors for their luxury sedans, etc. Lexus hasn't either, which comes from trying to emulate Mercedes and BMW. American luxury cars were another story, they did offer a wide variety of colors like you mentioned, but thats largely gone by the wayside again because they're trying to emulate those having success in their market segments.
Interesting thread.
....in this thread, I generally tried to avoid my own opinions on color (which we have thoroughly discussed before), and stick to the objective merits/demerits of each color, and what works best for what purpose.
I've had a lot of different color cars, easiest to care for would be the nebula grey I have now. Doesn't show scratches, doesn't show rock chips really actually. My LS430 was flint mica which was a little harder to care for because it was darker, but it was also prettier IMHO. Silver also has the benefit of hiding dirt and scratching, and pops more than grey, but rock chips really stick out. Same is true of white.
Lexus paint is harder to care for than other companies paint because in my experience it scratches and chips very easily. My dark colored Lexus vehicles were harder to keep nice than dark colored cars I've had from other carmakers. My 2011 Jeep was a dark metallic green and my 2014 Jeep was a dark metallic gunmetal blue and both held up great. My sedona is a med-dark burgundy and it also has held up great. My black garnet pearl ES was very difficult to keep nice, and the front was sandblasted with chips. I would not purchase another Lexus vehicle without a clear bra, but the Jeeps and the Sedona don't need one.
Lexus paint is harder to care for than other companies paint because in my experience it scratches and chips very easily. My dark colored Lexus vehicles were harder to keep nice than dark colored cars I've had from other carmakers. My 2011 Jeep was a dark metallic green and my 2014 Jeep was a dark metallic gunmetal blue and both held up great. My sedona is a med-dark burgundy and it also has held up great. My black garnet pearl ES was very difficult to keep nice, and the front was sandblasted with chips. I would not purchase another Lexus vehicle without a clear bra, but the Jeeps and the Sedona don't need one.
11-20-16, 03:56 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I didn't do any specific scientific research on it myself, but, in general, according to one of the laws of physics (known as albedo) the darker the paint color, the more heat it absorbs from direct sunlight. With the proliferation of tinted glass and better door/window insulation on today's vehicles, the interior doesn't heat up quite as much under the same circumstances with exterior colors as with yesterday's vehicles, but still can get dangerously hot if a child or pet is left in the car with closed windows. Because of the tinted glass and other anti-solar devices, there also is generally not the same wide spread of temperatures inside from the difference in light and dark exterior colors....in other words, a black interior will still heat up more than a beige one, but not as much as in the past. All else equal, though, an A/C unit will still probably have to work harder to keep a dark interior cool than a light one....placing more wear and stress on it. Reports from actual car owners here in Car Chat also verify much of that.
11-20-16, 04:05 PM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Also agree, the selection of special or unique colors has really shrunken in the last five years (Mini being the exception, good for them).
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-20-16 at 05:33 PM.
11-20-16, 07:21 PM
#21
At one time, when asked what colour I wanted for my new car, I said any colour but no black and no white. I now have a white car (which my wife wanted). I can now say that my next car will NOT be white and will not be black; I do not like white, perhaps because my wife's car is white, my parents' car is white, two sisters-in-law also have white colours -- no imagination!
A lighter shade would be my preference, although I will remain open-minded about other colours (some of the Lexus metallic greys and light copper/coffee-shades look good). When shopping for my current white ES, I saw a bright red ES with the ivory interior in the showroom (already sold!) that I thought was really nice but my wife did not like it.
A lighter shade would be my preference, although I will remain open-minded about other colours (some of the Lexus metallic greys and light copper/coffee-shades look good). When shopping for my current white ES, I saw a bright red ES with the ivory interior in the showroom (already sold!) that I thought was really nice but my wife did not like it.
Last edited by dseag2; 11-20-16 at 07:24 PM.
11-20-16, 08:21 PM
#22
Depends on the car. For luxury sedans I like black and white, but otherwise I like more interesting colors. Blues, reds, and yellows for sports coupes and convertibles. Luxury SUVs I like darker blues or whites with black wheels.
11-20-16, 09:20 PM
#23
11-20-16, 10:17 PM
#24
Lexus Test Driver
[QUOTE=mmarshall;9685881]Body-cladding on SUVs and other purpose-designed winter vehicles has been a long staple, not only from cost-cutting, but because many customers actually want it. The plastic/vinyl cladding keeps the lower-body from getting full of paint-chips from gravel or sand/abrasives on winter roads. For that, I at least (partly) blame the State and local Highway Departments.....they often dump sand and abrasives on the road when they aren't actually needed....when salt alone, or other dei-cers, would do the trick. But, even so, salt causes potholes and other broken pavement from accelerating the freeze/thaw cycle...and those bits of crumbling pavement can get kicked up by vehicle tires.
I was referring to the lower, rear portion of the bumper on cars, not SUV's. At that spot, there is no excuse not to have that part painted other than to save money on paint . It is not a vulnerable spot to pitting or hitting things.
I was referring to the lower, rear portion of the bumper on cars, not SUV's. At that spot, there is no excuse not to have that part painted other than to save money on paint . It is not a vulnerable spot to pitting or hitting things.
11-21-16, 02:30 PM
#25
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Some entry-level econoboxes used to be like that, but I haven't seen much of that on regular cars (non-SUVs or trucks) lately.
12-18-16, 11:57 AM
#26
There are pro and cons to every color. I personally do not like to repeat colors on my vehicles. So far had beige ES300 (blah), Metador red IS250 (nice when clean and under sun but scratches so easy), flat red/black sport bike (nice racing color combo), forest green rav4 (surprisingly looks ok with aftermarket wheels), atomic silver 370z (nice when clean but very bland compared to other 370z and sports cars), molten Pearl RCF (color pops under any circumstance and changes shades when wet, dirty, clean, dark, sunny. Attracts TOOO much attention). So far molten Pearl is the favorite simply because its rarity on the road.
12-18-16, 02:40 PM
#27
Nothing is worse than jet black. You'd have to be insane to buy a jet black daily driver.
I am not a fan of black cars, but if I did get a jet black (non metallic), it would be on a weeken d car that I personally washed and maintained. For a daily, jet black looks like dogsht before you even drive off the lot. One dealership wash and you're in swirl city.
I am not a fan of black cars, but if I did get a jet black (non metallic), it would be on a weeken d car that I personally washed and maintained. For a daily, jet black looks like dogsht before you even drive off the lot. One dealership wash and you're in swirl city.
12-18-16, 06:16 PM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Are you refering to true plastic as such, or the softer vinyl/rubber compounds used on many bumpers nowadays? The softer, more flexible material is often used so that if the bumper is only lightly tapped and not pushed in too hard, the material will rebound some and minimize the amount of damage done and need for a body shop, though there may be some cosmetic damage and cracking done to the paint.
12-18-16, 06:35 PM
#30
Lexus Fanatic
This is unpainted coarse plastic used to save cost. Used mainly on the lower part of the bumper between the exhaust tips.