Are black cars really that much of a mare to keep looking nice?

[cat171]

Just asking out of interest here...
I'm one of those people who only ever cleans their car about half a dozen or so times a year. I just don't have the time to do it more & tbh the local car washer dudes (not supermarket bods, sod that !) aren't all that.

When I do clean it I find the time to spent hours on it (six hours if i'm going for it) The paint underneath the dirt is fine as I use loads of the products you lot mention, it's always sealed & waxed etc.

Is black really hard to keep nice ? I guess it shows up imperfections & swirls really bad ?

 

[richy22]

Black is a really hard colour to keep looking nice! Dark colours suffer from it more as the imperfections/swirls are more noticeable.

I have a habit of walking past peoples cars and "sometimes" getting up close to notice the swirl marks on them

 

[Aluco]

Yes, completely, totally.

I'm the same as you when I do it I do it properly. Just makes it worse because you have to "do it properly" every 3 or 4 days especially in crap weather.

6 hour clean then drive it to the shops and back in dry weather and it would be dirty looking on the bottom half.

 

[Peperami]

Im looking forward to getting a white car over winter! Woot! Will be constantly filthy

 

[Nik]

Yes... lol. After having 3 red cars i fancied a change this time..... NEVER AGAIN! lol

Looks great once you've cleaned it though, just dont expect that to last long.

 

[Guppy]

Yes.

T'is a Mare!

 

[dave120]

yip, ive noticed that black cars are a nightmare to keep clean!

 

[Naith]

yep, even in summer with no wind or grit the car is dirty within an hour, seriously.

but when they are 'clean'... nothing touches them

 

[Ali]

Yes.

 

[Cliotoby]

Yes. ive owned a black clio for 2 years not and my new car is blue, NEVER will i get black again. Dust, rain, whatever, soon as you start driving it its fucked again.

IMO its not even that rewarding when its done.

 

[Henry]

i like the colour on cars and, aside from the Cup, my main cars have been black since i started driving

doesn't bother me, but guess it depends upon how anal you are about keeping them clean

 

[calum001]

yep nightmare whatever the weather, manages to get dirsty really easily whether it be dust or mud or general road grime

great when clean but even sitting on my drive it seems to show up dirt far too easily

 

[Craig Ed]

£100 - Cleaning Products
2-5 Hours labour

following a white van or lorry shortley after.......

Priceless

 

[Gally]

They say you will only have a black car once. I'm am living proof.

Never again.

It's not just the cleaning mate, because it is worth it when clean, it's the little tiny marks that show up all over. Not just swirls, you only need to run your finger along the paint work slightly and it'll be marked.

Funny that a lot of detailers have black/dark cars... russ,dawn,ali ect...

 

[guysy]

I find it hard to keep clean, But im not a fan of other colours other than silver.

And even when dirty most summer evenings it looks fantastic.

Polished once a month and washed once week in summer... every 3 weeks in winter.

 

[Aluco]

Stonechips look soooo much worse on black. Properly depressed me on my 182, wanted to get it sprayed constantly.

 

[Will.]

Yj black cars are a sod to keep clean, and it doesnt help that the wheels are white lol

 

[SC03OTT]

Pretty much as everyone else says. Total ball ache. Won't be buying another one, and I only bought black this time as I could not find another colour close enough.

 

[EllD90]

I don't mind cleaning it weekly...I only choose to clean it reguarly. Once its initially been detailed, hardly much of a hassle to keep clean afterwards.

 

[Paddyhmfc]

No.


I mean yes. Know what you mean about the stonechips. If i leave it long enough the bonnet will complete itself.

 

[VIICarCare]

its a b**ch, but fun! my two previouse cars were black, then i got the white 197 and hated it as the results arent as rewarding, so back to black and never goin back! loves black cars! its a challenge im sad, i'll go now!

 

[cat171]

It seems like the general consensus is 'had one once & never again' my current & last two cars have been blue.
I got itchy feet the other day & started looking at black vee's

 

[mikey123]

It's the hardest to keep clean but gives you the most satisfaction when it is!! I've had 3 black cars and im defo going to have a change next.

 

[Gaz_]

Never again. My BG 182 lasted 6 months. You cant just wash a Black car. It turns onto a epic job.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

craig dont get a black car, i wash my 3 times a week and thats me trying to leave it dirty

 

[Beef-Mc]

I don't wash my car now, it's easier tbh.

 

[Rys]

I wish I bought an Inferno 182. Black just upsets me now, it's constantly filthy.

 

[Rossy197]

Craig you saw mine today.. When clean black's the the shizz but as others have stated it takes so much to keep it clean and does show up every chip and scratch

 

[Daniel]

Out of all the cars i've owned, Black is the only one I won't own again.

I had a black Golf Gti and spent 4 days detailing it when I bought it. within a month it was swirled to f**k again. Everytime I washed it, within 5 miles it was covered in dust again.

 

[Darren S]

I won't have black ever again - if I can help it, that is. Couple that with the Clio black-gold appearing to resemble all the toughness of cheese spread - means a definite no-no from me.

I've had my fingers burnt now.

D.

 

[Camble]

I clean mine and the very next day it's filthy again!

 

[regi james]

i want to trade my black 182 in because im fed up polishing it(don't care if im gonna lose 2k), you have to polish it when u wash it else it looks worse than before u started, then just leaving it parked in the drive and its filthy again

 

[Ronnie R]

Depends on what you mean by clean... lol

I used to get my car washed every saturday by the men who charge £12 inside and out. That does the job for me tbh - I'm not a freak who spends hours on it though so it doesnt bother me lol.

My car didnt get washed for about 2 and a half months - but it was shameful!

 

[kevin.s]

i love cleaning mine as it is more satisfieing when done. but annoying when you pop to the shops in it for it to look no different to before you did it. but you notice it more on dark cars because light colour absorb the light reflection to your eyes wereas dark colours reflect the light back to your eyes resulting in you noticing more imperfections. thats also why its easy to notice dents in them too.

 

[WILLIE]

I always said I would never buy a black car but when I saw a BG clean I ended up buying one. For me its a total nightmare to keep clean but when it is clean its the most satisfying and rewarding colour to look at.

 

[steve32c]

Had my 182 from new and it was my second black clio and yes they may be a b**ch to keep clean but when they're clean it's the colour that grabs peoples attention as you go by with its' mirror like finish.
Granted it shows the dirt up quick but after 8 years of owning black clios they still look the mutts nuts when cleaned.
It's part of the joy of owning a black car sad I know but it's the personal satisfaction when it done

If you hate cleaning cars buy a silver one easy to clean, quick wash and a rinse no need to dry or polish

 

[Leeshez]

Mine is a real pain. No sooner have i cleaned it the thing looks dirty again.

 

[Justin]

I wont own another black car! TVR was a nightmare

 

[jayxx83]

had 4 black cars, 2 clios a golf gti and now my mini. absolutely love cleaning them and the results when they are gleaming... even if it is only for 5 minutes.

 

[Lee-182]

Didnt have a problem with my black Corsa, Get dirty like any other colour, When it came to washing just washed it, dryed it then went over it with some detailting spray.