Colour vs. cleaning

[Binary]

Hello all. I've been reading here for a little while - first post though. I am just about convinced to buy a new AH SRi, most reports on it seem positive. Pretty much all i'm struggling with now is which colour to pick! I like the black but am concerned that it will look dirty all the time, especially with water restrictions in full effect. Having never owned a black car, i'm looking for feedback on black vs. silver car colour and how much cleaning effort is required. Also any other general tips on the SRi before I take the plunge!

[EL BURITO]

i would go the special order white cos u will be unique

[platypus]

silver or bronze looks clean most of the time

dark colours/black looks awesome when polished up and have mega gloss

how much do you want to look after your car? go light colours if you don't like the care

[missxc]

Well if you don't like driving around in a dirty car you would have to wash ur car at least one a week. Might be less now its summer cause it won't be raining as much but I seem to have to wash mine once a week. I think you should get a black one cause they are sexier!

[dustbug]

Well if you don't like driving around in a dirty car you would have to wash ur car at least one a week. Might be less now its summer cause it won't be raining as much but I seem to have to wash mine once a week. I think you should get a black one cause they are sexier!

I agree, no matter what car anyone gets, black always looks good. Minus a Red Ferrari and a Yellow Lamborghini, but thats a class of its own

[missxc]

I agree, no matter what car anyone gets, black always looks good. Minus a Red Ferrari and a Yellow Lamborghini, but thats a class of its own
Uh huh. I don't think people really fully appreciate black cars until they own one. My mum always thinks I have gone weird when I say look at my sexy car! She just doesn't understand.

[Wraith]

I've had/got both black (phantom mica) and silver (star silver) cars.

It's all up to your own personal taste - if you really like a type of car in black, get black, if you really like it in silver, then get it in silver.

Don't worry about all the pros and cons.

Both colours will never date, like some other fancy trend colours do.

If you are worried about appearance and are not the type to want to spend alot of time in appearance maintanance, then get the silver, it will always look cleaner.

If you go for black and your a fuss pot like me, you'll find a way to always keep it looking immaculate ;)

[180HOA]

I've had a black car - as has been said it looked great when clean, but my current SRiT is silver. It can still pass as clean weeks after washing, whereas black almost never looked clean. You'll also find that any minor marks in black paint will really show - look closely at a few black cars that are a few years old and you'll see what I mean. Solid (i.e. non-metallic) blacks are especially hard to keep looking good.

I'd also go for the white in the AH SRi - partly cos it's different from my current car, partly cos I think the AH SRi looks hot in white, and partly cos I have better things to do than wash a black car every few days...

[digifish]

The two colours that seem to resist looking dirty the best are white and silver, the darker the paint the harder it is to keep looking clean.

Dark paints also show up defects/scratches/dings much worse than lighter colours.

I have a Astra CDTi in Moonland (dark grey, looks great but shows the dirt worse than my last white car).

The advice above about buying the colour you like the most is good, but just don't get black it shows every scratch and every spot, but I must admit the AH astra probably looks best in black :)

[Misguidedangel]

Ask yourself are you prepared to spend the time to clean the car weekly/fortnightly (depending on rain) if its black? Are you prepared to drive around with a car that looks filthy after a night of rain?

I have a black car and I make sure it gets washed (even if its a quick dodgy wash) once a week just to make it look nice for a couple of days... if it doesnt rain then it still looks clean.

Silver will still show up dirt... if you plan on not washing your car for 6 months just because of water restrictions I do not think you should be getting a black one... well I dont think you should be buying such a nice car not to wash it. LOL

Don't buy a car because of how easy it is to keep it clean. Buy it in a colour that you want to be seen driving it around in. And a colour that you will be happy to look at regardless of how dirty it is. If you want it to stay clean then make the effort to wash it weekly... or buy a car cover for it... or better yet a garage... (if possible).

[WLD-18L]

Ive got a silver astra g and if i dont clean it weakly road grime and dust build up on it and it looks dirty. iam pretty fussy tho and like keeping my car clean. it just depends on what type of person you are. if my car aint lookin classy it iratates me.

[Binary]

Thanks for all the feedback. As many of you said, I should buy the colour I like the look of most, which currently is black (although it will show all dirt, scratches etc). I haven't seen a white one, pictures anyone? My local dealer only has one in silver atm so at this stage I am thinking of just ordering a black one and waiting. I am going to test drive the silver one on monday so I will have a good look then.
I usually clean my current car (VT commy) every couple of weeks, which is a dark blue. I expect to wash the SRi about the same frequency, except the wheels may warrant weekly cleans if the brake dust is anything like my wife's TS CDX.
I may even clean out my garage so I can fit a car in again!

[digifish]

I haven't seen a white one, pictures anyone?

Here's a white 888 diesel...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBVnPHp_Ho0

for cleaning you need one of these...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dl09t8ep28&mode=related&search= :)

[Wattie]

WHIIIIIIIITE all the way.

i was lookn at the SRi and white would be my only choice... ;) how many have you seen?? hehe

[mr_sikma]

Uh huh. I don't think people really fully appreciate black cars until they own one. My mum always thinks I have gone weird when I say look at my sexy car! She just doesn't understand.

black is p*ssing me off! swirl marks, buff marks and scratches show up wayyy to easy!

does look good clean though :D

[Binary]

Yeah, I was concerned about swirl marks also. My blue car shows them pretty badly after a clean. How can you avoid creating swirl marks? (apart from cleaning it with a fluffy dog)

That white 888 car does look pretty good...
I'll see how I go at the dealership tomorrow.

[Apex]

My last car was silver with black wheels, and I have to say it was a dream to keep clean, it still looked clean after a week of driving and only needed a polish once a month.

I now have the Black Astra, looks stunning when clean but it’s a nightmare to keep it that way, it looks dirty after one day, when cleaning you need to ensure sponge bucket and chamois are spotless to prevent marks, and even then the car requires a polish every wash to look less than a year old! OCD, what OCD:p

Unless you are keen to spend 3 hours a week cleaning and are prepared to keep it garaged id go silver or fridge white.

[JohnBu]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]My last car was silver with black wheels, and I have to say it was a dream to keep clean, it still looked clean after a week of driving and only needed a polish once a month.

geeez silver only need polish once a month????? haha

i think i look after my silver car well and i wax it every 6 months!! (of course wash it in between)

[Wraith]

True that John.....

I wouldn't recommend anyone polish their car that often, you'll have no clear coat left after only a few years.

Unless of course you have a custom paint job with lots of clear coats or a good baked enamel paint job.

Once or twice a year is adequate - regular washes if possible in between.

If you must, then use a good 'wax only' product, that will not remove any clear coat, just provide a shine and protective coat - 3M and Meguires have good products for this.

[digifish]

True that John.....

I wouldn't recommend anyone polish their car that often, you'll have no clear coat left after only a few years.

...

If you must, then use a good 'wax only' product, that will not remove any clear coat, just provide a shine and protective coat - 3M and Meguires have good products for this.

I think this is what most people mean when they say 'Polish'.

I use 'Meguires Deep Crystal Wet Look Cleaner Wax'...great as it smells like bubble-gum...nice :)

I can't find it on any web-sites...looks like this with a few more words (as above) and probably is a newer version of ...

http://www.meguiars.com/?liquid-car-waxes/Cleaner-Wax

Regards Scott

[Vectracious]

Having had/have both silver and black - black will always look the best - but theres a lot more involvement and problems keeping it clean - especially the way things are going with water restrictions.

Silver hides the dirt really well and still looks really good.

[Wraith]

The one I would recommend from Meguires is 'Quick detailer' and you can polish your car every week if you like :)

All others including the one mentioned above all remove a small amount of coating, great for occaisional use, but not a good idea for monthly intervals ;)

[Vectracious]

I use the Quick Detailer with the clay bar every 6 months or so - also good to have in the car to get spots that have been marked with stuff like tree sap or bird sh*t.

After clay bar, I use the Meguiars Deep Crystal Polish (I think its called) and then a coat or the Meguiars Tech wax - synthetic wax so it doesnt gloss as much as something with a lot more Carnauba in it, but lasts longer on the paintwork....

[Wraith]

That's exactly what I've got in all my 'good' cars - bar the runabout, ie: a kit with quick detailer bottle and cloths to immediately remove unwanted grime.....

Damn good idea and well worth it ;)

[guin83]

I bought my AH SRi about a month ago. I had to wait until dec for a black one to come in so I went for silver. After about a month, I am now thinking that silver wasn't such a bad choice, and I also gathered a lot of public opinion on it, and ppl seem to love it too. (May b they just saying it to me to make me feel better) But yeah... Good choice. I am loving this H SRi in everyway.

[Apex]

Sorry yes, the product im using is Formula 1 Carnauba wax, its not a polish it works a treat and does say its clear coat safe.

After owning Japanese cars I have to admit the quality of paint used on these Opel’s is pretty average.

[Vectracious]

Sorry yes, the product im using is Formula 1 Carnauba wax, its not a polish it works a treat and does say its clear coat safe.

After owning Japanese cars I have to admit the quality of paint used on these Opel’s is pretty average.

Interesting you say that - dunno about other Jap cars, but the paintwork on my WRX is pretty appaling - my old Veccy (B) and the Astra (G) have much better paint in comparison to the Subaru....

[EL BURITO]

maby that has somthing to do with the environmental conditions in Euro to Japan but saying that isnt Japan as dirty as the rest of mainland euro. i dont know maby just a thought.

[Apex]

Interesting you say that - dunno about other Jap cars, but the paintwork on my WRX is pretty appaling - my old Veccy (B) and the Astra (G) have much better paint in comparison to the Subaru....

I meant quality Japanese cars:p …….Toyota/Lexus:snooty:

[digifish]

I meant quality Japanese cars:p …….Toyota/Lexus:snooty:

I have a 2003 Passat (metalic silver) and the paint is thick and lush. Quality 8.5/10.

My CDTi Moonland Astra I just bought is fairly poor in comparison, I'd give it 6/10. It looks nice, but just is visibly thinner and has more defects/flaws. So I agree the Opel paint is a bit cheap. But then again, you don't pay a lot for these cars either so...

digifish

[Vectracious]

I meant quality Japanese cars:p …….Toyota/Lexus:snooty:

LOL

Lexus paint is definately excellent - some kids went at my mates Lexus IS200 with a screwdriver to get the badge off, paint came away not too bad considering what they were doing to it....

[digifish]

The one I would recommend from Meguires is 'Quick detailer' and you can polish your car every week if you like :)

All others including the one mentioned above all remove a small amount of coating, great for occaisional use, but not a good idea for monthly intervals ;)

Actually no it doesn't.

Meguiars have a naming system - if the product says 'Polish' in the name then it works by removing material. If it says wax then no it doesn't.

http://www.meguiars.com/index.cfm

The 'cleaner' part of the product I mentioned comes from
petroleum distillates that work chemically to dissolve stains/deposits.

digifish

[Binary]

I have seen a couple of Red coloured AH SRi's around. This colour is not in the brochure, where are these SRi's coming from? (they were definitely SRis not VXRs)