airgas1998

very true, a black cars friend is a cloudy day....

sharmila19

Guys I'm about to pick up the car tomorrow and now I'm really nervous. The more I research the more I realize that this is going to be a big Pain ? Can you go to my local dealer and have them put up a clearcoat or some specific Product that would seal the paint? I see a lot of black cars in my workplace infinities, bmws audis etc And I don't see black color being that much of a problem. The cars look pretty okay.

airgas1998

you bet you can seal the paint, but that won't prevent or reduce it's cleanliness.

LexBob2

If you want to add some protection to the paint, don't get it at the dealership. Find a good detailer. Better products better application and prices might even be lower.

SW17LS

Don't let the dealer touch it, they're going to swirl it up.

have a professional put something like CQuartz or OptiCoat on it, that will help some.

dchar

Take it to a shop to get wrapped in clear vinyl. They will probably make sure no swirl marks or anything is on the car before starting. Lexus paint is kinda soft so obsidian will easily have scratches and swirls.

GTR31

Yes the lexus paint is quite soft. My black paint had some minor swirls at the end of the winter season, even though I applied sealant before the winter and only dry it off with damp microfibre towels. And it'll definitely look dirtier quicker than some other colors.

SW17LS

People actually do that on higher end cars, I think thats a little overkill on something like an ES. You're talking about a $5k job.

lesz

In the last 15 years, I've owned 5 black vehicles. Even though I am someone who can be quite obsessive about the finish of my vehicles, I think it is possible to be overly concerned about caring for the finish on a black vehicle.

While there is no question that a black vehicle will show dirt, water spots, etc. more readily than will other colors, I've found that a few simple measures can prevent minor surface scratches, polishing swirls, etc. First, never try to "dust" off the vehicle's finish with a dry cloth or towel. Also, use micro fiber towels to dry the vehicle after it is washed. And make sure that you don't make a habit of leaning against the vehicle or rubbing your clothing against the paint, and that is especially true when the vehicle is dusty or dirty. Finally, never set down packages, jackets, or anything else on the trunk lid, hood, or roof. If, over time, you do pick up some polishing swirls, a competent detailer can easily remove them. The bottom line is that, with a little common sense, the challenges of keeping a black car looking good can be minimized.

Beyond that, when you inevitably pick up some small stone nicks, enjoy the fact that you will be able to touch them up in a manner that makes them virtually invisible, which is something that you will be much less likely to do with other colors, especially lighter metallics and pearl finishes.

SW17LS

This is very true. Silver for instance is great for hiding swirls, but touchups always look terrible.

lesz

Light silvers, light golds, and pearl whites are the toughest with regard to getting even minor touch ups to not be readily noticeable. Even with the nebula gray pearl that I have on my ES, those minor touch ups are much more of a challenge than they are on my black GX.

SW17LS

The silver on my GS is impossible to touch up. Thats why I got a clear bra.

dchar

$5K seems a little high. Not sure if clear cost more than matte metallic black wraps, but my friend just got his MB C63 wrapped and it was less than $3K.

SW17LS

Just think about it, I paid $700 for a 1/2 hood 1/2 fenders clear bra job. A full hood full fenders job was $1,300-$1,500. If 1/4 of the car costs $1,500...then 4/4 of the car costs $6,000.

Clear bra material is thicker than vinyl wraps, and more expensive. Even $3k though is a lot...you're talking about 7% of the cost of the car. The clearbra can scratch and swirl too...and it can't be polished out.

dchar

You made good points. That's why I'll never get black/obsidian on any of my cars. Black cars can look awesome when clean, but black luxury cars kinda seems "old fashioned" when there other better colors out there. Keeping a black car looking good is like having a second career maintaining it, or will burn a hole in my pocket paying others to detail it. I am one of those people who is very OCD of how my car looks. Scratches, chips, and swirls drive me crazy, but it might not bother others as much. I would probably leave it in the garage more too so it wouldn't get so dusty, which kinda defeats the purpose of owning a car.