petert

Hi,

I'm ordering my GX 470 on Wednesday and have to finalize the colour. Since we want the Ivory Interior, this limits our choices for the outside.

We are leaning towards the "black" or the "blue meridian pearl".

I've read bits and pieces of advice but would appreciate any info on:

i) How does the Black hold up?
ii) Somebody mentionned something about it not being clear coated ... is this true? If so, what process does Lexus use? Should we be concerned?
iii) Any other advice on colours would be great.

Thanks to all those who have given us such wonderful information.

Cheers. Peter

Kash

http://sirius.kashmoney.net/~akash/gxpics/

thoes are my blue mederian perl pics...
i just got the black one.. and the pics are still on the camera

sayadil

Well i got black and i'm very happy. Black according to me looks the best.. the only think is that u have to keep it clean. I would recommend black. here's my car's pic

lexite

Black is the most difficult one to keep clean looking, and it gets way too hot in direct sun. Since it is not clear coated, it is very easy to get swirls and light scratches on it.
But to me black looks awesome and is most rewarding after a waxing/detail job. Black would be my first choice if I am getting a dark color.

SacKen

I have seen a couple references to the lack of a clear coat on the black color. This doesn't make any sense to me and am totally confused why the black GX would not have a clear coat layer. As far as I know, all cars for the last 20+ years have a clear coat, regardless of color. The fact that it gets swirls and small scratches easily has nothing to do with it. All cars get these and they are on the clear coat. A good quality buff job gets them out (which is one of the reasons the clear coat exists, so that the colored paint layer is not damaged and clear coat only damage can be buffed out). Dark vehicles just show them easier than other colors since the scratches and swirls tend to be white-ish in color (I have owned 2 black cars, a silver car, and now the Ash Blue Mica).

Could someone please explain the lack of a clear coat layer on the Black Gx to me?

sayadil

It doesn't make sense to me either as in why black wouldn't have the clear coat... but if it doesn't i don't think its gonna be impossible to get it done now at a good detailin shop... or may be at the dealership... i'm gonna find out and let you guys know.
As for me... i think black GX looks like a different suv all together...

cyberflip9

All cars do have clear coat. I guess the guy was speaking in tongues from a day when cup holders were optional, 3 point seatbelts were a new feature, and 8-track tapes were the new innovation. The shine you see on your cars today is due to the "clear coat" that exists on all cars. Ask your wives or girlfriends ( or boyfriends for you with alternative lifestyles) what a clear coat does to their nails: it protects the polish. A good buff and detaling job on a black car will make it the perennial winner in terms of getting gawks. If you add limo tint then you're verging on gangster land. I have the black GX with the xenon kit and it looks tiiiiiiiiiiight!

Holla!

cyberflip9

lexite

Check out Color codes article

Look at page 5: paint type I for color code 202 (Black Onyx). This chart is for 1996 models. I would not be surprised if Lexus changed it to multi-stage by now.

modelaford

Having a Black GX that had a flaw on the bumper area and refinished, it is not clearcoat.

steevr

We have the Blizzard White Pearl with Ivory interior and love it. Very classy looking and you don't see all the dust the next day.

CdeFabio

I agree with steevr, the Blizzard Pearl White is great. In the sun you can really see the depth of the paint and the flecks of pearl. I've gotten lots of comments on the looks. I almost got Black (you cannot beat the looks of a clean, black SUV) but you can see every little speck of dirt or rock chip, way too hard to keep looking new.

gs400jon

Just got an email reply from a corporate Lexus Customer Satisfaction Representative. Black Onyx does not have a clear coat finish. I really wanted a Blizzard Pearl truck for all the obvious reasons after owning a black GS400 for five years. It came down to having black with KDSS or Blizzard Pearl without.

After just having all the glass, except for the windshield, tinted medium to dark, the truck looks pretty good when the chrome wheels are shiny and it's been no longer than 10 nanoseconds since it was washed.

geewiss

Check out the Ash Blue

petert

Hi,

Thank you to all those who provided advice. My local Lexus dealer gave me a loaner GX470 for the weekend and we loved it - it was black with beige interior - it was great.

We have one on order - hoping it will arrive in the next two weeks.

allisonb1013

personally (don't hate me anyone) i didn't like the GX in black. i checked one out at the mall before i bought mine, and there was just something about it that didn't strike me. i bought the blizzard pearl LOVE IT!! but, my alternate choice (if they couldn't locate the blizzard pearl) was the blue meridian pearl. only downfall to that one would have been that it's a slightly lighter blue than our GS, so we would look funny parked side by side....