Is the paint soft on the IS. I have heard a lot of people complaining of swirl marks on their Obsidian IS. I have owned a lot of black cars and they all tend to swirl if you don't wash them properly. Are the lexus's more prone to scratches and swirls?

 

i have always been told that the paint on these cars is very soft. Due to new environmental laws or some jazz, the paint doesnt contain iron or something...?

Anyway, yeah its a good idea to get a clear bra on the car . . . i have one and havent noticed any dings, chips, etc after 15k miles. Ive heard horror stories about people not using the bra and after about 10k miles it compares to the front of their other cars with around 50-60k miles.

 

That doesn't sound right, envronmentally friendly paint and iron. Iron has nothing to do with paint being environmentally friendly. I really want to get a black car but don't want a bunch of white polka dots after my first years use.
Black really sets this car off. I would hate to have to settle for silver or white in order to preserved the look of the car.

 

When you say "clear bra" are you referring to the part that covers the front of the hood and around the grill? Mine came with it from the dealership, but the front of the bumper does not have it.

I notice little scratches on the bumper, but not the hood. Is this clear bra something that everyone else is purchasing themselves and is something different altogether?

Old Oiler

 

Yep, mine came day one from the dealership f'up with micro scratches. Rule one: DO NOT LET LEXUS WASH YOUR CAR EVER! Rule two: stay as far back from the person in front of you when driving as possible! Rule three: Read EVERYTHING here. Do those three things and you should be fine with black.

 

As much as I like the idea of the 3M Clear Bra, it's not a perfect solution. There are some drawbacks, so I've decided when I get one of these cars to follow Ben's common sense guidelines. Also get yourself a paint chip kit too.

 

Yes i have noticed that this car seems to scratch very easy having the very same color. nothing a good detail job wont take care of. I say get it and just make sure you take care of the car and you will be just fine.

 

i have the older black, it came with micro swirls and scratches from the dealer.....nothing you can do to avoid it sadly. I wish i had bought white.

 

Yea I kinda wish the same....

 

So let me get this straight. The black paint is a little bit more of a pain in the *** to take care, but it is not doomed. I have owned several black cars, in fact approx. 90% of all cars I have owned were black. I am used to black cars is there more to be concerned with on this car than others?

 

Mine's black also and it's Obsidian or whatever the latest color is. Mine shows the scratches also, no matter how careful I am. But truth be told, it's only when I'm close and I'm the one working on the car. From three feet away, they are almost non-existent, at least to the casual observer.

It'll always drive us crazy, because their our cars and we know they are on there, but they don't really show. Black looks really good when cleaned and shined, but terrible dirty, that's the price we pay.

Old Oiler.

 

YUP black is a pain in the *** to take care of... Ive always ordered silver cars but decided to get black this time. The paint does seem soft. SO far ive been able to chip the hood and have many little dings in my front bumper. When dirty its DIRTY but when clean its all worth it.

 

the only time i can see scratchs is when it is at night, under a spot like and i'm a foot away form the car. any other time, even in the sun you can not see them at all, even when i'm up close to it. i think i have a pic of my hood all done up, like glass.

 

every thread is better with pics, my hood after wash, buff and, wax before the pollen began to form.




black is a damn sexy nice color when kept clean.

 

i agree, black is a damn sexy color on a car when kept clean. on the other hand, i've had a black car for the past 10 years this October so i wanted something new and ordered white

thanks for the link ben_r