Major Problem with the color.

[WICKED_GRIN]

This is a big decision where a mistake is going to be with me for several years. I’m having a hard time deciding on which Roadster color to get, the red or the black! Red has always been the iconic color for sport cars and I have owned several “reds” in the past. The new Roadster looks good in all the colors but my decision is now between the Solid Red and the Magnetic Black. We all heard the personal testimonies and opinions about black cars which is probably the reason why I have never owned a black car. Are the paint swirls really that bad? Does is always look dirty? I’m looking forward to any comments and humorous opinions.

[tonybui]

I own a black car and yes it looks pretty damn good when clean but it's really easy to get dirty and show every little detail. And yes swirl marks shows. I also own a red car before and love it. I wouldn't get black again for my next car, but it's up to you

[6MT]

IMHO, don't choose black. My last vehicle was a very nice '08 Accord coupe and it was black. It was a B*itch to keep clean. I would wash and polish it and only an hour later it was showing the dust. And if it rained....

The Platinum Graphite (or Carbon Silver as it's called in Canada) seems to be a very easy color to maintain. It doesn't show dust and when it's dirty, it still looks clean.

So.... dark colors bad (to keep looking clean)..... light colors good.

[IDZRVIT]

Black rose! You get the best of both colours!

[WICKED_GRIN]

Another comment that I’ve heard more than once is that black is really hot in the summer. I live in New England and we get 2-3 weeks a summer where it’s Hot and Humid (thank god for AC).

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by WICKED_GRIN

This is a big decision where a mistake is going to be with me for several years. I’m having a hard time deciding on which Roadster color to get, the red or the black! Red has always been the iconic color for sport cars and I have owned several “reds” in the past. The new Roadster looks good in all the colors but my decision is now between the Solid Red and the Magnetic Black. We all heard the personal testimonies and opinions about black cars which is probably the reason why I have never owned a black car. Are the paint swirls really that bad? Does is always look dirty? I’m looking forward to any comments and humorous opinions.

I buy only red cars---I have a red Miata, a red Altima coupe, a red Z. The color is bright and that is incidentally a safety plus. Red is warm and less delicate to deal with, maintenance wise, than black. Red has always been an appropriate color for sporty cars. For what its worth, I notice that Nissan seems to often present the Z in red. Red will not be a handicap for you when you re-sell or trade, as black might be.

[antman22]

The great thing about a black car is that when its clean, it looks goooooood. IMO, it can't be beat when its clean. The shine and luster is just so deep. On the other hand however, to keep it clean is a full time job. Dust, water spots, etc. just show up so easily on black.

In other colors like platinum graphite, to echo 6MT, its easy to maintain. You can't really see the dust until it gets really bad or someone starts drawing pictures in the dust....what I have noticed on my Z (which is PG), is that even after a clay and wax, the shine just isn't as deep, it doesn't quite have that pop that darkers colors can produce. Don't get me wrong, its nice and slick and shiny, just not quite as much...

I've never had a red car, so its hard to really say. I'm sure it probably sits somewhere in the middle of what I just said. either way, red definitely gets noticed its pretty much the iconic sports car color. i test drove a red Z and I thought the color looked pretty good. A little bit much for me, only cuz i'm a black/grey/silver person.

Just go with the color that really makes you smile everytime you look at one. Even if it requires a lot of work, consider it a labor of love.

[zentropy]

There is a reason its called magnetic black...dust and anything that is going to screw up your shine is attracted to it like no ones business. BUT when its clean and perfect its awesome.

[Red370]

I have a red one, and the swirl marks are extremely prevalent, you're screwed both ways as far as that goes, but red has always been the iconic sports car color.

[6MT]

Originally Posted by zentropy

There is a reason its called magnetic black...dust and anything that is going to screw up your shine is attracted to it like no ones business. BUT when its clean and perfect its awesome.

[Zaggeron]

I think the coupes look really good in red. IMHO the roadster less so. I went for PG for my roadster -- It has a sorta classy look that suits the roadster. I've also seen some very nice white ones, but I never seriously considered white for mine.

[golfgirlrobin]

How much work are you willing to do to keep it up? I spent half my life trying to keep my black S2000 clean and actually found it kind of depressing how briefly the effort lasted. Personally, I can't stand red cars so that was never an option for me; always looks like you're trying too hard to be noticed.

My 370 is platinum graphite and looks rich, expensive and clean all the time.

[Mike]

Unless you need a show car finish at all times, black really isn't bad at all. We have 4 black cars, and even when dirty, from a few feet away they look just fine.

[6MT]

Originally Posted by Mike

and even when dirty, from a few feet away they look just fine.

A 50/50 vehicle.... looks good from 50 feet going 50mph.

[dalparadise]

I agree with the OP that Solid Red would complement the lines of the Roadster very nicely. I've observed that red does tend to fade over time, though, even with care. I have avoided it, because it's such a charged and polarizing color. On a very few cars -- particularly sports/roadsters I think it's great. On others, it's a dog.

Magnetic Black would be beautiful on this car. I've owned two black convertibles -- an MZ3 and a 330CiC. Both were easier to maintain than hardtop black cars because all the paintwork is low and is in large areas that don't require as much finely detailed cleaning -- essentially, you reduce your work by about half. Make no mistake, though, you will have to work to maintain the finish. I used to carry a bottle of Quick Detailer and a towel in the trunk for emergencies. I also found I was waxing more frequently than I ever had with lighter cars, probably because the results were so much more rewarding.

The Roadster is a bit of a different animal than the Coupe, in terms of aesthetics. I think the Roadster has a bit more refined looks and benefits from more elegant color choices -- shades of gray or dark, rich colors. That said, I've seen the white over black Roadster on this board and it really caught my eye -- I'd rank it among my top three choices. So maybe my color theories are full of sh!t.

In the end, if you can keep it up, MB will pay dividends in WOW factor. Beautiful, elegant -- it's sporty and refined. You're just as good at a 5-star restaurant as you are at a club.

SR is more the racer set. It's pretty, but it's begging to be noticed -- not quite as sure of itself. Definitely leans more toward the club or weekend cruising and may actually require more care than black over the long haul, if applicable.

Between those two, I'd go for black.

Platinum Graphite got my heart racing, though.