Color Longevity Question...
 

Between pearl white and platinum graphite what color do you think will hold up better in the long run?

The reason i'm asking this is because im having a hard time picking between the two so I figured I would try the logical approach.

Also I live in florida and the sun here is murder! A lighter color usually emits less heat right?

I would say white would hold up better against the sun. You're not going to notice much of a difference for white when it fades. IMHO, you should go with the color you like best and not for durability.

from what i can tell white turns yellowish after long term exposure to the sun

I have the brilliant silver and I find that it shows the stone chips on the front when it breaks through to the black plastic underneath. The white would be the same. I would would go with the darker grey which was the colour of my previous car and it looked good for 8 years. The only colour that may fade quicker than the rest would be the red. However, thats going to take a long time.

I've had a white car. With time, road debris and grime becomes difficult to clean off and you'll have black specs on the car. A professional polishing may fix that, but I've found the platinum graphite to be very low maintenance.

I've been amazed how easy it is to maintain the platinum graphite paint. Although, I keep it garaged and clean it whenever I see any dirt(dirt is barely visible)

Thank you all for your info. It really helps.:tup:

That's why that color was on top of my list...but I'd rather save a few bucks and get the one on the lot that met 95% of what I was after.

If you look after your cars paint any colour should hold up a looong time. Seal and wax with proper technique of course to avoid swirls.

Pearl White would be the color of choice for styling logevity, but Platinum Graphite is the better looking color in my opinion.

yup....I've had a 350Z and a G35c both in pearl white...the problem is the white is they look different on different materials: they look different on plastic than on metal...and they're pretty noticeable too if you compare your bumper with your body panel...and with the white, if you plan to put the 3M protector on your panels, those areas will turn yellow quick...however, white is hella sexy to look at...from afar, you won't notice the different shades..only when you walk up to it....

I remember the brand new pear white Toyota Avalon we had on my lot a few years ago...after it's been on the lot for about 6-8 months, you could REALLY tell the yellowness in the bumper...

The gray of the 370Z is actually very nice looking...I've never been a fan of gray because it's a darker shade of silver, and every manufacturer has a silver...and I think silver is the ugliest color on the Z...I used to think the car was so ugly looking, but then I realized that I didn't like the car because it was a silver color, just didn't look nice...however, the pearl white looks just freaking damn nice...

the gray, however, will pretty much the same dirty or clean...it holds up against dirt pretty well...

Well the Pearl White I had on my 350 never faded and there were no differences from the metal to the plastic bumper in the 4 years that I owned it. Also my 03 Max SE's pearl white paint still looks great and has no differences either, and they both have spent lots of time in the Texas Sun. I hope his brother my 370 also Pearl white also holds up as well as they did/have. :)

Keeping it washed and waxed will help. I found this on Meguire's website.

"Some waxes do contain UV-protection agents, but the amount of protection that a microscopically thin layer of wax can provide is limited. The primary goal of a wax is to protect the top layers of paint that contain UV-protection agents from the paint manufacture. If you wash and wax your car regularly, your paint will be protected and you should suffer no major UV damage over the normal course of the life of the car."

If you're really concerned then try a car cover if you park it outside.

The Platinum Graphite is extremely easy to maintain. I agree with an earlier post... the White will show imperfections over time. The Platinum Graphite "hides" dirt and imperfections. I have numerous paint chips already (because of road debris), and the Platinum Graphite does not easily show these chips. I find that it "looks" cleaner longer. Even with dust, it looks clean and shiny.

But, you should probably choose the color you like... not by which will last longer.

My white 91 Supra never turned yellow in the HI sun, however, it was a bit dull. I think maybe older vehicle paints were better?:confused: