Black P-Cars Article
#16
09-24-2009 | 06:23 PM
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Great article.
I currently have 3 black cars, all equally annoying to keep clean. I previously owned a silver M5. One of the main reasons I chose that color was less maintenance. While 'easier' to keep the appearance of clean, it just never popped like a black car.
Then I realized that buying car simply because it's easier to keep clean is just silly. Sure lighter colors are less work, but if you truly love the look of black, then you'll always wish you had it.
I currently have 3 black cars, all equally annoying to keep clean. I previously owned a silver M5. One of the main reasons I chose that color was less maintenance. While 'easier' to keep the appearance of clean, it just never popped like a black car.
Then I realized that buying car simply because it's easier to keep clean is just silly. Sure lighter colors are less work, but if you truly love the look of black, then you'll always wish you had it.
#18
09-24-2009 | 07:28 PM
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When I built my new 997.2 I spent months studing every option. I studied them all and picked a silver "meteor gray" car. (My last 997 was a Basalt Black). After a few months of my order being placed. My dealer called me up and said this was the last day I could make any changes as my build was being locked in and there were no more changes I could make. I was sitting in the showroom looking over the order with about 5 min to push the button.......across the showroom under the lights I saw a stunning black coupe. The silver wheels and exhaust and Carrera S logo against the black along with the red brake calipers took my breath away. My Basalt Black never looked like that. After months of the silver being my choice I switched to Black . My salesman was astonished I would make such a switch on impulse.... I still love love it and instead of Gardening etc....my therapy is washing my car.....and with black you better enjoy the time with it. I usually turn off my phone and put some music on and get to enjoy the lines of car . ( all the time looking up at the sky hoping that damn rain isnt coming).
#19
09-24-2009 | 08:06 PM
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i own 1 black 911, and other black and dark blue cars. All are painful to keep clean and swirl free (relatively). I use Griots polishes 2 and 3 annually to remove those pesky swirl marks and other light scratches you get from normal wear. But black cars look great when clean and waxed. There are a few nicks and other scratches on the hood of the p-car, just above my clear bra (they didn't make a one piece when I got it). So I just accept it and try my best to keep it looking new. This is the nature of low sloped nose.
#20
09-24-2009 | 08:37 PM
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I compromised after several black cars and went with Meteor Gray. I am very happy with my choice. I have always liked shades of gray on sports cars. Has some depth, but does not show all the imperfections black does. Nice to just clean the wheels and not the whole car to have it still looking good.
Black is a great color that I find best to admire from afar.
Black is a great color that I find best to admire from afar.
#21
09-24-2009 | 10:09 PM
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".....and then the master of them all – a random orbital polisher (which I persuaded my wife to buy be as an Xmas present – much to her mirth)."
ha ha ha, i made wife buy me one too!
owned 2 black cars...feel your pain
ha ha ha, i made wife buy me one too!
owned 2 black cars...feel your pain
Like this... so much waxing ...ugh. 
#24
09-24-2009 | 10:25 PM
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Might be on my Christmas list
#26
09-24-2009 | 10:45 PM
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I just had this article published in Total 911 - an excellent UK 911 magazine that I get shipped to the US. I thought those with black 911's might sympathize with me.
When you are first looking for what car you should invest those hard earned dollars in, you are thinking about how it will feel to sit in the driver’s seat and depress the accelerator, how it corners at high speed, the sound of the engine at high RPM.
What you are not thinking about is how much effort you are going to need to invest in keeping it looking like the day you bought it.
When I entered the showroom to buy my first P-Car it took me all of 10 seconds to zero in on the car of my dreams. A shiny new 2007 Carrera S, Black-on-Black, Turbo Wheels, Brakes and Wing Mirrors. It looked so fast just sat there on the showroom floor but I could only imagine what it would be like to drive.
Whilst I know there is a perceived undercurrent around Porsche drivers, specifically in this current financial climate, I have to tell you that driving the car away from the dealer a few days later I felt like an invincible god – pathetic I know!
Driving home there were a lot of “thumbs up” and “great ride” comments which only added to my perceived magnificence LOL!
I even managed to get a fitted Porsche car cover as part of the package which put my new baby snuggly to sleep that evening.
But – to my shock and horror – within 1 day of driving and parking it, it had a layer of pollen on it that made it look like it had been sat in a car lot for a year untouched.
And this, dear reader, leads me to the purpose of my missive. Whilst a black Porsche I believe is one of the best colors available for making your car look like what it is – a thoroughbred racehorse disguised as a car with grace, elegance, beauty and power- it soon turns into a labor of love to keep it to that level.
On a week to week basis I will look at the weather forecast to see the short to medium range forecast to see how much time I should invest in washing and polishing the car (which takes from 2 to 7 hours depending on how meticulous you are). It is all around return on investment – how long can I possibly keep it looking clean given the time I have to commit to it.
I am not a person interested in entering my car for Concors event or even as a garage showpiece, I have driven this car hard (30K miles in 2 years), but with a black car you have to take that mentality because EVERYTHING shows up on a black car.
It shows everything from water spots and pollen to the dreaded “Swirl Marks”. I think Swirl marks are likely the biggest cause of angst for black car owners because it does not matter how careful you are in cleaning your car (it goes without saying NEVER take a black car through an automatic car wash), swirl marks appear and will drive you to madness in how much they get to your psyche.
And this is when the madness begins….
You start by reviewing forums such as 6Speedonline and Rennlist where there are huge discussion tracks on techniques, equipment and an endless list of waxes/polishes etc. You also look at specialist sources such as Griots Garage that provide not just the equipment but detailed handbooks on looking after your car from inside to out.
Then you start buying special cloths and waxes/polishes, paint cleaning clay and then the master of them all – a random orbital polisher (which I persuaded my wife to buy be as an Xmas present – much to her mirth).
Then you have to buy racking for everything you bought to keep the kids from running over it and using your “specialist” cloths for cleaning bikes etc.
The final nail in the madness coffin is the following: Having 3 young children means I spend a lot of time ferrying them to soccer, softball, lacrosse etc across the Boston Area. As a result I have found myself looking at the locations of these events on Google Maps and zooming in to the highest level I can to identify whether the car park is concrete or loose gravel, If I have a choice this will sway the location I will prefer to drive to. I have almost wept, after cleaning my car, driving to a soccer field where the car park is loose concrete gravel and having grey dust kick up around me and cover the car.
Am I insane? Who knows… all I know is that when I put the final touch to my car after spending hours washing, polishing and waxing it, I get that very same feeling I had the day I bought it. And all of the time it took is worth it – just please don’t rain for a couple of weeks!
Owning a Black Porsche – A Beauty or a Curse? – Try it yourself and you decide – but buyer beware!.
When you are first looking for what car you should invest those hard earned dollars in, you are thinking about how it will feel to sit in the driver’s seat and depress the accelerator, how it corners at high speed, the sound of the engine at high RPM.
What you are not thinking about is how much effort you are going to need to invest in keeping it looking like the day you bought it.
When I entered the showroom to buy my first P-Car it took me all of 10 seconds to zero in on the car of my dreams. A shiny new 2007 Carrera S, Black-on-Black, Turbo Wheels, Brakes and Wing Mirrors. It looked so fast just sat there on the showroom floor but I could only imagine what it would be like to drive.
Whilst I know there is a perceived undercurrent around Porsche drivers, specifically in this current financial climate, I have to tell you that driving the car away from the dealer a few days later I felt like an invincible god – pathetic I know!
Driving home there were a lot of “thumbs up” and “great ride” comments which only added to my perceived magnificence LOL!
I even managed to get a fitted Porsche car cover as part of the package which put my new baby snuggly to sleep that evening.
But – to my shock and horror – within 1 day of driving and parking it, it had a layer of pollen on it that made it look like it had been sat in a car lot for a year untouched.
And this, dear reader, leads me to the purpose of my missive. Whilst a black Porsche I believe is one of the best colors available for making your car look like what it is – a thoroughbred racehorse disguised as a car with grace, elegance, beauty and power- it soon turns into a labor of love to keep it to that level.
On a week to week basis I will look at the weather forecast to see the short to medium range forecast to see how much time I should invest in washing and polishing the car (which takes from 2 to 7 hours depending on how meticulous you are). It is all around return on investment – how long can I possibly keep it looking clean given the time I have to commit to it.
I am not a person interested in entering my car for Concors event or even as a garage showpiece, I have driven this car hard (30K miles in 2 years), but with a black car you have to take that mentality because EVERYTHING shows up on a black car.
It shows everything from water spots and pollen to the dreaded “Swirl Marks”. I think Swirl marks are likely the biggest cause of angst for black car owners because it does not matter how careful you are in cleaning your car (it goes without saying NEVER take a black car through an automatic car wash), swirl marks appear and will drive you to madness in how much they get to your psyche.
And this is when the madness begins….
You start by reviewing forums such as 6Speedonline and Rennlist where there are huge discussion tracks on techniques, equipment and an endless list of waxes/polishes etc. You also look at specialist sources such as Griots Garage that provide not just the equipment but detailed handbooks on looking after your car from inside to out.
Then you start buying special cloths and waxes/polishes, paint cleaning clay and then the master of them all – a random orbital polisher (which I persuaded my wife to buy be as an Xmas present – much to her mirth).
Then you have to buy racking for everything you bought to keep the kids from running over it and using your “specialist” cloths for cleaning bikes etc.
The final nail in the madness coffin is the following: Having 3 young children means I spend a lot of time ferrying them to soccer, softball, lacrosse etc across the Boston Area. As a result I have found myself looking at the locations of these events on Google Maps and zooming in to the highest level I can to identify whether the car park is concrete or loose gravel, If I have a choice this will sway the location I will prefer to drive to. I have almost wept, after cleaning my car, driving to a soccer field where the car park is loose concrete gravel and having grey dust kick up around me and cover the car.
Am I insane? Who knows… all I know is that when I put the final touch to my car after spending hours washing, polishing and waxing it, I get that very same feeling I had the day I bought it. And all of the time it took is worth it – just please don’t rain for a couple of weeks!
Owning a Black Porsche – A Beauty or a Curse? – Try it yourself and you decide – but buyer beware!.
I agree 1,000,000%...look at my winter cleaning and you will see how far I go...!
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ng-starts.html
Stacy
#28
09-25-2009 | 05:00 AM
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Black is a pain especially regarding dust, everytime I take it out I wash it. Don't take it out in rain. OCD alert! But wouldn't have a Porsche in other colour.
Brake dust is my enemy, I'm seriously looking at black rims. I would have paid for PCCBs just to avoid the dust. By the way, I have heard from experts, grey is the worst to colour match for panel repairs. It also shows up where clear bra ends and starts.It's less obvious in black.
Brake dust is my enemy, I'm seriously looking at black rims. I would have paid for PCCBs just to avoid the dust. By the way, I have heard from experts, grey is the worst to colour match for panel repairs. It also shows up where clear bra ends and starts.It's less obvious in black.
#29
09-25-2009 | 05:07 AM
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Yorks,
great thread! I feel your pain. We have one silver car and three black cars. I love em. To be honest its not that much work
I find that between washes (believe it or not) Speed Shine (Griots) does a great job for that dust fallout stuff. Now if u r Stacy, that in deed is another thread in its self
great thread! I feel your pain. We have one silver car and three black cars. I love em. To be honest its not that much work
I find that between washes (believe it or not) Speed Shine (Griots) does a great job for that dust fallout stuff. Now if u r Stacy, that in deed is another thread in its self
#30
09-25-2009 | 10:40 PM
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Posts: 1,224
From: Oregon
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If my car was my daily driver, I'd have gone white first and silver second. However, as a weekend toy, black was my only choice. I think the 997 (especially a Cab) looks best in black.
Just my opinion of course as color is such a personal thing.
Just my opinion of course as color is such a personal thing.