Pros/Cons of black/grey/silver paint on GX470s (2 Viewers)

[Milpilot]

I'm leaning towards grey (ash blue mica) or silver (silver pine/titanium metallic) BUT a few black (black onyx) GX470s have caught my eye...

Anyone have any issues with the black paint... I had a civic back in the day and it had crazy paint swirls that drove me nuts... I'm guessing they'd be less noticeable on silver or grey. I also read somewhere that the black onyx is a single stage paint... if true how’s it holding up?

For those with ash blue mica how do you like it? Does it look purple sometimes... if so how often? Probably hard to quantify... either way any regrets?

For the silver folks how do you like it?

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Blue ash mica never looks purple to me. It looks gray most of the time and only blue in bright light.

Black in California is too hot, hard to keep clean, and darker paint on Toyota’s seems to peel and fade after 12 years or more

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I'm a bit biased since I currently own 3 black cars and my most recent FZJ-80 (now sold) was black...



My opinion is that nothing looks better than black - when it's clean. I love cleaning and polishing my vehicles, so it's a good fit for me. But nothing looks dirty faster than black, too.

Also, nothing shows swirls and scratches more than black. If paint swirls bother you, don't get black unless you personally own a random orbital buffer or you have a good detailer guy on speed dial.

That said, even a badly swirled-up paint job can be corrected to look really good. Two of my cars looked like total ass when I bought them used, and now you could swim in their glossy reflective paint.

On the other hand, I had a 4Runner in Super White for a few years. That paint was incredibly easy to maintain, and it looked better than new when I sold it.

TLDR - Black rocks, but it takes significant effort to keep it looking good.

 

[LaserNomad]

You can paint a car any color you want, unless you have a time machine & a gun and you cant go back in history and make them take better care of their car... just a whiskey fueled thought. If you are going to be picky about color salsa red or nothing

 

[scooterp7]

I have only had my Ash Blue 05 for 6 weeks. The only time it looks purple is looking through a tinted window with polarized sunglasses on. I like the color, it cleans up easy. I am far too lazy for black, don’t like gold or pearl white. The silver looks flat or faded to me. The tan sport interior looks great with the blue. These are just my opinions, nothing scientific. If I said something about your favorite 470 color nothing personal .

 

[Arailt]

I have black. It does look good clean and the contrast of the tan interior is sharp. However, as was already mentioned, you can see nothing but swirl marks and scratches if you look close and it's dirty 30 seconds after it's washed. I kick myself for not waiting for a low mileage silver GX every day.

 

[ArBrnSnpr]

I have black.

Trip number 1 into the PNW trails left Kentucky pin-striping down the length of the vehicle.

Scratches show pretty bad on black!

That said, I'm going to be doing some vinyl work on it so it won't really matter. Plus it's a trail rig.

 

[BlackCat]

I will tell you my Silver Pine has been very forgiving. I superficially scratch it all the time off road and spend time buffing it back out, and it looks brand new 15 years later. Keep in mind I’m completely nuts/OCD about paint though.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Wow! That’s pretty good. Mine has all the scratches showing. I can even see some clear coat coming out from the roof rack and roof. Mine is not garaged and sits outside all day long.

 

[Arailt]

I will tell you my Silver Pine has been very forgiving. I superficially scratch it all the time off road and spend time buffing it back out, and it looks brand new 15 years later. Keep in mind I’m completely nuts/OCD about paint though.

View attachment 1744824

Looks great! What did you use to buff?

 

[Arailt]

I have black.

Trip number 1 into the PNW trails left Kentucky pin-striping down the length of the vehicle.

Scratches show pretty bad on black!

I had a black XJ Cherokee when I was in college that got wheeled on a weekly basis and after a few years, it looked grey from all the pinstripes. I told myself I'd never own another place 4x4 haha. So much for that

 

[joabmc]

I’m liking the Titanium Metallic. Hides pretty much everything. I’ve owned two black cars now and they are a PIA to keep nice. Agree with others that not much looks better than a black rig but it’s a lot of work to keep them looking good. Don’t have to wash the silver as much and it hides imperfections well! Yeah, getting lazier as I get older.

 

[BlackCat]

Looks great! What did you use to buff?

Menzerna micro polish and a porter cable.

 

[hatchtrikk]

All Lexus paint 'should' be two stage. The best thing about black is that since it's hotter temp wise, it's less likely to rust due to moisture in the seams like a white car. On the flip side, it's hot as **** in the summer so it'll take longer to cool the interior. Also, keep in mind that paint is finite and has a normal shelf life of around a decade, give or take a few years depending on how it's maintained.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

I think @BlackCat is going to double the life of that paint job. He probably puts anti-wrinkle cream on his GX470 and keeps it in the garage.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Also, keep in mind that paint is finite and has a normal shelf life of around a decade,

If always sitting outside in the Texas sun, maybe. For the rest of us, paint failure at 10 years means we're doing something wrong.

 

[hatchtrikk]

Ha! I only know Texas. LOL. Here, most of the vehicles that come to me for overalls with peeling clear are around 10 years old.

 

[GonzoShinyPants]

Black rocks...but yes, wrinkle cream and garage every night!

 

[BlackCat]

I think @BlackCat is going to double the life of that paint job. He probably puts anti-wrinkle cream on his GX470 and keeps it in the garage.

Definitely garage kept. It’s off road pretty much every weekend though, and AZ sun isn’t kind, either.

 

[Grouseman]

We have 4 Silver Toyota's. Silver gets my vote. Way cooler than Black. Does not show dirt like white. Why would you pick another color?

LOL