Buying a black truck as a detail rig- am I crazy?

kpagel · 11-24-06, 01:08

Well, I always told myself I'd never own a black vehicle. However, I've been looking at new trucks lately (either going to be a 2007 Tacoma or a 2006 Tundra, leaning towards the Tacoma) and I'm very tempted to get black. This will be my daily driver and work truck which I will use to get me started in my own detailing business. We already know the pros and cons of the color (can be a PITA to maintain, but gorgeous when its clean, etc) so what do you guys think? I won't be jumping in as a 100% full time detailer, but I will hopefully build myself up to that point in a few months and I can stop doing the part time side jobs I'm doing now for steady pay.

So is going black a bad idea? I'm also tempted to go the easy way out and get white or silver.

a.k.a. Patrick · 11-24-06, 04:35

I wouldnt say its a "bad" idea. Its just going to require a lot of upkeep on your part. Like you stated (can be a pita to maintain). I personally wouldn do it, just for that simple fact. I own a silver truck, and with the lack of time I have for proper maintenance, well, Im glad its silver......

Scottwax · 11-24-06, 07:30

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: What! Are you nuts? Black is a horrible choice for a detailing rig. Way too much work to keep it in the shape your customers and potential customers will expect. Not to mention how mad you will be when you wash it and 15 minutes later, dust is already settling on it and some jerk watered their lawn and the entire street along with it. I have a black car and while it looks great after I clean it, by the end of the day, there always seems to be something that has already messed it up.

Go with silver. Even when it is dirty, it still looks pretty good.

toyotaguy · 11-24-06, 09:41

silver for sure....you can make it look beter than white...and if you are not using a trailer, get the tundra....the extra bedspace is invaluable...atleast for my setup....I thought about the tacoma, but after seeing the small bed space and visualizing all my gear, it wont fit...

kpagel · 11-24-06, 10:28

Thanks for the input. My only reservation about going with silver is my brother has a silver Tacoma and I kinda don't want the same truck as him, but then again it doesn't really matter.

Eric, I'll be running a trailer which will carry water, generator, PW, and a couple other small things so I'm not as worried about bed space. I think with the trailer, the 6 ft bed on the Tacoma will be plenty. I'm also thinking of getting either a hard tonneau or even a camper shell in the back as well.

mopar · 11-24-06, 10:49

Tacoma's and Tundras have horrible chipping paint, I should know, I have a red Tundra.
One thing tho you could show off you're work on a black truck.

Joshua312 · 11-24-06, 10:55

Get the Speedway Blue

kpagel · 11-24-06, 11:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by mopar

Tacoma's and Tundras have horrible chipping paint, I should know, I have a red Tundra.
One thing tho you could show off you're work on a black truck.

Yeah, I know. I had a 2005 Tacoma which chipped like crazy and currently drive a 2006 Scion tC. First order of business will be to get a 3M clear bra installed on the front end and on the rear fender flairs.

mopar · 11-24-06, 11:09

I wish a bra would help me, I get chips where i have no business getting them like on the roof the tail gate. I hope Toyota gets this fixed cause its really turned me off, its caused me to become an obsessive compulsive detailer. mines an 02 Tundra and im looking to possible get 2007.

kpagel · 11-24-06, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua312

Get the Speedway Blue

Oh man, no way! Here's a picture of my old SWB Tacoma X-Runner and my new 2006 Scion tC RS2.0. Lets just say Im tired of blue.

kpagel · 11-24-06, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by mopar

I wish a bra would help me, I get chips where i have no business getting them like on the roof the tail gate. I hope Toyota gets this fixed cause its really turned me off, its caused me to become an obsessive compulsive detailer. mines an 02 Tundra and im looking to possible get 2007.

Thats really weird. I only had chipping problems along the fender flares and the front end.

Those 2007 Tundras look nice.

mopar · 11-24-06, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpagel

Thats really weird. I only had chipping problems along the fender flares and the front end.

Those 2007 Tundras look nice.

Yeah not an isolated problem there are lots of threads on the isue at Tundrasolutions.com
one recent post I did at TS.
Two years back I fixed numerous paint chips on my tundra, I though that was the end of it since it seemed to stop chipping, but just recently since the weather started getting cooler I started noticing a disturbing trend, today I found a 1/4 inch chip above the rear window no dent its like the primer under the paint gave way clean and separated from the electro coat i could peel the paint off, and my hood is chipped like the original post.

I swear the paint pops off in my driveway without anything hitting, my roof is full of chips, theres more of a problem here than just thin base and clear cote it goes down to brittle chalk like primer, to fix this would require stripping the paint down to the electro cote. This truck sits 95% of the time , I can deal with brakes and other things this is the worst problem to fix. it has no solution worth doing.

Other threads show the problem is still around with the 05 and 06 Tundras and Tacoma's. some how I think the 07 Tundra will still have this problem, if something is being done different with the 07 Tundra paint process please post it, its enough to make you buy a Chevy