How bad is the black paint on Toyota RAV4`s?

**levander** · 04-19-2017, 01:05 AM

No idea if the black paint is the same black paint they use on all Toyotas. But I`m looking at buying a RAV4 and not really crazy about any of their colors. So I`m looking at the old black that looks so good, but is supposedly hard to keep clean.

Searching through old forum posts, there were comments like, the BWM metallic black paint is okay, but STAY AWAY from the regular black paint...

Is black so so hard to keep clean that it would bug regular people? Or does it just drive detailers crazy?

**Buster906** · 04-19-2017, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by levander

No idea if the black paint is the same black paint they use on all Toyotas. But I`m looking at buying a RAV4 and not really crazy about any of their colors. So I`m looking at the old black that looks so good, but is supposedly hard to keep clean.

Searching through old forum posts, there were comments like, the BWM metallic black paint is okay, but STAY AWAY from the regular black paint...

Is black so so hard to keep clean that it would bug regular people? Or does it just drive detailers crazy?

Black is a beautiful color on a vehicle. However, black will show every light colored spec of debris or marring and swirl or scratch. As Mike Phillips says, black is not a color, it`s a full-time job

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**carnage** · 04-19-2017, 07:37 AM

On my 2012 RAV4 the black paint or the clear coat is really soft. Swirls really easy. Quality microfiber cloth can leave marks behind. Something like Meguiars M205 can get some good correction done. When It`s all polished up it looks great.

**Mike lambert** · 04-19-2017, 08:40 AM

With the way paints are changed by the manufacturers there is no accurate answer to that question. Your car may have a different clear than the car in front on the line. The only accurate answer is a test spot. I just don`t understand how anyone can tell you this is hard paint or soft? I`ve had the same years and makes be totally different.

**mnewxcv** · 04-19-2017, 09:04 AM

What year is it? I know Toyota used single stage black into the 2000s,and I think still uses single stage white on some vehicles.

**levander** · 04-19-2017, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by mnewxcv

What year is it? I know Toyota used single stage black into the 2000s,and I think still uses single stage white on some vehicles.

It`d be a new 2017.

**MattPersman** · 04-19-2017, 11:51 AM

Go look at the cars on the lot and wipe a spot down a few on the lot with a couple average microfibers see for your self

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**levander** · 04-19-2017, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by MattPersman

Go look at the cars on the lot and wipe a spot down a few on the lot with a couple average microfibers see for your self

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This ain`t a bad idea.

**levander** · 04-19-2017, 02:29 PM

Are all dark colors more or less like black? No one in my family has ever driven a black car. But my Mom has a dark blue BMW. There is one scratch about six inches long under the driver`s window that looks white in color. But it`s pretty deep. If there`s any swirl marks or marring on the rest of the car, we don`t even notice it.

Probably the main reason I want black is just I don`t like the Toyota colors. But it`s hard to mess up black. There is a gray metallic color that`s a darker gray, but definitely not black. Would it be almost as bad?

**levander** · 04-19-2017, 05:22 PM

Apparently there`s also a Glactic Mica Blue that`s basically a dark blue. I like it one the webbut I have` seen it in person yet.

is dark blue gonna be the same thing as black?

**rlmccarty2000** · 04-19-2017, 05:33 PM

Depends on how dark. I had a Midnight Blue Ford a long time ago and it was almost black. I wouldn`t worry about the color. If you like it, buy it. Black may show defects more, but when it is clean it is one of the best colors around. Black also has good resale value. As a generalization Jananese cars have soft paint where German cars have hard paint. Always do a test spot to determine actual paint hardness.

**levander** · 04-19-2017, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by rlmccarty2000

Depends on how dark. I had a Midnight Blue Ford a long time ago and it was almost black. I wouldn`t worry about the color. If you like it, buy it. Black may show defects more, but when it is clean it is one of the best colors around. Black also has good resale value. As a generalization Jananese cars have soft paint where German cars have hard paint. Always do a test spot to determine actual paint hardness.

The rare contrarian, even on a auto-detailing forum...