White cars, man...

"Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen" (distraxi)
10/14/2017 at 00:17 • Filed to: Rants

Clean but not tidy.

This is the first white car I’ve owned*, and it’ll be the last! What a pain in the butt to keep looking good. Yes, general road grime doesn’t show as bad as it does on a dark car, but practically every single thing that sticks well enough to a car that you need claybar, solvent, or cutting compound to get it off is goddamn black. Tar, rubber, bug fragments, you name it. Plus half the damn exterior’s black plastic under the paint.

It’s only been a few months since I last detailed it, it hasn’t been near a track in the meantime, and it’s been washed regularly. But already it looks like it’s been too close to an explosion in a pepper factory. I only had to do the Golf and the Jag (both black) every year or two.

Sheesh!

*that I’ve cared enough about to keep clean .

DISCUSSION (23)

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 00:24

There are three things I said I’d never own a white car, a coupe without a lift back, and a FWD American car. But once I boughta white Mazda MX6. A white, coupe, that is essentially a Ford. It was the worse car I’d ever owned. Partly because being a white car it still looked terrible even when it was clean, which was never.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
10/14/2017 at 00:29

They should’ve made the GT86 a liftback; would’ve made it a heck of a lot more practical.

And I feel you on the MX6. Not exactly Mazda’s finest hour.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 00:34

Toyota teased a shooting brake at one point, but the hatch was way to small to be useful, and it never even came close to production anyway. If they had made a shooting brake win a Veloster like hatch, where most of the roof opens up, people would have lost their minds.

Kinja'd!!!

E92M3 > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 00:34

Nothing looks better than a clean white car, besides a clean black car (and they barely exist).

Metallic grey is the best color for someone that doesn’t have time to keep a car clean.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > E92M3
10/14/2017 at 00:37

Metallic grey is the best color for someone that doesn’t have a soul, is the problem. Not that white or black is much better, admittedly.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 00:44

I see the appeal of silver cars. When they’re dirty, they just turn into a different shade of silver. Meanwhile my pearl car looks like someone threw a cup of coffee on it when it drizzles.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 01:01

I was looking to get a white car, too! I’ve done black and red so far for my fun cars. Never ever buying another black car.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 01:27

Satin White Pearl! That’s actually a Subaru paint. I’m quite partial to it...

Kinja'd!!!

It’s a great white paint because it really does look like satin in good light when it’s clean. When it’s clean. Which is pretty much never.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
10/14/2017 at 01:36

Yes, it’s a really nice white, if you’re gonna have a white car. Toyota call it Crystal White, for some reason: nothing crystalline about it to me.

I’d have gone for Burnt Orange given the choice, but with used cars you take what you can find.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 01:41

Hmm. Actually they switched from satin white to crystal white silica in 2015 I think. But it looked like satin in your picture. Anyway both are good colors and have decent amount of metal flake in them. The crystal white is a bit brighter but it’s hard to tell unless the lighting is right.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com
10/14/2017 at 01:52

You got me curious so I went and found the paint code and looked it up. You’re right, it is Satin White.

FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 01:57

I thought it looked like it. Woohoo our cars are the same paint color. Yours is more a more interesting car tho.

Svend > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 04:25

It’s only been a few months since I last detailed it

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I only had to do the Golf and the Jag (both black) every year or two .

White, Black, dark colours, etc... are not for you.

In fact the ONLY colour for you is silver, like a light shade silver metallic.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Svend
10/14/2017 at 04:39

Your view on reasonable standards of car presentation may be slightly outside the normal range :-).

I’m happy to spend half a hour giving it a wash every week or two. There’s a limit to how often I’m prepared to spend half a day going over every square inch with chemicals.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 05:35

that’s why i have silver

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 06:16

That’s funny as most Australian cars are white. Mine was white but after 15 years it has settled to a kind of browny geyish off-white with spots.

But most red cars that age are now pink and the yellow cars from 2002 look very ill.

Black cars are stupid.

Svend > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 06:18

I now what I do is a little off the grid. Lol. Everyone tells me I need to get out more. :)

From what you said I had the impression you were only washing it every few months.

Anyway, right. What will pay you dividends is a good sealant either Sonax BSD, CarPro Reload, Gtechniq C2v3, Gyeon Cure. Wash the car and in place f drying with a towel, use a microfibre with a couple of squirts or so of the chosen sealant and use as a drying aid while also topping the protection. It’ll help reduce the build up of dirt and debris and aid cleaning to a point your.

Piglet and the neighbours EOS take 20 minutes each once a month now.

It takes so little time it’s gotten boring. Lol.

Jayhawk Jake > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 09:45

Get on my level

Kinja'd!!!

The funny thing is, the ONE color I was adamant I wouldn’t get was black. But the deal was too good to pass up. Never again, for real this time

Maxima Speed > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 09:54

That’s a beautiful car. I want a red BRZ but wow, I might be tempted into a white 86. I’ve only ever owned white cars, 4 of them. I do agree, keeping a white car looking good is just about impossible if you daily it, that being said I think white (and its various shades) is the best car color out there.

WRXasaurus > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 11:48

I have a Wrx in satin white as well. It’s awful. Rail dust everywhere. Clay bar only helps for a few weeks. I have vowed to never ever ever own another white car.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Maxima Speed
10/14/2017 at 17:11

I wanted a Burnt Orange one. But this came up and it was exactly the spec I wanted, low miles, one older lady owner, and well priced, so white it is.

It does look damn fine in white though. And the satin pearlescent’s a really nice white.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Jayhawk Jake
10/14/2017 at 17:14

My last two cars were black, and I’d have black over white any day. Sure, black looks filthy the day after you wash it, but white looks mildly dirty the instant you finish washing it, because of all the black crap that doesn’t wash off.

Jayhawk Jake > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen
10/14/2017 at 17:34

Stuff not washing off is your fault, not the paint’s. Clean it properly and seal it