How does the paint hold up?

[Jryanbass]

I am looking for a new to me 5. I am coming from a black 07 VW Rabbit, and the paint job has been HORRIBLE! oxidation, scratches, you name it. I was really wanting a white 5, but found an awesome deal on a black 08. Would you go with the black or wait and try to find a white one? I love the way black looks, just not the way it holds up

 

[dmesthetic]

With black, be careful the way you wash the car, remove the snow etc. Also apply a good paint scellant over and wax often

 

[KBrian]

Black will require lots of maintenance compared to white, but you should really choose the colour you love the best, or choose the 5 that is the best deal (mileage/options/price) and take the colour as it comes (thats what we did-07 GT in brilliant black).

Good luck.

 

[rweatherford]

Yes it scratches easily and get's dirty easy.

 

[m5pa]

Black is a pain to care for no matter who makes the car or the paint that goes on it. Looks great clean, looks bad dirty,hard to keep clean. Black is my last choice when buying new and I try to avoid buying used if I can find a similar car not in black.

Our 08 5 GT has 6000 miles on it ( and we bought new) already has some large chips in the paint. The paint, in my opinion, coming from an 04 VW Jetta Wagon and (one made in Germany) and an 06 Accord, is much thinner and prone to chipping then either of those two,especially the VW.

Ours is silver, which is the easiest to take care of (you don't notice how dirty it REALLY IS until you wash it). Touch up paint is good to have and be prepared to get it from a Mazda dealer or online reseller. You can't find the colors easily in your local parts store.

 

[NCZ13]

Cars get dirty at the same rate despite whatever color it is.

How you upkeep the car depends on your quality of your washes. Proper wash techniques, proper tools, and quality products.

If your using Dawn, or the cheap autozone car wash that comes in gallons, an old mop bucket, old dirty sponge, and an old bath towel, yeah, your black car is gonna look like s*** after a couple washes.

 

[Rocket]

I can't speak for black, but my 06 is white with nearly 100,000 miles and only has the expected rock chips. I'm also in the car wash business, and the car goes through both a touch less and a friction wash about 5 times a week. The paint shows no signs of wear.

 

[mazdadude]

5 times a week? You should be included in a paint research study....(poke)

 

[Rocket]

5 times a week? You should be included in a paint research study....(poke)

All they have to do is call.

Seriously though. At least 5 times a week, sometimes more. My repairman probably washes his van 10+ times a week and his paint looks good also.

It might have more to do with the car wash than the car paint.

 

[SGT_OKINAWA]

Cars get dirty at the same rate despite whatever color it is.

How you upkeep the car depends on your quality of your washes. Proper wash techniques, proper tools, and quality products.

If your using Dawn, or the cheap autozone car wash that comes in gallons, an old mop bucket, old dirty sponge, and an old bath towel, yeah, your black car is gonna look like s*** after a couple washes.

Votes NCZ13 as the best answer.
------------------------
Now my .02 worth

A. color ONLY matters in HEAT
conditions, black = MORE HEAT
absorbed = hot to the touch car
in summer. WHITE = less heat.

RED = more speeding tickets (just kididng)

B. NEWER cars, 2001 and up
have CLEAR COATING that is
10X better than anything in the past

C. Washing is MUTE when talking about COLOR.

D. HOWEVER, washing is a
personal opinion, and how it
looks when its dirty is to vague
a statement to give some guy
advice OVER THE INTERNET on
what he should buy.

E. Each persons judgment about
how dirty a car is based on too
many variables to say Black is
worse than white, etc.

F. What NCZ13 said
is SO TRUE, cheap products, poor
habits, and lack of attention to
detail will cause the CLEAR COAT
to look like crap regardless of COLOR (attn)

C. COLOR now days are YOUR
CHOICE, you already said I like
it so its up to you.

NOTE: is it really HOT where
you live during the summer?
AND can you handle driving a
hot to the touch BLACK paint
job car."

Good luck.

NOW,to everyone else,
Im shocked no one has
chimed in and stated the obvious,
we should have told him

I'd be WAY MORE WORRIED ABOUT...

1. Engine maint, performance
2. Miles
3. Interrior condition
4. Brake pads
5. TIRES
6. Battery
7. List goes on

WAY BEFORE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE COLOR (crazy)

But, then again,
its the internet,
and EVERYTHING
on the INTERNET
is TRUE. (rlaugh)

peace!(rei)

 

[Phratt]

(sssh)

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones...

I own a grey Mazda5 5 months per year, and then switch to a blue Mazda5 for the balance of the year...

I live in Montreal... If I wash the car when it's -20C the doors freeze up. If ever there is a nice and hot sunny day in winter (let's say 0C), I can wash the car. By the time I get to the next car wash on the road, it must be washed again, and again at the next car wash...

(pissed)

Can't wait for the next snow fall... some of the dirt comes off when I take the snow off the car.

(whistle)

 

[bullaculla]

Most of the paint on new cars seem soft to me. They all seem to scratch and chip easily. Manufacturers have to deal with kinds of enviornmental issues.

I have 4 small spots right in front of my sunroof that are starting to rust. It might have started under the paint though because they have those spreading veins and dont look like rock chips. I do have many rock chips on the hood, none of which are rusting (dunno)
My stellar green 5 always seems pretty clean tho