Black painted trucks. Is it impossible to keep clean?

[abadsvt]

Hello everyone! I was thinking about changing the color of my project truck and my wife wants me to go black. I was hoping to hear from people with black trucks. Would you either buy or paint your truck black again? How often do you have to wash it? How old is the paint job? Does it have lots of swirl marks from using towels to dry the truck? Any comments would be much appreciated and pics would be nice too

Thanks Josh

[Palf70Step]

Black is beautiful, when it is clean, but with me that never last very long...especially down here. Any small speck of dust/pollen shows up.

[72freak]

Everyone should have 1 at some point.
You learn very fast never to have another one!!!!!!!
I had 3............Im a slow learner!!!!!

NEVER AGAIN

[N2TRUX]

Black is beautiful when it's clean. The problem is it's "never" clean. At Least not for long.

I have for black vehicles at the house now, another one at Stoked Out Specialties in Rockwall, and sold yet another one not too long ago.

They are a LOT of work, but they do look good all shined up. Red is better....

[68Stepbed]

That was one of the deciding factors for painting my truck blue. I wouldn't say I would never have another one, but I wouldn't intentionally paint one black again. It also kind of depends on what you're gonna do with the truck: show it or drive it. In my opinion, driving a black truck is better than keeping a black show truck clean. If you're driving it, you know it's gonna get dirty, so you don't worry as much because you know you're gonna have to clean it anyway.

A black show vehicle, on the other hand, is a different story. You stay so concerned with keeping it clean and spotless so much, it keeps you busy during the ENTIRE show.

As far as keeping it clean, here is how I did it with mine.
1: Wash it with a good soap that doesn't lose all it's suds after the first two body panels.
2: Don't use a sponge. Use a wash mitt, preferably a microfiber one if you can get one.
3: Dry it immediately with a chamois cloth. (I like The Absorber best)
4:Get it into shade soon after drying if not already
5: This is where it got ugly for me. I HAD to wax mine after every other wash and use a detailer spray between those waxes. My paint wasn't the best so some of this may not be as bad on a good base/clear job.
6: Keep a detailer spray with you all the time, you'll need it! The best I found is some stuff called Bead-X. You can use it on all surfaces to clean off just about anything the road may splatter on your truck.

This may not be the best way to do it, it's just the best I found to work on my truck.

[1LoC10]

I had a black car in the past, i kept it clean all the time... but it was a job, and i said i would never get black again

[Louis72]

I love the way black looks when clean, if you really wants black mabye consider a black suede would be a compromise. The five minutes mine is clean after a wash is great,then its alll downhill. California duster, a good wax and detail spray are a must. If your getting a high dollar paint job black is great also bodywork has to be perfect. Just my opinion.

[ChevLoRay]

My truck was black when it was new. It will be black again.

I have had one black truck, in the past. I have had several white ones. I feel that black looks better longer than white.

[Joesjunk]

I love black trucks, but the are a pain!! I have a black 68 and I hate to even get it out because it is always dirty! Just sitting in the garage it gets dirty! If you dont have a super slick paint job it might not be as bad? As much as I like it, I dont think I would ever do a solid black show truck again.

[LockDoc]

-
I had a black '84 Blazer one time. I didn't have a lot of trouble keeping it clean but the wife and I took it to Florida one time and just about cooked to death in it. If you parked it to do some shopping, etc. it was like climbing into an oven when you came back out. That was the last black vehicle for me...

A different perspective on the topic....

LockDoc

[David Flores]

I'm about to paint my truck black.

[Select]

Mine's black...just like I bought it. The wife wants it black after I restore it. Personally I love black, dirty or not. I think a perfect black truck that it an 11 on a scale of 10 is still atleast a 8 when dirty. Yes it does take a lot to keep it clean and no I haven't kept up on it lately but I love it....Mikey

[drbyrdman]

Mine is black. Just make the wife clean it once a week

[AlienYouth]

i'm about to paint my truck black, just cause it sooo purdy : )

[northerngmc]

Everyone should own one black vehicle, then they will know how hard it is to keep it clean. If you plan on keeping this truck I wouldn't paint it black!

I owned a 94 Chev 1/2 ton that was black. By the time I washed it and finished cleaning it the first corner was usually dusty again, no seriously.

[special-K]

Don`t all solid dark paints show dust?That`s what my experience has been.And,I keep dust off all nice paint jobs.At least dark ones let you know to dust them off.I think they show dust because they look so good all shined up.

[pdr510]

I was considering going with a different color until I seen this pic. OMG that is a fine truck. This pic also inspired me to change from a step side to a fleet side bed. No one will argue that black is a pain to keep clean. When black is clean you can't beat it IMO.

[tiggerstoy]

i agree....im an autobody teck, i paint lots of cars, trucks, whatever....as hard as it is to keep clean, when you see them rolling in the lot, everyone turnes there heads.....my 55 is to be black, my harley's black....dont get me wrong, i love all colours on them all, but black definitly stands out......max.

[sleepyboy]

I love black, but ditto on perfect bodywork. I've had white trucks also (which are never white). I chose silver paint, hides dirt well so does burgundy, greens, browns...I am not a professional painter but if you do a base coat with a sponge off type topcoat so the base coat shines through you never see dirt.

[wibilly]

hell they all get dirty if you can make it straight enough for black you can sure make it clean i say go for it they all need cleaning if you want them to look their best

[jorgensensc]

Yes they are a pain, but I keep coming back to them. Here are a few black ones I've owned or own:

[weasel29gm]

One thing about black is resale. A black,red or orange will sell quicker and turn more heads than other colors.

[RyanG]

I have a black car and will never own another.....to much cleaning.

[EAST SIDE LOW LIFE]

Sounds like you like black but not the work involved. I know it's not for everyone but as suggested earlier on in this post go suede or perhaps a satin black. The glossier the finish the more dirt and imperfectons you'll see. Never wax again, no swiral marks, cost way less to paint (really cheap if you do your own) and your truck will stand out because it is different. Oh yea did I mention more time for fun and cruz'n. Some thing to think about ....

esll.

[BB72CHEVKT]

Did it once never again. It is dirty 5 min after washing.