Hi all,

I love black on a 997 but I'm really worried about maintaining it. How easily does is show scratches and swirlies? How hard is it to keep looking clean? I rarely drive in bad weather and the car is garaged indoors, but as I drive so little, it will get dust covered.

 

It is sooooooo bad. Get it!

Seriously, I'm on my 7th black car - you learn how to deal with it and my car usually looks good. Scratches and swirls - just wash it yourself carefully and that will minimize that problem. If you like to have someone else wash you car, then probably one of the silver variants is a better choice.

A couple of pics of roadtrips 300+miles and 3-5 days into the trip without a wash - I like it! Oh sure, if you get up close or look at the bumper there's bugs on it, etc, but mostly it looks beautiful to me.

 

Thanks Steve - your car looks fantastic!

 

Firstly . . . . . . Black is a hobby; not a color!

I've got a black/black 997S and I will say maintenance on a black car is certainly a lot more than lets say white or silver. Sure they all get dirty at the rate but black certainly shows it sooner. Black is simply a 'wow' color when it's sparkling.

If you enjoy taking care of your car (washes, waxes, etc) and park indoors most of the time then by all means go black. You won't be disappointed.

 

well said....if you have the time and the interest detailing can be a cool hobby..with a sharp black car being the ultimate prize.

 

Get basalt black---requires far less effort to maintain than jet black

 

I have a black 997S that I park in a parking garage. It shows a lot of dust when parked over time, and rock chips from highway driving really show (as with any dark color). I'd suggest a clear bra. Other than that, frequent washes (2x a month) and a good detailing 1-2 times a year is all it takes for me to be content (and I'm pretty particular about my car)!

 

I've had 3 Black cars. Probably won't have another if I can avoid it. I always hear people say how good they look when clean. I don't think they look any better than any other clean color. I do think they show the lines better of SOME cars. Mostly the cars with sharp edges, like Lambos. It also makes the car look smaller. Not an issue for most people. If you like black, buy it. Just realize the minute you clean it, it'll need cleaned again. Unfortunately, dust and dirt aren't usually black! My favorite color is white. My S is arctic silver and very easy to keep clean. All of this being said, the black P-car above is beautiful. So buy what you love.

 

I've had three black cars of different makes and all of them were a PITA to maintain. They'd look good for about 15 minutes after washing until the dust and pollen started reappearing. Any swirl, mark, ding. chip, scratch, ad nauseum is magnified 10X on a black car. I don't know if a black car is any more hotter in the summer than any other color but I be willing to wager it is. While a black car that is properly maintained is always an eye-catcher, I've noticed that black tends to hide minor styling details that aren't on lighter colored cars.

Don't get me started on black wheels.

 

Black cars can look really great but they're a part time job.

 

I LOVE black BUT hate the maintenance to keep it looking good,LOL! The BEST money I spent to maintaining it though was the electric pressure washer I just bought.The pressure washer allows me to spray off any grit/debris before washing thus limiting the swirls/scratches!Also the porter cable orbital for polishing and waxing......

Even though black is the hardest color to keep lookn' good,once you have the right tools,it is alot easier,IMO!

No regrets here!

Stacy

 

Once you've gone black you might not go back,
after having a basalt black carrera i'm looking forward to a red one, but i didn't have a good place to really take care of a black car.

 

I had a Black 997.1 and it sure looked good when clean. But, black seems to attract more attention than other colors. My black 997.1 was scratched 2 times intentionally by some jerks. I now have a GT Silver 997.2 and love the color. My car can be filthy and people will say how clean my car looks. I also agree that Basalt Black is better than the flat black.

 

...or as I say..."Black isn't really a color - it's a labor of love."

bob

 

Ditto. Black looks great for a few mins bit is horrible after 5 mins. My friend has a basalt black and that 997 looks clean for weeks.