GM paint -- What is easier to maintain??

I

imported_Mighty HD1

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I just realized how long that I have been lurking and not logging in -- I'm going to have to change that.



Referencing General Motors 2013 paint, I'm having some slight trouble deciding on what to do here.



I currently have a 2011 White Z71 Tahoe. The paint has got to be the easiest to care for that I have ever had. Minimal effort (read automatic car washes) and wipe downs with QD & a MF produce pretty decent results. Three times per year I will clay and protect with three phases of Zaino Z2.



Long story short I'm looking to trade the 2011 for a 2013. I can get the Silver Ice Metallic one for about $3000 less than ordering another white one.



I have never owned a silver car -- I went from owning a Carbon Metallic 2500HD and a black Pontiac to white cars.



How bad will swirls show up on a Silver Metallic finish? How about water spots after a hard Florida rain (followed by the hot sun to bake it in)?

I'm not concerned with waxing/sealant as I will do that 3x/yr anyways. My big concern is water spotting after rains, and swirl marks. I nearly lost my mind with the dark colored vehicles.







Thoughts and shared experiences are appreciated more than I can pass along here as I have NO experience with silver cars.



White one that has been on the lot for 9 months: I'm not even considering this one given the time it has been sitting and the condition of the paint, but simply providing it as a comparison to the silver.

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A different angle of a vehicle identical

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The silver one that I am considering

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A few more examples:

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Polish it out properly and Opti-Coat it. Then just wash it regularly and use something like Z-8 (if you want to stick with Zaino products) or Optimum Car Wax to add some pop.
 
Scott, you failed to mention that he is not maintaining the paint, but the clearcoat and that be it GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc, most built in the USA are now PPG, with a few DuPont systems still applied.

Doesn't really make much difference, since they all are formulated to meet the same OEM specs for the paint systems.

 
Ron Ketcham said:
Scott, you failed to mention that he is not maintaining the paint, but the clearcoat and that be it GM, Ford, Chrysler, etc, most built in the USA are now PPG, with a few DuPont systems still applied.

Doesn't really make much difference, since they all are formulated to meet the same OEM specs for the paint systems.
Click to expand...





I do maintain the paint :-) A touchless carwash each week followed with an immediate wipe down of QD. lol



My primary concern is:



1. Will swirls show up in a silver metallic paint as easily as they do with a black colored vehicle? ie: do I have to become neurotic again with my washing/drying routine or can I remain a bit lax as I do with the white?



Here's the old truck I had for a while

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The black car that I sold about a year ago -- I had it 13 years.

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Bottom line, the white cars have made me "lazy" and to me anyways are much easier to care for. I'm unsure if the maintenance on a silver is the same as a black (water spotting, etc)
 
What Ron means is that what you are actually maintaining is the clear coat. Metallic paints can minimize the appearance of swirls but proper washing techniques after removing all the swirls will keep them at bay.
 
Drove company cars (for the most part) for over 30 years that were replaced every 12-18 months so they didn't get allot of proper detailing. Usually were washed weekly at a commercial car wash (some with brushes, but touch free when I could find them) and as you can imagine with that many cars I tried every color. Without fail silver always looked the best--showed swirling, dirt and water spotting the least IMO.
 
Mighty HD- I've had all three colors you mentioned and currently have a white car and a few silver ones.



White's best for not showing marring and IME as long as it's clean it can look great with minimal effort. Silver's best for not showing dirt and it's not all that bad with regard to the marring (I see it, but most people don't). That Carbon Metallic (was on my '04 Yukon XLD) was the most high-maintenance paint I've ever had and I've had straight black lacquer! Silver is nothing at all like that. Eh, for people who don't inspect their vehicles with wacky lighting systems, I bet silver is just about equal to the white.



I could go either way (silver/white), but I somehow think that with your detailing regimen the white will overall keep looking better as it won't show marring. I put the least effort into my white car, and you can't tell by looking at it. Whether that's worth the $3K to you :confused:
 
ihaveacamaro said:
It's hard as heck to find swirls on a silver car. Yeah, they are there, but it's hard to see.
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I must be weird in this regard...I see 'em on silver without much trouble, just *SO* much easier than on white. Friends of mine have "normally maintained" silver vehicles and to me they look just as marred up as any other color. Maybe it's just because I've had so many silver cars and I've trained myself to spot marring on 'em :nixweiss
 
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