We're selling our Titanium 2004 and picking up (potentially) a White 2006. I have a black car that is the classic pain to take care of and I wanted to know if white was as bad. I think all the colors look fine, just don't want to spend much extra time having to keep the runner clean all the time. Thanks for everyone's thoughts.
Do you regret getting a white 4Runner?
- Thread starter mswscco
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I had a black car before my white 06 Sports Edition and it's so much easier to keep the white looking clean. I had to wipe down the black car every day because of the dust that got on it. I can go a week sometimes and the white still looks clean. I will probably own a white car from here on out. Black looks great when it's clean, but it only stays clean for about an hour.
PolkManiac
New member
If you're really looking for the easiest color to take care of, silver is your best bet.
The white also hide's any marring like swirl mark's and fine scratches well , but would have top give the 1 up to the Titanium Silver as far as that goes.
I've had black truck's since 85 and now the Galactic grey which coming from black is so easy to take care of and I still have a med/dark color.
I've had black truck's since 85 and now the Galactic grey which coming from black is so easy to take care of and I still have a med/dark color.
Gromulus
New member
Automotive Colors
Having worked in the industry for many years, I concur that silver hides the dirty better than any other color.
Black is gorgeous on any vehicle - when it is clean. I own a '92 Black Camry and it will be my last black vehicle. Perhaps not a bad choice for a car, but not ideal for a rig that will be going off-road or in the woods, etc.
White (and any solid color) is the easiest to touch-up.
Metallics and pearlescent coatings acheive a different appearance depending upon application method. The effect pigments (aluminum, mica, etc) float and orient themselves quite differently when sprayed. The coating process must be held in much tighter control to achieve consistent color. A brush or aerosol touch-up will never exactly match the factory spray applied coating. Also, remember that these are primer/color basecoat/clear topcoat OEM systems. Very difficult to achieve a match in a one-coat repair process.
Toyota (and Lexus) use gray primers. While Honda/Acura coatings are a step below in chemistry with regards to performance vs. Toyota/Lexus, I do lke their practice of using color-keyed primers. Toyota/Lexus use gray primers. When I do get a deep scratch on my silver Runner it reveals the gray primer. Deep scratches in the Galactic Grey color will not be as noticeable over the gray primer.
From a coatings science perspective (and without getting technical), black and white colors are the most "prone" to chipping - all else being equal. Black and other dark colors will also exhibit the effects of acid rain degradation much, much more then lighter colors. High chroma reds and yellows are the most prone to color fading. These are all factors that the coatings scientist minimizes through proper formulation. Obviously each color formulation incorporates variations aside from the various pigmentation differences.
IMO 4Runners look great in ANY color. I still like the green used in the 3rd generation and whish they brought that color back. Being the boring scientist, I will probably always own metallic silver or gray. (Although I am eyeing a new blue that Mazda is planning on offering on their new power retractable hardtop Miata MX-5 next year!)
Having worked in the industry for many years, I concur that silver hides the dirty better than any other color.
Black is gorgeous on any vehicle - when it is clean. I own a '92 Black Camry and it will be my last black vehicle. Perhaps not a bad choice for a car, but not ideal for a rig that will be going off-road or in the woods, etc.
White (and any solid color) is the easiest to touch-up.
Metallics and pearlescent coatings acheive a different appearance depending upon application method. The effect pigments (aluminum, mica, etc) float and orient themselves quite differently when sprayed. The coating process must be held in much tighter control to achieve consistent color. A brush or aerosol touch-up will never exactly match the factory spray applied coating. Also, remember that these are primer/color basecoat/clear topcoat OEM systems. Very difficult to achieve a match in a one-coat repair process.
Toyota (and Lexus) use gray primers. While Honda/Acura coatings are a step below in chemistry with regards to performance vs. Toyota/Lexus, I do lke their practice of using color-keyed primers. Toyota/Lexus use gray primers. When I do get a deep scratch on my silver Runner it reveals the gray primer. Deep scratches in the Galactic Grey color will not be as noticeable over the gray primer.
From a coatings science perspective (and without getting technical), black and white colors are the most "prone" to chipping - all else being equal. Black and other dark colors will also exhibit the effects of acid rain degradation much, much more then lighter colors. High chroma reds and yellows are the most prone to color fading. These are all factors that the coatings scientist minimizes through proper formulation. Obviously each color formulation incorporates variations aside from the various pigmentation differences.
IMO 4Runners look great in ANY color. I still like the green used in the 3rd generation and whish they brought that color back. Being the boring scientist, I will probably always own metallic silver or gray. (Although I am eyeing a new blue that Mazda is planning on offering on their new power retractable hardtop Miata MX-5 next year!)
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No doubt silver has been great for us these past three years. There's no "niiiiiiice" factor after a wash and detail like I get with my black corolla, but ease of maintenance is what I'm looking for.
Sounds like white should be manageable. Thanks for everyone's input. New post to come sometime next week hopefully.
Sounds like white should be manageable. Thanks for everyone's input. New post to come sometime next week hopefully.
Expat
Banned
I love my white truck. When its polished and waxed it literally gleams in the sunshine.
Only thing that frustrates me is that you can't get good pictures of white trucks/cars - ie photos showing depth in the color.
Silver is too boring for my taste. Doesn't stand out at all. Never seen a silver anything that makes me stand back and say "wow". Even Porsches, Mercedes, Ferraris in silver don't look as cool as other colors IMO.
Only thing that frustrates me is that you can't get good pictures of white trucks/cars - ie photos showing depth in the color.
Silver is too boring for my taste. Doesn't stand out at all. Never seen a silver anything that makes me stand back and say "wow". Even Porsches, Mercedes, Ferraris in silver don't look as cool as other colors IMO.
White is super easy to maintain. You would think that it would look dirty very fast, but the truth is that it does not. Fine amounts of dust just blend right in. Unlike darker colored vehicles. the white 4Runner almost always seems to look clean. As an added bonus, it is very easy to touch up the white paint. If I was going to trade my 04 in for an 06, white is the only color I would consider.
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peter78
Super Moderator
I am a little partial to white. I also think it looks great on the 4th generation 4Runner. I have owned a black car, once. Great color, but hard to live with, always too hot. When silver became popular I kept seeing all those car's paint peeling away and fading. I have had three cars that were red, everyone has gotten hit by other cars. My red VW bug, the guy said he never saw me. In my red Acura Integra it got hit 4 times. None of these accidents were my fault. For some reason, people have a hard time seeing red. Actually yellow is the best for being seen, second is white. People tend to see white better. White fads less, and in the 4Runner a dirty looking white is somewhat OK. White is my first choice, actually it is my first, second and third choice......
Attachments
I bought a black 06 4runner, and it does get dirty quick, and have all the classic black paint problems. I admit I was taken in by the great look of the clean black truck.
I don't regret buying black (yet)
, however I had to buy one of these <a href="http://www.crspotless.com">de-ionized water filtration systems</a> that they use at detail shops to cut down on the wash time for my two vehicles.
I don't regret buying black (yet)
, however I had to buy one of these <a href="http://www.crspotless.com">de-ionized water filtration systems</a> that they use at detail shops to cut down on the wash time for my two vehicles.RunninOnEmpty
New member
I have to agree on the Silver. My 4Runner is silver & look's clean when dirty & sparkling clean when clean!
perfectmax
New member
I have a 4x2 V8 2006 Limited White 4runner for sale with only 4500 miles on it. Not 1 scratch on the truck. It is loaded with every option even a integrated back up camara and a 10 speaker sound system! I bought it and put $5,000 down on the truck. I am willing to sell it for my loan amount of, $32,000.
Let me know, my loss... your gain.
Located in North Carolina, but I will work something out with shipping if interested.
Let me know, my loss... your gain.
Located in North Carolina, but I will work something out with shipping if interested.
I orginally wanted a black or white 4Runner. A friend of mine has a black one, so that took care of that idea. Another friend bought a white 2006, so out the window went that idea. I ended up with Galactic Grey and I think I am really regretting it. I am more of a shades person, and the amount of blue and purple in my paint almost makes me sick...
White IMO
White IMO
ThatsRicci
New member
I never thought i'd see myself in a white car, until i jumped in a white 06 le. wow.. white is quality. Especially in SoCal... the surface of the car stays cool to the touch all day long!
love white.. never going b(l)ack.
love white.. never going b(l)ack.
