2021 CX-5…Machine grey or black paint?

Coming up to three years with Machine Grey on my 2019 Signature and still loving it. Perfect colour matches after two minor accidents too.
My heart always leaps at the sight of a black model in the showroom. In fact I saw a black Kuro/Carbon with black wheels at the dealer today and I had black Acuras for 20 years, but I’ll stick with dark grey from now on.
I think silver is too 2005 lol.

For silver I've recently noticed a car brand or two with an "updated silver", meaning it's a light silver color but has some brightness/shine/mirror to it rather than flat silver.
 
If Mazda has started doing this yet, I love it on my Prime.
20211108_103055.jpg
 
Yea, I am loving that trend. Been watching that spread ever since VOLVO did it first.
Volvo, then Jeep... then everyone else. There's a Kia in my parking lot in blue and white like that.
Although now that it's becoming trendy, I am sure my like of it will surely fade. It's one of the reasons I wouldn't take a Honda or Toyota if you gave it to me for free. :D
 
For silver I've recently noticed a car brand or two with an "updated silver", meaning it's a light silver color but has some brightness/shine/mirror to it rather than flat silver.

I had a silver IS250 for a while. Good car, great exterior design, but the colour was so damn boring. After that car I told myself I would never buy another white or silver car. Most darker colours are harder to maintain, but they look so, so much better when they're clean.

11949994294_7aa3bb85db_o.jpg

11949839013_5c2cd4cb5a_o.jpg
 
Yea, I am loving that trend. Been watching that spread ever since VOLVO did it first.
Volvo, then Jeep... then everyone else. There's a Kia in my parking lot in blue and white like that.
Although now that it's becoming trendy, I am sure my like of it will surely fade. It's one of the reasons I wouldn't take a Honda or Toyota if you gave it to me for free. :D
When did Volvo do it? I know the 1990 Eagle talon TSi offered it in 1990.
 
volvo and land rover (whatever the name of the model is) were one the first I have seen in recent years. Toyota is just following. They are usually last to get on the trend wagon.
 
IMO the Toyota Pearl White, or whatever they call it is nicer than ours. My neighbor has a new 4runner, and whether in the garage or out on the street at dat or night next to my Mazda, I'd choose her color. - more moonlight color and less white
 
volvo and land rover (whatever the name of the model is) were one the first I have seen in recent years. Toyota is just following. They are usually last to get on the trend wagon.
Still waiting on a 2 tone Mazda. Just saying. :D

I think White does not get the level of hate that it should. I speak from experience. My wife has a white car. Looks great. Looks great even most of the time. But don't bump into it with like you pants or whatever. You remove that top layer of dust, and that white shines through revealing just how filthy your car really is. Hahaha ;)
Hides it great... just don't touch it.
 
My son decided he wanted the black color and yesterday he drove home from the dealership a 2021 CX-5 w/premium package.
 
Good for him. May he have many years of fun and safe driving in it. You can get him some quality wash and wax products to go with the new car. :giggle:
 
I won't tell people what car to buy with their own money (I've made my own share of bonehead decisions). But even with microfibers you're going to introduce swirls with every wash. I'd say get him trained on yearly paint correction on a black car.

swirls.jpg
 
Good for him. May he have many years of fun and safe driving in it. You can get him some quality wash and wax products to go with the new car. :giggle:

For the past few years on the family's Mazda's we wash each week and every few few months we've used Griot's Garage brand synthetic clay , and synthetic wax/polish. This process has kept our white and red Mazda paint looking good. Hopefully the same will work well for my son's new Mica Black car.
 
I won't tell people what car to buy with their own money (I've made my own share of bonehead decisions). But even with microfibers you're going to introduce swirls with every wash. I'd say get him trained on yearly paint correction on a black car.

View attachment 305922

For our red or white Mazda's we've never used any abrasive compounds, just clay and wax.
Maybe the new black car will be a different story. Last night it rained and here is a morning picture of his paint, including the water beading. We probably will not clay or wax this car for a few months.
IMG_0721.JPG
 
Swirls are inevitable, but with good wash technique and good microfiber towels (i.e. not the 36-count packs you can get at Costco), you can keep the amount of swirling to a minimum. My paint (MGM) is 3 years old. The last time I did a "correction" was in June last year, but I'm an amateur using amateur products and tools, so I know for sure I didn't get all the swirls out. It still looks damn good for 3 year old paint that is washed at least once every 3 weeks, especially compared to my dad's 2018 Equinox. He uses the brush at the coin op, or old t-shirts when he washes in the driveway. His paint looks worse than the trunk lid in hal's previous post.

I use the Eagle Edgeless microfibers from The Rag Company (sold here in Canada by eshine.ca), and the Costco towels for the wheels, windows, and black plastic trim.

Rinse the car well with warm water, soak the microfiber in soapy water, and wipe in horizontal strokes with minimal pressure. Turn the towel frequently to reduce the chance of dirt from the towel scratching the paint. Rinse, and towel dry with a clean, dry microfiber.

This is the worst of the scratches/swirls on my car.
20220104_132315.jpg


The rest of the car looks like this.
20220104_132408.jpg
 
I use a lage Griott''s drying towel and love it, very water absorbant and would take leave swirl marks. Be sure to wash your drying towels with microfiber cleaner to remove dirt that can scratch the finish.

Ceramic coating will provide some additional protection.
 
Back