White vs Black Car: Which Paint Color Is Better For You?

White vs black car are the most popular car colors in the world, and choosing between the two car colors can be difficult. These two colors currently dominate the roads and most American streets, making it difficult for new car buyers to decide whether to buy a white car or a black car.

To help you choose between the two car colors, we’ll look at their differences, advantages, and disadvantages in this complete guide.

Features	White Car	Black Car
Paint Fades	Bright	Darker
Maintenance	Requires paint maintenance once a year	Requires paint maintenance twice as often as white vehicles
Looks	Lighter color	More luxurious and elegant design
Hiding scratches and dirt	Wipes stains and dirt easily	Scratches and dirt are more visible
Visibility	More visible at night	Less visible at night

 

What Are the Differences Between a White Car and a Black Car?

The main difference between a white car and a black car is that a white vehicle can hide dents and scratches better than black vehicles, which makes them more appealing to most buyers. It’s easier to identify a white vehicle on the road, even when there’s poor lighting.

Black vehicles on the other hand are better at hiding dirt, mud, and stone chips than white vehicles. They have many other differences, and it’s important that you know these differences before buying a car. We’ll go deeper into their differences below.

• Visibility To Other Road Users

Before choosing a car color, visibility to other road users is a vital thing to consider. There are many reports that show that black cars are more likely to be involved in crashes and accidents than white cars. The idea is that white paint offers more visibility to other road users, and people can react faster to the color.

Even though reports generally suggest that white vehicles are not frequently involved in accidents, there are many other variables to consider. Before choosing between the two car paints, the safety equipment on the car is also an important factor to consider.

• Paint Temperature

Black generally absorbs heat faster than white, and this is a factor to consider when choosing between the two paints. The panels of black cars will always be hotter than that of white cars on sunny days. This is because white reflects the color spectrum, and with that, it won’t heat up like black does.

Having cooler panels is vital as it stops chemical stains and water spots on the paint, especially when washing the car. Therefore, during hot summer days, white vehicles are a lot easier to clean than their black counterparts.

• Hiding Paint Imperfections

Stone chips, clear coat scratches and swirls, and deep scratches are the three common types of imperfections you should know. The ability of paint to hide imperfections is an important factor to consider. When it comes to hiding deep scratches, white outperforms black. This is because most of these scratches appear light grey or white, and with that, they are more easily concealed on white vehicles than on black.

A car’s paintwork is usually comprised of the color coat, which provides gloss and protects the underneath color. The color coat is mostly topped with a clear coat, which can easily be scratched off, especially when washing the car with brushes or sponges. White vehicles perform better at hiding clear coat scratches and swirls than black paint.

Stone chips are also imperfections on cars, and they usually take a dark grey appearance. With that, black paint will hide these imperfections better than white.

• Resale Value

Color is an important component to consider when determining the resale value of a car. Both colors offer above resale value, unlike other color options available. Since they are both popular colors, they usually have higher price tags than other exotic colors on the market, especially for used cars.

Whether you’re buying a saloon, SUV, sports car, or hatchback, you’ll enjoy a high resale value if you choose any of the two colors. When it comes to resale value, it’s a tie between both colors.

• Price for Brand New Car

For brand new vehicles, white cars are generally more affordable than black cars. This is because most standard colors are offered free of charge, and most models and makes tend to have white as a standard color. Exotic shades like pearlescent and metallic colors are usually more expensive options. There are some manufacturers that also consider black paint as a standard color.

However, there’s usually an extra charge for metallic black colors. Pearlescent white color is also an option that is growing in popularity, but it’s worth noting that it’s a more expensive option.

• Appearance

The appearance of the car when it’s clean is also a vital factor to consider. Getting a glossy wet look is usually easier on black paint than white. In general, darker colors enhance shine, and this is a result of the reflection they create, and which increases their visual appeal. However, the clean and crisp appearance of a neatly washed car is also a significant attraction for other buyers.

The main thing to note about black paintwork is that they have higher swirls, scratches, and other imperfections than white. With that, your car is likely to look duller if it’s improperly washed. Using appropriate technique to wash your vehicle will always make it appear a lot shinier if it’s black.

• Ability To Hide Dirt and Dust

Both colors aren’t very easy to clean when compared to colors like silver and grey. However, in drier and hotter climates, or conditions with more dust than rain, white tends to be a better paintwork to consider. This is because they are light and can easily mask dirt and dust, unlike black paints.

However, in conditions where rain is more than dust, the black paintwork takes the lead. Driving on high-speed roads or through puddles in the rain will cause dirty water to splash on the surface of your vehicle, especially at the lower section. These splashes are usually easier to identify on white vehicles than on black vehicles.

What Are the Advantages of Having a White Car?

The advantages of having a white car include its resale value. Apart from mostly looking attractive and clean, these cars are also functional. Their performance on dusty roads with invisible dirt is also a lot higher than that of other car paints.

Driving in a white car is very cool, whether it’s ivory, linen, pearl, or snowy coloration. There are many other advantages of the paint, and here’s an overview of these advantages.

• Easy To Keep Clean

Apart from their appearance, white cars are generally easier to clean and keep in good shape than other colors. You will rarely notice water smudges or spots after cleaning a white car, unlike other paintwork.

Additionally, it’s not easy to notice dust on white vehicles. Basically, washing or shining a white car is so much easier, and what’s more, they are also less expensive than black paint.

• Resistance to High Temperatures

Another advantage of white car paint is its resistance to high temperatures. This is due to their ability to reflect sunlight, which helps to keep the interior of the car cooler than other options. Therefore, if you live in regions with hot climates, the ideal color for you is white.

• Visibility

As mentioned earlier, it’s easier for other road users to spot a white vehicle than a black vehicle. This has saved the lives of many, especially for those who drive a lot at night or in conditions with poor light. White cars offer more protection under these conditions, but it doesn’t mean that other colors aren’t safe.

These are only some of the benefits you’ll enjoy if you get a white vehicle. However, it’s important to also note the disadvantages of these vehicles, and they include the following:

• Even though they are better at hiding dust, dirt becomes more prominent over time.
• White paint poorly hides dust, unlike other options.

What Are the Advantages of Having a Black Car?

The advantages of having a black car also include their resale value, and these cars are equally functional. Black cars can be used under all driving conditions because they are more durable and provide better performance than other available options.

Like white vehicles, black vehicles are also popular for their high resale value. There are many other advantages of this paintwork, and this includes the following.

• Ability To Conceal Rust

Unlike the white counterparts, black is better at hiding rust, and in most cases, they are completely invisible. It’s always hard to tell when rust starts to develop on these vehicles. Also, it’s easier to find black paint that you can use to touch up black spots. Basically, with black paint, you’ll have more freedom than with other options.

• Resale Value

Black is one of the most common shades available, and statistics show it to be the second most preferred color around the world. Their resale values are usually higher than that of other vehicles, and if you’re planning to sell your car after a while, getting a black vehicle will help you recoup more money.

Even though black is classic, stylish, and luxurious like white vehicles, they also have their inherent disadvantages, and this includes the following:

• Unlike white vehicles, black cars are generally harder to clean and more expensive to maintain. Cleaning these vehicles with the wrong technique will leave water spots, which makes them less appealing.
• Black absorbs heat higher than other colors, and with that, the car interior will be hotter if placed under direct sun for an extended period of time.

Conclusion

Color might not be the first thing you would consider when buying a new car, but it’s undoubtedly an important factor, especially for safety, resale value, and maintenance. The option you choose depends on your needs and preferences, but we have highlighted their differences, advantages, and disadvantages to enhance your decision making.

White is a better option to consider if you drive a lot at night, and this is because it offers more visibility and other road users see it easily. White cars are also easier to clean and maintain. On the other hand, consider getting a black car if you’re after cheaper repair costs and more luxury.