Which colors are lowest maintenance?

**papashango** · 10-06-2010 06:45 PM

I do a lot of driving for work, and east coast winters can be ugly and slushy. Although I do park in a parking garage at night which is nice, but that may change in a few years. What would you say are the top 3 lowest maintenance colors in the s4?

**ibiski** · 10-06-2010 06:47 PM

White and silver. The darker you go, the more dust, scratches and swirl marks you'll see.

**AofC_RR** · 10-06-2010 06:48 PM

Quartz gray is super low maintenance.

**primetime** · 10-06-2010 06:49 PM

Silver, quartz, white.... imo

**nick71692** · 10-06-2010 07:04 PM

I have to disagree with white. Atleast here in ohio where you get snow, the car gets covered in orange spots that can be severe. I was and wax my car alot but there is no way to get rid of them permanently. White does look best IMO though

**PsYkHoTiK** · 10-06-2010 07:06 PM

I have silver and it stays clean pretty well (except the wheels - darn brake dust). To me, I think you'd want an inbetween color (not too bright, not too dark). At least I can tell a white colored car hasn't been washed in a while due to the 'film'/dirt build up. Quartz gray would be nice too.

**papashango** · 10-06-2010 07:06 PM

Orange spots???? Tell me more :(

**nick71692** · 10-06-2010 07:07 PM

Someone can clean me up but I believe its called rail dust. Clay bar removes it but I have yet to figure out how to keep it off. All cars get it, but white shows it a ton more.

**MANNYS4** · 10-06-2010 07:28 PM

Dont get Phantom Black, its a pain

**MANNYS4** · 10-06-2010 07:29 PM

By the way, is there any way to get rid of brake dust build up on the wheels?

**A4_n00b** · 10-06-2010 08:34 PM

Silver if definitely the most OCD car nut friendly color. Looks wet and shiny when freshly detailed and actually looks pretty decent when dirty as long as you hit the wheels/ exhaust tips every week or so. Yeah, it can be considered a bit boring but my car looking clean 90% of the time is very relaxing. Besides, I get all the excitement I need from the pedal on the right :).

**PsYkHoTiK** · 10-06-2010 08:44 PM

Yeah I have an Silver B8 S4 (and I am OCD about keeping it clean). It stays clean really well (but I still try to wash it once a week regardless). As for the brake dust, I just give it a good cleaning every time (stock pads leave so much dust though).

**wwhan** · 10-06-2010 08:59 PM

Ice Silver for the exterior is lowest maintenance, unless you live in Oklahoma, then red or orange may be better
(red dust and red soil).

The Gun Metal finish work well on the wheels to hide brake dust.

**Un1k** · 10-06-2010 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by nick71692

I have to disagree with white. Atleast here in ohio where you get snow, the car gets covered in orange spots that can be severe. I was and wax my car alot but there is no way to get rid of them permanently. White does look best IMO though

man, you must get pissed...

I go crazy over one stain spot.. damn

**papashango** · 10-06-2010 10:11 PM

UN how does your white car do up in vancouver winters, with sand and salt etc

**Un1k** · 10-06-2010 10:29 PM

didn't meet any winters yet.. but alot of construction going on here.. (ALOT!!!)

sometimes I do get yellow stains.. but I think some of them dissappeared.

I got a brand new one about almost two weeks ago I think, so i'm trying to see if this one dissappears as well.

**30piece** · 10-06-2010 10:30 PM

quartz gray, i have a quartz gray and i only wash it once every two weeks. other than quartz i think sprint blue would be easy maintenance

**TheMarlboro** · 10-07-2010 02:11 AM

Don't be lazy, get the Phantom black and be the sexiest ;)

**CAA** · 10-07-2010 05:54 AM

Or get Brilliant Black if you REALLY love washing your car every three days.....

**Esoteric** · 10-07-2010 06:15 AM

In Toronto, the dirty slush in winter can can be a pain, but other than that, I find white really easy to maintain. Thankfully, I've never had the rail dust issue referenced above. I say silver, then grey, then white.

**L0U** · 10-07-2010 06:32 AM

platinum ice

**Diesel Clown** · 10-07-2010 07:04 AM

silver is the obvious choice, but again it doesn't ever show the hard work of a nice detail well. my white WRX is pretty easy to hide swirls but I love detailing cars, and it's always impossible to tell when I've gotten rid of the swirls on my car. here's a pic to show you how my paint looks after a 5 hour detail, but it's hard to see that the swirls are actually gone.

**nal13** · 10-07-2010 07:19 AM

Love my brillant black but its a royal pain in the ass to keep clean. When its been washed the color can't be beat. My last daily driver was a BMW that was space grey, very similar to quartz. So easy to care for and looked great during the northeast winters.

**Brooklyn** · 10-07-2010 07:50 AM

Having had my brilliant black now for about 2 months and with 4k miles on the odo, the color is my biggest regret. Were I to do it again, I'd go with ice silver or whatever comes closest to the silver I had on my B6 S4. I've got swirls, chips, you name it, and this is after washing the car using the multiple bucket/rinse method. Frequent professional detailing is in my future for sure.

**helix139** · 10-07-2010 08:17 AM

Quartz and Silver are easiest. In Florida I'd never own a white car, and I'll never own another black car. Too many love bugs in May and Sept that will show on either, and black is just a flat out bitch to maintain no matter where you are.

**Dr GP** · 10-07-2010 09:37 AM

I would believe that silver would show the dirt the least. BUT, I have been extremely surprised about how good my Brilliant red looks even when dirty. It still shines. If it weren't for the brake dust on the wheels, I might not realize it needed washing. Seems that the brake dust accumulations is an actual car wash indicator!

**Audi X2** · 10-07-2010 09:45 AM

Brilliant red and Imola yellow are actually not too bad as far as exterior maintenance goes.

**Aezed** · 10-07-2010 09:48 AM

How is Meteor Gray for maintenance? I'm currently deciding between that and black.

**vjma** · 10-07-2010 05:17 PM

I have an Ice Silver S4 now and a quartz grey A4 before and I would say that silver is easier to hide dirt than the quartz grey...

**Dr GP** · 10-07-2010 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Aezed

How is Meteor Gray for maintenance? I'm currently deciding between that and black.

NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING is harder to maintain and keep clean than a black car. After 5 of them, I finally learned my lesson. I swear that my last metallic black 335i coupe, looked dirty in less than a day after washing it. Especially in the spring with all the tree pollen in the air. I can't believe how much better my curerent car is. It rarely looks dirty other than the wheels. Meteor will be better than black but not great.

**LeadToRome** · 10-07-2010 07:23 PM

Deep Sea Blue is pretty much of a bitch too, after six years with a silver car I guess I just forgot what a pain in the neck keeping a black (or nearly black) car looking clean can be.

**Sandy S** · 10-07-2010 07:28 PM

Silver is best. I have a silver minivan and it never gets washed. My old quartz grey A4 was easy to care for also. I have a black S4 and Z06 and they look good for about 10 minutes after I wash then :-)

**zillmc** · 10-07-2010 07:52 PM

I'd say silver for sure, but go in the middle with Quartz gray, its the best color anyways and that's all that matters =)

**30piece** · 10-07-2010 08:25 PM

I agree, i dont wash my car unless the brake dust is horrendous

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