So here's an odd-ball question...

[spike]

Hi everyone! I need to ask a question to those who have ever owned a black car, or a black leather interior car. Does the interior of a black car get that much hotter in the summer than a lighter colored car? I know that it will be hotter, but I just wondered if it is sooo hot that you have regretted buying a black car? And, do you think that a black leather interior would make the inside of the car hotter than if you had a tan color; like say for instance you had a silver car with a black interior. Would that combo be hotter than a black car with a tan leather interior?

Hey, I said it was an odd-ball question! But I really would like to know from your experiences just how much heat I could expect from these 2 scenarios. I live in the south (southern part of NC), and it's been plenty hot this year. I would love to own a 2005 Acura TL in the future, and I'm kicking around some ideas of what colors I would like to have. Could you share some past experiences for me? I have never owned a black car, so I dont' really know what to expect. I realize it will be a forever struggle to keep it clean and looking nice, though!! ;)

[cooksnj]

i've owned 2 black cars, one with gray cloth int. and the one i have now with black leather. i would say the leather one probably gets a little hotter, but i've never regretted it. (cept trying to keep it looking good) i would get what you want, u could always tint the windows to.

[S2K]

Hmmm tough one, I have a black car but it is a 2 seater and the cockpit is very small and not much glass. I live in SE Georgia and it does get very hot after sitting in the at work all day. I also have a 4 door Sonata which is silver with light gray interior and it has a lot more glass than my Honda, sometimes I think the Sonata gets hotter. I have had many other cars with dark interior and everything gets hot down here. I know black or dark colors absorb more heat than lighter ones but there are also other factors, mainly glass. The more glass the more magnification. I used to be a mechanic and would get customers in the summer with big vans with big windows complaining their A/C wasn't working, after checking it out and seeing it was working fine I would have to explain to them how it couldn't cool down a huge glass box when it was close to 100 degrees.
So I'm sure if you took temp readings of 2 identical cars with different color interiors they would be different but trying to compare just dark to light in general there are too many other factors to consider.

[jsgntulok]

My current car is silver with dark grey leather (almost black) interior. It doesn't seem hotter inside that previous cars I owned with tan leather interiors. I currently live in Tulsa and previously lived in Ft Worth for 22 years so I have experienced some hot summers. The closest I have come to owning a black car is a Graphite Pearl Honda Accord.

[spike]

Hmmmm...I never would have thought about the amount of glass being a big factor in how hot a car can get. That is definitely something to consider. Good advice! I guess I'm just asking about a regular 4 door sedan, because I'm looking to buy a used TL.

[S2K]

I just did a quick search and found this:

How much hotter is a black car than a white car in the sun? (http://www.tom-morrow-land.com/tests/cartemp/index.htm)

I don't know how conclusive it is but it is what I thought. 2 identical cars with different colors will have different temps, but I don't think they will vary that much. I think different cars will vary a lot more. Like I stated before I think my 4 door light gray gets hotter than my black 2 seater. And like cooksnj said "u could always tint the windows" I think a good UV tint will really help. I had a Celica with blue interior and after I tinted the windows it didn't seem as hot and the A/C seemed to work better. Have you ever driven down the highway for a long time and the sun was on your side of the car?

[Laura]

i've owned 2 black cars, one with gray cloth int. and the one i have now with black leather. i would say the leather one probably gets a little hotter, but i've never regretted it. (cept trying to keep it looking good) i would get what you want, u could always tint the windows to.

:iagree:
During an Alabama summer, everything outside gets hot...d--n hot. I had a light blue Audi A4 with light gray interior & leather seats before getting my current car which is a very dark blue with black interior, but with Alacantra (kind of like suede) seats. I think the dark does get hotter, but the leather seats seemed to hold heat more..it took longer for me to cool down. One other cooling factor to consider is the cabin size. A TL is small enough that if you have your air conditioner in recirculation, it shouldn't take all that long to cool it down. If you get the car you really want, you won't mind putting up with a little more heat...except when you're out detailing it when temp and humidity are both 90. :buffing:

[2003 GMC Denali]

We usually have our 3 weeks of hot Summer weather... and then we start the down-hill slide to Winter. I have a Black truck... and I like the fact that this color absorbs a little heat. It melts the Snow and Ice off it.

[rohnramirez]

With the assumption that all other factors are held constant, yes, a black car (or black interior) will be hotter than a lighter colored car in both the paint and the interior.

[leather absorbs more heat than other common automotive interior fabrics] I never regretted buying a black car before, but i did regret replacing the seat covers with black leather. :)

[spike]

Thanks everyone for the great info. I guess the general consensus is that the exterior color of the car isn't a huge factor with the heat, but the interior color is. I was thinking along those lines too, but I just wanted to get some feedback from everyone and see what they thought. And what a better place to ask than here on a car care forum!

If anyone else has more to share, keep the comments comin'!!

:xyxthumbs:

[rjon]

Nothing wrong with interior or exterior. I own a black on black 2010 TL and prior to that a 2003 g-35 coupe also in black on black. Both were tinted at a reputable tint shop with a mild 38% tint all around. I don't think the darkness of the tint makes as much of a difference as the uv and hear rejection ability of the film so do your research there. My major gripe with a dark care is the interior fading, and there is nothing worse than interior fade on a dark car after a few years in the sun. My 2003 g had zero fade which was part of the reason i did it on my new car.

Of course you can always leave the sunroof cracked if you have one, and a keyless system that allows you to roll the windows down as you are walking toward the car is a nice feature too!

[spike]

Nothing wrong with interior or exterior. I own a black on black 2010 TL and prior to that a 2003 g-35 coupe also in black on black. Both were tinted at a reputable tint shop with a mild 38% tint all around. I don't think the darkness of the tint makes as much of a difference as the uv and hear rejection ability of the film so do your research there. My major gripe with a dark care is the interior fading, and there is nothing worse than interior fade on a dark car after a few years in the sun. My 2003 g had zero fade which was part of the reason i did it on my new car.

Of course you can always leave the sunroof cracked if you have one, and a keyless system that allows you to roll the windows down as you are walking toward the car is a nice feature too!

Hey rjon, thanks for the info, and since this is your first post, :welcome: to AG online!