Hi Guys:

I was originally thinking of getting silver or lunar gray but I really like the car in white.

What is white like to live with? Does it stay clean looking or get dirty quickly?

I'm in Florida where, in the summer, there's heavy rain almost every day.

Honest opinions, please.

Thanks, as always.

Roger

 

I had a white XJ6 for 14 years with no air con, (it was a 1980 base model). However it could stay parked in the sun and never got too hot, unlike my dark grey Mazda Xedos which got cooking hot. I never had a problem with it looking dirty either.

 

I have both black and white XJ8s, and previously owned a burgundy XJ6. I think the burgundy was easiest to keep the appearance of clean. The white one is probably the prettiest of them all when clean, but the first to need a wash. It's very easy to notice every little puddle splash, bird drop, pollen waft... I'd keep going, but there's no time. I have to go wash the cars again! ;-)

 

I'd have to say that white is the best option in a hot climate, most company cars we had in Oz were white as Fraser said it keeps the heat down in summer.

As far as showing dirt no sorry black is the worst for that, I have two black cars right now, they are always dirty & stinking hot in summer.

I remember white being a bit better when it came to dirt, yeah you saw it, but you didn't care as much. I had a silver Fairlane for a few years, I think that was the best colour to hide dirt.

 

I have a white XJL Supercharged and absolutely love the color. It's one of the *very* few cars I have ever seen and absolutely loved in white.

That said, it looks great when it's clean. It still looks good from a distance a few days later, but I am very ****-retentive when it comes to being clean, so up-close, you notice everything.

What I do love, though, is when you clean it, there is never any hidden dirt. You can see everything.

A weekly cleaning is all I do, and I am happy. I have one of those Turtle Wax car dusters which help get the surface dust off. Sometimes, I'll let it go two weeks because of the duster, but the brake dust on the wheels will drive me crazy. I just make it part of my Saturday routine.

 

Have a white XJ 2010 in Moscow, Russia, which is probably one of the (probably "the") dirtiest/dustiest cities in europe. From my experience white is one of the easiest colors to keep clean. The thing with white is that of all colors it masks road dust most efficiently. As opposed to black or darker colors.
Also, XJ in white is stunning. Other colors have their appeal too but white is probably the most "flashy" on XJ.

 

Agree with depeche and Vasily. My only white car ever. Not at all hard to keep clean. Easier still since my brake dusk has finally abated.

Tint the windows as dark as is legal where you are and you'll have one striking auto.

 

I have a whiote xj for 2 years.
Car looks best in white. Even when dirty if you are more then a few feet away the car looks pretty clean.

 

Thanks for responding everyone...

I appreciate it.

Roger

 

LOVE my white, especially with the dark tint all the way around. I really didn't want white at first since my wife's car is also white, but I absolutely love it now. It's been hard to keep it clean due to all of the rain here in Houston, but when clean it's just gorgeous! I just hate this damn brake dust.

 

ya break dust is quite annoying.

 

There is also the question of swirl marks. White and silver seem to be impervious to them.

 

I think white is the prior option for it.It is really working in the hot climate.

 

I've removed the commercial link from your post.

Please post an intro in New Member Area - Intro a MUST telling us something about yourself and your vehicle.

Graham

 

Loving my new white !

 

One thing to remember folks: when you're photographing a white car, you have to dial in some positive exposure compensation. Otherwise it looks silver or grey. The camera will try to tone down the white, so you need to say "No, I want you to think you're overexposing this shot" to make the white come out white.

It's the same principle as shooting snow, which obviously you hot-climate guys are dab-hands at!!!

 

Do you have the Sport and Speed Pack?

 

just the sport pack - didn't make sense to pay extra for the speed pack when i'm planning to chip it anyways

 

The XJ looks great in white and having a white Mustang and white GMC I feel it's the best color for hidding dirt, looks cleaner longer, swirl marks are harder to see too. Silver is next best. I do feel that all cars looks great in black but it's the hardest color to keep clean.

 

My first choice would have been white but, my wife did not want that option. So, we went with Cashmere as a compromise and I have to say that it hides dirt better than any other color I can think of. During my week long travels I park the car outside, accumulating plenty of morning dew, dust and dirt. For all practical purposes, I can not tell by looking at the car. Only by swiping a hand on the finish can one tell that the car is indeed dirty. Black would look terrible under such conditions.

Albert