I am planning to buy a Clarity, and I am wondering about what interior color to go for. I have always gone with black/grey interiors in past cars, but I am thinking a change would be nice. But I am a bit concerned about the beige showing dirt, wear/tear more than the grey. ANy opinions, experiences?
Four months into having the beige Touring and so far so good. But I am concerned about the long term even with Scotchguarding the “suede” and with no kids or pets. I also put Scotchguard on the white stitching on the seats thinking that they would show dirt first (Like the white grout in the bathroom tile). I also got an Aries Seat Defender which I can slip over the front seat if I have to get in wet or muddy. If I had small kids at home or pets, I’d have gotten the rear seat cover or a pet mat. I would have much preferred a grey interior but did not want the black because of the added heat build up so beige it was.
Fwiw, I've had both, and have both. You're right that it's hard to see wear on most black seats, from a distance. Most people are not concerned about how a set looks when their face is 4" away from the fabric. Also, imho, beige leather shows wear among the most. Although, imho, bad wear on black leather, where there is a rather noticeable white line/area, looks very bad. Imho, a lot comes down to personal preferences. I prefer beige/tan. But, if I'm looking at used cars, then I may go for black. Imho, for resale, black seats will often look "better", therefore given that all else is equal, that car would likely sell quicker and maybe at a higher price. Also, where someone lives is important. Black interiors are hotter. Imho, anyone that buys a black interior in Phoenix may want to consider seeing a mental health adviser. ;-) (just kidding!) Also, for those of us that work for a living and leave work after the sun sets in the winter, imho, it's nicer to have a lighter interior. Imho, unless someone "flips cars" every few years, then buy a car for what you want/like. Unless someone is making over $500K/year, a car is the 2nd or 1st most expensive purchase. So, imho, you should buy something that you like/want and makes sense. So, sorry, no two-seater Corvette as an only vehicle if someone is a single parent with 2+ kids. However, as a second vehicle, no problem! :-D Last, as I've indicated in just about every sentence, the above is my view on vehicle interiors.
The exterior color of choice will probably dictate the interior color. IMHO I would have preferred white exterior with black interior and I’m in Phoenix(NW Peoria), googling Mental Heath Advisors now...
One thing that I dislike about this forum is that the location/area isn't (optionally) listed near a member's info. Yea, 100% of the world and the USA has exactly the same weather and land conditions. Fwiw, I live in New England. I've lived here all of my life, and I'll be buried here. I only know about the conditions in Phoenix from co-workers and forums friends. New England is very different that Phoenix or Southern Calf, Fla, etc. We don't have roads. We have "patches of asphalt connected by potholes". If someone is at an area that is flat and level for more than 1/4, then they can be in only one place - the quarter mile track in NH. No such thing as level land, or roads that are straight here.
My wife went between steel exterior + dark interior vs dark green exterior + light interior. In the end, she chose the second one, mainly because of the light interior. I agreed with her (though it would not matter if I did not ). Light interior gives a different kind of calm and happiness for us .
It was really a toss up for us. On the one hand, I like lighter and brighter interiors but wasn't sure how the beige suede would age. Black isn't my favorite but defaulted to it because modern steel metallic doesn't come in anything other than black. Would have loved to see a light gray option. For resale, based on experience, it's easier to sell a car with plain Jane black interiors. Beige tends to be an acquired taste for some.
That's a new one to me, despite the fact we live that same experience here in Midland TX - the front edge of the Texas desert country...
I have been pleasantly surprised that the black interior has not made our car particularly hot even recent days in the 90s. What is most important is that the AC kicks in cool air remarkably fast such that I have not even bothered to precondition the car on hot days. So I am very happy with the black interior.
Many thanks to all for the advice and information. Along with all the input, perhaps the recent hot weather and sunny days in California have spurred my decision, but I have decided on the white with beige. Thanks!
White with beige is a great choice! (that's what I have) After 3 cars in Modern Steel Metallic (2 for me, one for my wife) we now have two white cars, both with beige interiors. We both wanted to stay away from black interiors due to heating issues. Midwest summers can be almost as bad as Arizona summers, or so it seems to us, so we wanted lighter colors. Even with a beige interior, there is a lot ob black inside. Trim, carpets, etc. Although we have a dog, she is 12 pounds of ferocious fluff that doesn't shed, so few worries there. And we have grandkids ages 5-18. They won't get anywhere near our cars if they are dirty! Benefit of being grandparents! So far her 1 year old Acura and my 5 month old Clarity still look good. (Okay, I need to vacuum my car, but in my defense, my wife made me haul some decorative rocks for the garden last week)
