I'm close to starting the process of getting my 8. I still have yet to drive it and will also drive a Z for comparison, but if I do end up loving the 8 like he rest of you I will have one big problem...

White or Black?

I was all set on black until I saw some pics on this forum of the white one. Still haven't seen it in person.

Anyone else experienced/ing the same dilemma?

By the way, my 2 previous cars were white, so that kind of makes me want to get away from it.

 

i'm a little bias..being that i have a black.. but i think it looks sinister..and mean.. which is why i like it.. white is kind of a .."hi..how are you!" color..lol

it's kinda like the old westerns..... did you wanna be the guy in the white hat...or the guy in the black?

 

What's your location? I have a black one and this time of year you can't get it clean. Even out of the car wash there is enough salt in the rinse water that it ends up looking like a reverse leopard but it is too cold to wash it at home. I’d get white if you are in snow country. My last car was white and it always looked cleaner.

 

true, the black definitely looks meaner, but still classy. i also would like the red/black and interior, and would only probably get that with the black. i'd go with all black if i get the white.

only bad thing is that i'm in florida, so the heat can become an issue. i believe that good tinting takes care of that problem better than anything since any time i ride around in any color car w/o tinting, i get hot down here.

 

Black cars in Florida really aren't that bad. I'd even go so far to say the difference temperature-wise is nearly negligible with some good tinting. The only problem I'd imagine you having is drying the black car before the sun does. It's a mad dash to beat the waterspots and you'll be re-washing a lot of the car in the process if you aren't fast enough.

However, with your dilemma over which color to choose, I'm just glad they didn't offer white in 04. Both of the colors are awesome. Black looks mean, but white makes some really cool contrasts with some of the black pieces of body work (not usually something I like, but there's something right about the way they did it). Tough choice...good luck!

 

This may not help with the black vs. white issue, but the other day when I left work there was a "white" Z parked next to my white 8. The Z looked more cream colored than a true white. I also considered the Z. Seeing the two side by side just reconfirmed my decision to get the 8.

 

Get the white, it'll be less common, won't look dirty as fast as black, and IMO is the best looking color for the 8.

 

I drove black cars for the last 15 years, and nothing looks better than one that is washed and waxed. I learned all the tecnhiques for avoiding swirl marks acid rain spots, hard-water spots. It is a lot of work, but rewarding. When I bought my 8, I decided to go with a lighter color, and debated between silver and white. I bought silver because even white can look dirty (so can silver, but less so, IMO). I had a white car before the black ones, and never had a silver car, so that was another reason. I have to admit, though, the white 8 was tempting, and I actually think it looks nicer than the silver, but keeping it looking clean seemed like it was going to be more of a challenge.

I can hose salt off my silver car and it looks clean from a few feet away. I could never do that with my black cars. They would still look dirty from fifteen or twenty feet away. The only remedy for black was a wash every time. I did find that the Mr. Clean Car Wash did a great job of eliminating water spots on black, as long as you use their soap and rinse cartridges. I often followed a wash with Eagle One Wet, a detailing spray designed to be spayed on while a car is still wet, if I was not going to use "real" wax right away.

 

My previous car was black and I'm in Texas. The heat didn't play a huge part, just as much for any other car. I also think white tends to look cream if it's not freshly washed. At least the black still looks black even when it's dirty.

 

I'm shopping 8s now and am on the fence between black and silver. Black on the 8 is the best looking color IMO but would be hard to keep clean here in Chicago. I looked at a white 8 at a local dealership and it's sharp but not my thing. I'll probably end up with black. What's your gut telling you?

 

I like white, but you honestly cannot go wrong with either, classic colours IMO.

 

black

 

I had a hard time making the exact same decision. I drove a black one at the dealership, but ended up buying a white one. And I wasn't even terribly enthused with the white to begin with, but now that I've had it almost a month, it's really grown on me. It isn't quite as challenging to keep it clean-looking as the black (I've owned several black cars), but it certainly shows dirt more than a color like silver (which is what I had immediately prior to the '8). Mazda does a very nice job with the pearl paint too -- it's very smooth and consistent.

My $0.02,
Bill

 

I say get the white.It is by far the best looking color on the RX-8 hands down.I wanted the white,but could not pass up the deal on the 04 Nordic green mica one I bought.My car is on a 2 year lease,and when it is up I may return it for a white water pearl version,or maybe just flat out buy a used 05 in the white color.That is my view of it,but like many have said these are just opinions,and everyone has one.Good luck,you can't really go wrong with any color on this car,but like I said I love the white.

 

I also had this decision to make when I FINALLY got my 8. I've owned a white car and blue car and I really liked white (especially how a white 8 looks in pictures) but when I was at the dealership the white 8 lost some of it's flare.

If they had more or one close to a black one I could have compared them better but my wife convinced me that a white sports car is not as sexy as a black/red/blue one.

If they had the 8 in that DARK BLUE color they have in Japan (so I hear) I would have gone with that color. It's true, black is a PAIN!!!!!! to clean or keep clean but it sure is SEXY!!!

Either choice...you will be the owner of one SEXY car!

 

Black.

I think it compliments the proportions of the car best.

 

Hey, wait a minute! White is so . . . well, white. White bread, white milk, white anglo-saxon protestants. No, forget that last one.
Black is mean. This is a sports car we're talking about here, not your living room ceiling.

 

Now now, white is classic. Any car with good sheet metal looks good in white, black hides all the lines. Do these sports cars remind you of wonder bread? :D

 

WOW - that 360 looks AMAZING in white! How come I've never seen one before? You'd think a color that pops like that would be a hell of a lot more popular! Special edition possibly?

 

Hmmm . . . I wouldn't throw it out of bed.

 

Black IS hard to keep clean but hides the door body lines of the car the best. With a good tint
and a good wax ,Florida heat shouldn't be an issue. Go with your gut!

 

My first two cars were black, so I went Silver... if there was a white option, I would have taken White.

 

Thanks for all the replies. Saw a black 8 out on the road today. Looked really good, must have been washed over the weekend. Yet to see a white one in person. It seems pretty split in terms of recomendations so far, so now I am even more confused! I started negotiating with some dealer's via the internet today, so we'll see what comes from that. I'm going to try my best to be patient and get the best price possible. I think the color decision is gonna go down to the wire.

 

I'd say get the white
But what do i know

Black gets too dirty too fast, but when its clean theres nothing else like it

Whitewater Pearl, (or snowflake pearl, same thing) on the other hand, looks good even when moderately dirty, and the RX-8's white isn't JUST white, it has a more pearlescent shine to it that makes it look even better. You can't make a decision before you see it in real life. And the all black leather interior looks very nice with the white exterior (I like it because there are only two colors, white and black, on the entire car besides the silver rims). Good luck with your choice.

 

ok..i have a black..again..and it is not that hard to keep clean..i'd bet black 8's get washed just as much as any other 8 on the board.. mine looks fine...and is much better clean than the white. second..i'm in alabama.. have black.with black leather..and a nice 35% tint job...no heat probs at all.. and is warmer in the winter. alabama is just as hot as florida..and probably more humid. third..while i love the 8..i hate the cheap black plastic parts on it.. the black hides this much better..obviously.. the only way you could make them look better on the white or any light color is to replace them with carbon fiber....my .02$ and i know alot of other people know what i'm talking about. if it comes down to you not knowing how to wash a car..get the white.. if you know how to... get the black..

the black also looks smaller next to other colors i believe.. the white shows every contrast and edge..sometimes not a good thing...my opinion.. but everyone's got an opinion.. and that pic that someone posted of the two together..shoot..that almost looks kinda dark green..not sure if they posted the right color.

you decide man..don't let us tell you what to do with your money.

grab em and use em.