1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Paint roof on Blizzard Pearl a gloss black?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by GoldPianoGarden, Mar 22, 2012.

  1. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I hadn't seen anything in a while regarding the whole black-roof-on-blizzard-pearl-or-not, so thot I'd get feedback from you other fine Prii owners.... I have decided to paint the entire roof, sharkfin, and upper rear hatch spoiler gloss black about 100 times now, then I change my mind every time. It's only $200 to paint the roof the gloss black to match the other areas on my bodykit that will be gloss black. There is not anywhere around to do the vinyl wrap, so that's not an option, unfortunately. So, does anyone else have any experience w/ doing this? The gloss black, the first time I saw it on some of the bodykit, is like liquid glass (truly a grand piano lacquer-look finish, surprisingly). However, my concern is would the rear hatch spoiler/sharkfin stand out more if I leave the roof its stock white, or paint it all black? I really went thru a lot to find the rear hatch spoiler that went with the Kaira rear wing angles and the sharkfin...so would it just blend in if it was black, or stand out just as much?

    upper rear hatch spoiler/sharkfin:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]


    Kaira rear hatch wing:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The center of the Kaira rear wing IS the gloss black, but that doesn't seem to require the roof to be black, also, since Kaira pictures it on a white-roofed Prius. I have to give them my final decision now, and I am TORN! I like all-white cars (everything white), but I also like the gloss black accents on the white cars, too. I do sit an occasional item on the roof of my car to open the door when my hands are full, so I've tossed around the possibility of scratches on the gloss black paint. What if the paint chips from a rock on the interstate....then I've got a white roof showing thru... !??!?!?
     
  2. d2mini

    d2mini Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2011
    519
    106
    0
    Location:
    Houston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    I did that to my 99 new beetle... back in '99.
    It really transformed the look of the car and everyone thought it was glass.
     
  3. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2009
    5,683
    952
    124
    Location:
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Black always make things stand out less. In fact, I'm often surprised at the subtle lines and contours in the Prius body when I see them on Blizzard Pearl, as they're difficult to see or not very obvious on my black Prius.
     
  4. Levelheadsteve

    Levelheadsteve Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    40
    10
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I think it will look good either way.
     
  5. 4npower

    4npower Junior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2012
    79
    9
    0
    Location:
    VA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You know vinyl is a option, cheaper and if you don't like you peel it.
     
  6. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I love the look of the cars w/ the glossy black roof, but I want things to show up more....so I'm leaning toward leaving it white.
     
  7. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Yeah, I looked around to see if I could get that done here, but nobody does that w/in 1 1/2 hours distance from me, which isn't an option since I have my grandmother to watch/care for. My hands/thumbs are too shot from piano playing to do it myself, or I'd have considered that, since you can just buy the sheets online. I just can't do those types of tedious things anymore. I have to hold/grip stuff between my index fingers and my middle fingers (bend my fingers like when you pretend you stole a little kid's nose) cause my thumbs are totally "socketless" now. Example:
    [​IMG]
    Docs say they can do surgery, but recovery/rehab is about a year (of no working) per hand, and then there's no guarantee I'd be able to play piano any longer afterward, and they'd eventually go back to how they are now..... So, that seems like a total waste of time and would be unnecessary inconvenience on several levels! Gotta save what little strength/dexterity I have left and worry 'bout making a living! lol! Installing the tail lights about killed me, so I don't think I'd ever brave anything like strategically wrapping the roof and sharkfin and rear hatch spoiler in the gloss black vinyl by myself.
     
  8. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2010
    3,247
    527
    0
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I am considering a black shark fin antenna and having the white part of my roof done in gloss black vinyl to match the solar roof. But first I have to get the car in my hands...6-8 weeks to go :(

    Mike
     
  9. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I bet the wait is killing u!

    I bought my sharkfin in white, although it's never been put on the car yet. So, it did seem unsettling to me (although it's a tiny piece) to paint it black after I purposefully bought it in white! lol
     
  10. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,597
    3,771
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Trade it in for a solar roof! :p
     
  11. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    lol! I could have bought a solar roof to start with, but there was no benefit to me from getting it. I have driven 3 sports convertibles before, and mighta put the tops down once. I don't crack the windows, don't open sunroofs, etc. I try to keep my inside air free from the dust and other road crap being dispersed at me! If it had done more, like charge the batteries, for example, then it would have been more appealing. I had intended to put in custom stereo/dvd/nav from the beginning, so the nav wasn't appealing to me. I do like the look of the black roof on white cars, though. But, I like white roofs, too! lol
     
  12. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,597
    3,771
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    I don't use the sunroof either so I can relate but in Georgia the solar roof will pay off in spades. I, too, like a clean interior so I never ride with the windows down. I grew up with no a/c in either the house or in cars so riding around with the windows down just reminds me of the not-so-good-old days if you not what I mean. :) The solar venting passes through the interior cabin air filter so you're not pumping dust into the car all day long.
     
  13. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I musta had a dumb butt salesman then! Mom called me from work and told me to go pick out a new car one day and then she'd go pay for it when she got off work that day. I picked out 2 (as I've mentioned in previous posts in other threads), the new yellow Camaro (for my "reminisce days"...), and a Prius for my tech side. She decided on the Prius...) Anyway, I had a day to pick one out, and the salesperson said that the solar thing would open up the sunroof to cool the car. So, I took his word for it and knew that was of NO interest to me. Oh, well....he got a sale anyway! lol
     
  14. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2010
    3,247
    527
    0
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The wait :confused: OMG freakin going nuts waiting and waiting :pout:

    Mike
     
  15. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2010
    3,247
    527
    0
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

    Go back an smack that idiot salesman along side the head as you tell him, You freakin jerk, you ruined my life :p

    I would be concerned though if some butthead was smokin upwind of my car with the solar vent doing it's thing :(

    Mike
     
  16. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Gosh, I can't stand being downwind of a smoker... Gag!

    the only reason I'd find the solar roof appealing is just for the idea of having a black roof. But, I guess I've decided to stick with the white roof and sharkfin I've got and paint the upper hatch spoiler white, also. I'm afraid I'd lose detail by doing black. Then again, I could do a big flag on top of my car like the Mini Cooper! lol
     
  17. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2010
    3,247
    527
    0
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Funny :) My reason for going with the solar roof was just because it sounded cool to have solar panels on my car :p Then as you, I liked the black roof on a Blizzard Pearl car :eyebrows: I honestly don't open the moonroof's in my cars :confused: Yes that smoke stench is absolutely disgusting. Seems there is something different in what people smoke today as the stench carries way farther than it did years ago. You pull up to a stoplight and you better have those vents on recirculate or some butthead will fill your car with the stink :mad2:

    Dukes of Hazzard style roof :rockon:

    Mike :tea:
     
  18. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    yeah, I might have gone with the solar roof one if I'd have had time to research all about it, the car, etc.....but I only had one day to pick out which car(s) I wanted mother to pick from before she got off work...and I knew I would never open the sunroof....especially if it was gonna open by itself! lol
     
    1 person likes this.
  19. GoldPianoGarden

    GoldPianoGarden Bling Meister

    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    841
    72
    98
    Location:
    Brunswick, GA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    The salesman is actually a total arse to me now whenever I happen to be at the dealership for anything. I had called the dealership before I went there that day to make sure that they even had any Prii. Of course, they transferred me to some salesperson to talk to. Once I found out they had a couple, I ended the call and went there (after I went to the Chevy dealership to pick out a Camaro). Well, the one I bought was sitting in the showroom, so I could see/check out everything I wanted right there. When I went back later to meet my mother when she went to pay for it, the sales manager asked me if I had talked to any other sales people. I told him that I had only dealt with the one guy in person, except for the dude on the phone that had just let me know that they had some Prii there. Well, the sales manager actually made the guy who I dealt with in person SPLIT the sale w/ the dude I had talked to for 10 seconds on the phone... Well, my sales dude was NOT happy. Since that time, he has actually blown me off or ignored me every single time I've seen him at the dealership.
     
  20. WE0H

    WE0H Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2010
    3,247
    527
    0
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

    I'd never walk into that store again. What a mess... I had a similar deal with a local store where I was dealing with the sales manager about finding info on the 2012 Prius if the Plus Package was possible to get. He did the research and showed me the document with pricing. So all was cool and I stopped by once a week to keep in touch as I had told him I would be back in May to order my Prius. One day a couple weeks ago I walked in there and he blew me off like I was some tire kicker with nothing to spend. I said screw that store and ordered my Prius from another store :p Little bits of customer service mean tons for a potential buyer or potential service work customer at a store. A simple hi hows it going would be fine but to blow a person off is uncalled for :mad: Idiots :p

    Mike