Perhaps you've noticed more cars sporting black roofs while you were stuck in traffic, and you're wondering what's up with the color of their roofs. That's what we will talk about today with the help of answers from car experts.
The increasing popularity of cars with black roofs is rooted mainly in styling and aesthetic purposes.
- Black is bold yet classy.
- Black diverts attention to the other great exterior features of the car, such as flashy wheels.
- Black also creates an illusion that the car is lower or the windows are floating.
Continue reading so we can tell you more about the reasons why car owners choose to have black roofs and which car manufacturers offer this option upon purchase. We'll also answer your questions if having a black roof will make your car hotter and whether it is cheaper to have the roof of your car painted or wrapped. Let's get started!
Why do people have their car roofs painted black?
When you have a black car, it usually follows that you have a black roof. But more and more cars are sporting black roofs even when their bodies don't come in black color. You will see blue, red, white, orange, and silver cars that have their roofs painted in black.
A studio customizing in high-end vehicles says that black is the most popular color choice for their roof wrap jobs. The reasons they cited for the popularity of black roofs include: style, shifting focus, and creating an illusion.
Black is bold
Having a black roof when you have a black car is not exactly exceptional. But put that on top of any other color, and you immediately create contrast which demands attention.
Black is a bold color. At the same time, it goes well with just about any other color, so matching it with colored cars isn't a problem.
Black is classy
Black is timeless. It adds a touch of class to the vehicle, and it's something that'll never go out of style. You can choose among matte, satin, or glossy finishes to match the exterior of your car.
Black diverts your focus
Black hides the top portion of your car. It takes away the attention from the roof and diverts it to the car's body so that the focus is on the details found in this area. It makes the color of the car's body stand out as well as other features that you have going in the windows and wheels of your vehicle.
Black creates an illusion
A black roof means you have something going on. It gives onlookers the perception that the car is lower. Some might even have the idea that the windows are only attached to the lower portion of your vehicle or that they could be floating.
All of the reasons cited above point to the fact that car owners choose to have black roofs purely for aesthetic purposes. But even if there is no other added benefit to having a dark-colored roof, car designers don't see this trend ending anytime soon.
What car has a black roof?
To demonstrate the points mentioned above, here are some of the vehicles that come with a black contrast in their roofs. Some of these car manufacturers even offer the choice for black roofs without any additional charges.
- All models of Mini
- All Land Rover models
- BMW i3s
- Fiat 500L
- Ford Flex
- Hyundai Kona
- Jaguar E-Pace
- Jeep Compass
- Jeep Renegrade
- Nissan Kicks
- Toyota Camry
Yes, two-toned cars are back! Gone are the days when only expensive luxury cars came with a black roof. As you can see, there are so many options to choose from on the market.
With the increasing popularity of cars with black roofs on the road, the monotonous hues in traffic are now a thing of the past. They grace the streets with their stylish appearance and direct our attention to all the other great external features of the vehicles.
Does a black roof make the car hotter?
Black, if you can call it a color, has the greatest amount of heat absorption among all the other colors. It absorbs all wavelengths of light, which then convert into heat and other forms of energy. And it does not reflect any of the heat back to the source. It just continues to absorb light and convert it to heat.
This is the reason why cars with black roofs are hotter in the literal sense of the word. A subscriber in a Q&A website put this theory to test by leaving two cars, one with a black roof and the other with a white roof, under the scorching heat of the summer sun.
When they measured the vehicles' internal temperature after a few hours, the one with a black roof was at 130 degrees Fahrenheit, while the car with a white roof was only at 113 degrees Fahrenheit. This shows us that black roofs indeed absorb more heat.
Because of this, the AC unit in vehicles with black roofs will have to work harder to make the interior cool during the summer. It gets hot faster and takes longer to cool. Therein lies the disadvantage of having a dark-colored roof.
Is it cheaper to get a car painted or wrapped?
In order to achieve a black-colored roof, you need to have your car's roof painted black, or you can have it wrapped with this color -unless you're buying a new car and the manufacturer provides options for the roof color. A major consideration for car owners is always the cost of having the job done on their vehicles, of course, without sacrificing quality.
There are express paint services that'll cost around $500 to $1,000, but these have a lower quality compared to a custom paint job which could reach around $3,000 to $10,000 just for a basic design or paint job.
On the other hand, roof wraps can cost between $300 and $500 only. As you can see, there's a huge difference in their prices, especially if you would go with a custom paint job for your car's roof.
Vinyl Roof Wraps
This is the main reason why roof wrapping has become very popular these days. You can easily transform the look of your vehicle for a fraction of the cost. The wrap itself is made of vinyl which can come in various colors.
It is also a flexible and durable material to work with and resists harmful UV rays. That's why it's perfect to use on the roof of the car!
Aside from being more affordable, many car owners appreciate the fact that roof wraps provide a simpler way to customize their vehicles. It is also easier to install. It might take a week to finish painting the roof of your car because of the coating, recoating, and drying time in between. But vinyl roof wraps are done in just a few hours!
Wraps are also easy to repair if ever there are damages on the surface of a vinyl wrap than those on a custom paint job. The wrap itself won't damage the original color of the vehicle's roof but protects it instead especially from harsh weather conditions. Therefore, it increases the resale value of the car if you do decide to sell your vehicle later on.
Can all vehicles be wrapped?
You're probably thinking about all the advantages that roof wraps have over a custom paint job and are inclined to have your roof covered with this black vinyl. But let us clarify that not all vehicles can be wrapped.
Roof wrapping will only work well if your car's paint and roof are in good condition. The wrap itself will not be able to hide the imperfections in the roof. Aside from that, these spots would cause adhesion problems. So, if your vehicle's roof has bad paint, you're left with no other option but to have it painted.
Final Thoughts
Your car will definitely stand out with a black roof. If you're still looking for a hot car with a black roof, there are lots of options in the market. Or, if you want to have yours customized, you can always have it painted in black or go the cheaper route, which is to have it wrapped so that you can achieve this look.
You may visit these links to read more about car paints:
How Much Does It Cost To Paint A Car?
Car Paint Peeling Off—What To Do?