Hello all,

I am about ready to pull the trigger on a Black fully loaded TCH. I love the color but am concerned about the black car being hotter on the interior, especially in a sunny/hot climate. With this in mind I can think of two possible negative side effects.

1. Reduced ability to use the ECO mode for the A/C unit which may reduce gas mileage.
2. Hotter interior therefore possibly greater discharge rate of the battery and/or reduced life span of the battery.

Any black TCH owners, please give me your feedback on your ability to effectively use the ECO mode on sunny days and if you are seeing the same high mileage as other TCH owners. Thanks for your help.

Scott

I don't have a black but have the blue ribbon.. It does get hot, and I will be adding tint (probably 30s in the rear and 50 up front). That should help alot on the heat.

The other thing to note is that its a pain to keep clean. I mean, you can see the dust. Black or any dark color has the ability to deliver that awesome wet look, but when dirty, looks bad.

I actually clayed and waxed the TCH last weekend. It's drop dead gorgeous. Very wet look, and reflection like its nobody's business.. But everyday, you see that thin layer of dust.. Drives me nuts.. Was speed detailing it everyday, but now, I think I'll just do a quick speed detail once a week.

i have a black 2007 tch, with NO added tinting to the windows...we picked up the tch in early july, 2007. have used eco with the a/c. in my opinion, it is sufficient to cool the car down. i had the dealer change the default recirc switch to outside instead of inside, which requires me to manually hit the button to use interior recirc. just my preference. summers in jersey are quite humid and muggy as well as hot. a/c in eco mode performed very well according to my comfort level. wife always raised the temp to 70, while i like it at 65. however, my comfort level may not be the same as yours, so as they say, actual mileage may vary. i am still learning how to try to maximize fe. i used to be a very aggressive driver, but since the tch, i have gone 180 degrees in driving style; don't speed, don't tailgate; no jackrabbit starts; etc...while trying to maximize fe. btw, the car is great and a lot of fun to drive! good luck!

Mods: Surveillance Front and Rear Cameras for Realtime Display and Recording

Thanks for the replies. I think I am going to go with black. I also like the silver, but they seem to be a dime a dozen and the black hybrid is a little more rare.

Scott

Awesome choice! I love the black...yes it is a pain in the butt to keep clean. I haven't brought myself to clay it yet as I fear that must take FOREVER! I did wax it last Sunday and she was sexy. Still is. Everyone thinks it is a BMW.

Actually, it was pretty quick.... Well its all relative.. Claying the Sienna took FOREVER!!!

I can see how claying a black car must make it look really slick. Is it worthwhile doing a silver one? My wife already thinks I'm obsessed - wait a minute, I AM obsessed! I don;t need to give her any more ammunition - if I do something like that, it better have visble results!

--My hybrid came home!--
Ottawa owners check in here

Randy

Yes and it works. I have proof if you need it (claybarred and wax our 02 Camry XLE before it got totalled )

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

What I do is get the car dirty.. Have the wife complain that its dirty.. Wash car, clay half the hood, then ask the wife.. If she can't tell the difference, tell her to FEEL the difference. If she can't feel the difference, she's lying...

Usually, once my wife feels the difference, she has no problem...

FYI, after claying your cars paint should feel like glass, silky smooth. What the clay does is remove the tiny deposits from pollution, rail dust, etc. There are all the disclaimers about claying that you should be aware of and read up on.. The ones that come to mind are: 1) We're only talking about AUTOMOTIVE CLAY.. Silly Putty from your kids play room is not the same!! 2) If you drop the clay, toss it (oh so that means when you have the clay bar, take a small chunk from it to use (not the whole bar) 3)work in the shade, and do a small section at a time.

Thanks for the feedback. I may give this a shot in the next week or so.

--My hybrid came home!--
Ottawa owners check in here

Randy