hey guys i was wondering whether the nature green metallic color was a sensible choice given the extreme hot temperatures in kuwait. i.e eggs boil on the asphalt here.

i bought the car for my little sister, but she wouldnt listen to me when i told her lighter colors were better for this region. my question is does the car color affect the performance or the longivity of the engine if radiation temperatures get as high as 60C which also means dark surfaces can get as high as 80C.

i mean when i touched the hood of a silver saabit was pretty damn cool compared to a black mercedes.

Dark colours always absorb heat more. I have a black Fabia...if I hadn't had the dark tint I wouldn't wanna leave the workplace for lunch, AND i live in Dubai, which is hotter than Kuwait.

Dark colours are nice, but go for the lighter colours, like silver or white. White on the Superb looks nice too. Plus if you add mekfi it'll be even better.

All in all...light is better than dark in our region...even though we have too much light already

I think it's more to do with personal comfort than potential damage to the car. If they sell the car out there in dark colours, they have tested it (or are prepared to pay the claims!).

I lived for 2 years in Abu Dhabi and concluded that it was not just coincidence that most of the Gulf Arabs drove around in white cars.

Probably the only thing to "suffer" will be the airco that will have to work a bit harder for a bit longer to bring the temperature down. But light or dark, it's going to be working flat out anyway if you leave the car out in the summer sun.

I used to have a beige coloured Jeep, and that was extremely unpleasant to sit in after it had been outside for even only a couple of hours. One of my colleagues had the same car, but in black. He used to spend a long time trying to find a parking spot in the shade!

I'd also add that the experience of getting into a car with leather seats after it has been out in the sun in summer left a lasting impression on me (almost literally!). I've just ordered a new car, an Octavia 2: my wife really wanted a black leather interior. I wanted the ivory cloth! We compromised on ivory dual cloth/leather. And I think I'll be investing in a sheep skin again.

John

Arlon, Belgium

Merc A160 for now, Octavia2 on order.

Dark colors need more washing too, a black or dark car seems to be dirty more quickly than a white or silver one.

That's why my car in Abu Dhabi was "golden beige", or sand coloured if you prefer. Get a car the same colour as the local dirt and save water!