which color to choose?

[ecoope]

Barring surprises, I'm planning to buy a new 2024 Ranger this weekend. The dealer is offering $5K off, close to $9K compared to the equivalent 2025. They have 3 equivalent trucks available, each with 2.7L engine, FX4, trailer towing package and running boards. One is black, one is silver and one is cactus gray. I like black, but the cactus gray is a little different. Which would you choose?

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[Bushmechanic]

I'd like the Cactus Gray, but end up getting the silver.

 

[ecoope]

LOL. I like the Cactus gray, but predict I'll end up with the black

 

[GLW]

LOL. I like the Cactus gray, but predict I'll end up with the black

I have a black raptor and love it. However, I’m retired and have the time to wash it often. I think black is the best looking color when clean and the worst color when not.

 

[stemplar]

I've owned a black car for 20 years and I'm done with it. Yea, it shows dirt seemingly before it's even dirty, but the real kicker is how the paint will show swirl marks and other flaws (etching from bug guts, sap, etc) and how careful one needs to be when washing and drying it.

Given the choice of three colors listed above I'd choose the silver. I like the cactus grey but can't stop thinking that all of the variants of shiny primer we see on new cars today will age as well as the turquoise and other shitty colors from the 80's.

 

[fordtrks4ever]

Your Truck so pick what you like as you must live with it.

 

[JT58]

Cactus Gray or Silver. Black is a super hot box, attracts the sun and shows dirty a lot.

 

[Henry]

I vote Cactus Gray. Something different, and I like the look. I'm done with Silver, every other car/truck on the road around here is Silver/Battleship Gray. I also agree with what GLW said. A just washed Black Truck is the best looking on the street, but when dirty is the worst. I like a clean truck and won't deal with the Black anymore. Your choice-enjoy.

 

[Atom!]

For me, owning a black vehicle was sort of a can’t win situation, to keep it looking nice, I’d wash it three times a week with an unlimited plan (I couldn’t keep up with hand washing). However, the swirl marks became such a problem that I was doing paint correction every other year.

I like Cactus Gray but I’d likely go with the silver since it’s a metallic finish and will doa better job of hiding the paint imperfections over time.

 

[Danny Dean]

Last vehicle was black and I said never again, gets hot in the summer and shows dirt badly, got a cactus gray 24 RR and love it, hides dirt well and tons of comments on the color. Either way enjoy your new truck

 

[MeBEEF]

Barring surprises, I'm planning to buy a new 2024 Ranger this weekend. The dealer is offering $5K off, close to $9K compared to the equivalent 2025. They have 3 equivalent trucks available, each with 2.7L engine, FX4, trailer towing package and running boards. One is black, one is silver and one is cactus gray. I like black, but the cactus gray is a little different. Which would you choose?

Think of the mode you want to do and how the color will look with your mods I didn't do this and I sort of regret it. But I still love my color (cactus gray). For my example. I wanted beadlock trims and want them to pop out. I selected cactus gray, but with the stainless steel beadlocks, it wouldn't pop out as much compared to a darker color.

- Do you plan to PPF it?
- is it going to sit outside a lot?
- What kind of wheels do you want to end up with and what are their color options?
- Do you plan to wash it often? (be realistic)
- etc. etc.

 

[Sauce]

I was in the same situation and went Cactus and I love the color. Looks really stealth, stays relatively clean and compliments the black trim nicely. I have another dark gray metallic vehicle and it shows dirt and water marks so easily and I would expect the black would be the same (or worse).

 

[ecoope]

Thanks. I think I'm leaning towards the cactus grey for all those reasons. Black and white trucks seem really common, and the cactus gray is a little different.

 

[Rollo]

I live in TX and there's no way I'd choose black. It's a heat box and the color is guaranteed to depreciate more in hot climates more than any other color. I'd go with Cactus Gray if it were me. My boss has a 2024 Cactus Gray Ranger Raptor and it's pretty sharp with black tires and running boards.

 

[Boosted6G]

Black is such a pita to maintain and keep looking good. Always looks dirty and shows every paint imperfection, swirl, scuff, etc. I had a silver supercharged Nissan Frontier many years ago. The thing never looked dirty.

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