Nighthawk Black Pearl (aka black with oh-so-pretty sparkles).
It wasn’t an easy decision by far. I was seriously a chicken with it’s head cut off at the car dealer. Going back and forth between silver, black, and white. The silver looked pretty, but I felt it was too pedestrian, especially for the Civic (based on my street observations it is by far the most common Civic color–along with Galaxy Gray). White was nice too..but I think I’m reserving that color for when (and if) I get a larger, more luxurious vehicle.
So yes, now it has been…a month and a half with my new black Civic (I started this post approximately that much time ago…apologies for any awkward-continuation-moments). In this time much has happened. I not only bought a new car, but I shipped it cross-country from Northern Virginia to Phoenix, Arizona and flew over to greet it. Then I began working right away at my new gig–a design internship with The Arizona Republic (Wiki) (some pages I’ve done so far have been posted in my portfolio).All this was in early January, when it was…eh..about 55 degrees out here (13 degrees back home–and a snow storm). Now it’s already almost V-day (and supposed to be in the 70s by the weekend) and the Super Bowl and Super Tuesday have passed..barely. Yesterday, for Super Tuesday, practically the whole newsroom stayed past 12:30 (a.m., of course) for primary coverage and it was….well…planned chaos.
Anyways, back to car stuff. One thing I have to say that is nice about silver is that it’s a very safe color–not only in terms of the whole pedestrian thing, but also in terms of surface scratches. Let’s just say everything shows up on black–I mean everything–and I’m sure it’s a similar thing for white. Silver on the other hand can get a bit more dirty, a bit more scratched and it will still look…nice. I’ve had some pretty bad “gasp” moments while washing my car (aka “WTF did that come from?”). Too many in fact, it’s quite depressing. So I’ve been trying to take really good care of Chanel (my car’s lovely name).Here’s a list of some things I’ve treated her to…
1. Cilajet Paint Sealant (done at dealer–Fairfax Honda): I swear my car felt like silk after this was put on.
2. Got some floor mats (only because I couldn’t stop cringing whenever someone with dirty shoes stepped in). Rubber Queen 70506 4-Piece Vinyl Floor Mats (Clear) from Amazon, which are clear, but with a slight bluish/purplish tint which actually goes really well with the Civic’s blue dashboard lighting. 
3. Bi-weekly hand car washes using the Meguiar’s Gold Class Wash & Wax Kit ordered on Amazon. With drying done using The Original California Jelly Blade also from Amazon (really really speeds up the drying process). And buffing wax/spot drying/interior cleaning with the Meguiar’s X2020 Supreme Shine Microfiber – Pack of 3 and yes, Amazon.
4. 3M Window tinting done at A Better Tint (out here in Arizona). The sun’s temperature (aka 90% vanity) was getting to me and everyone (seriousl, everyone) has their windows tinted out here. It’s practically a dealer default, so naturally, I had to get them done–to Virginia standards though (lighter–boo hoo).
5. A retractable auxilary cable for my iPod and iPhone: Scosche IU3.5RC 2.5 Inch Plug Cable to 3.5mm Plug Cable – retractable from you-know-where and of course a jack adapter for my iPhone. Also a car charger for iPhone (or any iPod).
6. Various air fresheners and a car compass (necessary out here..really..!) with a suction cup that I’ve attached to my windshield.
I’m hoping that I haven’t spoiled her….(too late?) but it’s been fun (and not so cheap). I’m holding off purchasing a surface scratch remover (the couple I know exist are killing me). Any recommendations?
BONUS: some random interior shots during the first week or two back in VA (all taken with my iPhone–notice the clarity during day and the lack of at night). P.S. I am living off my the Google Maps app on my iPhone out here. It’s the only way I’m getting around..! Gotta love it and the new GPS-like feature (if you haven’t already go download the free update! (should be able to get through iTunes).
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