Hello, I am new to these forums. I am hoping to buy a brand new 2013 Fit Sport and am the most interested in the Vortex Blue Pearl and Polished Metal Metallic colors. I'm very excited about my future purchase as this will be my first brand new vehicle.

My question is: How is the color maintenance on Vortex Blue Pearl? Does it look filthy as quickly or almost as quickly as black does? How easily do swirls and other imperfections show? I know darker color paint can sometimes be more of a PITA to maintain, but was curious about this specific color.

Thanks!

 

I looked at a vortex blue model first but opted for the polished metal met. I parked both colors next to each other to compare finishes. They're both nice but I felt the blue would be higher maintenance.

 

My 2010 was the vortex blue and like any dark color it gets filthy fast and does easily show swirl marks. It is very beautiful though! I now have the polished metal which is slightly better as far as not showing dirt and swirls, but i am much more careful now. I only go through touchless car washes, don't use the nylon brush on the scraper to remove snow anymore, and i don't let the dealer wash my car anymore so hopefully i won't see any swirl marks. I love both colors, but any time i see a vortex blue Fit i still can't help but think how beautiful that color is. The polished metal does look classy though.

 

I have Blue Sensation Pearl, which, is almost indistinguishable from your Vortex. My Blue Sensation is not nearly as bad as black to keep clean, but it's not exactly easy either. Mine doesn't show dirt as badly as it actually is much of the time. It shows chemicals and salt, etc. from snow maintenance fairly well, and will show heavy dust from dirt roads, etc... but not nearly as bad as other darker colors.

Our blue has one thing going for it... it has metallic flecks that seem to help hide dirt a bit better than simple dark blue rides.

I HATE winter on my Fit's color... it's almost not even worth washing... but then it looks like crap if you don't. I don't like dirty, nasty-looking, salty rides. However, send her through a brushless car wash frequently and she cleans up nicely. Dry left over water with a microfiber cloth.

As for swirl? Yes, it will show swirl... but not nearly as badly as a lot of other paint. Just use microfiber cloths for EVERYTHING, and you'll be alright.

I had some kid run a stop sign and slam into the side of my Fit with his bicycle. (scared the crap out of me when I thought he disappeared under my front bumper and I felt a thump! It was his bike, not him, thank God!

He left a pretty nasty ding in the my passenger door and his handlebars scraped the crap out of the upper passenger-side corner of my hood. I went to the best auto body place for miles... and I mean they ARE the best. They had a terrible time matching the paint because of the metallic in it. They eventually gave up and ordered the actual paint Honda uses from the factory... came out great. They were using BASF paint and, while it was close, I said "No cigar... not good enough!"

So if you get a ding or anything requiring paint, God forbid, try and get your body person to use the actual paint Honda used for your ride at the factory.

It's a wonderful color that absolutely gleams at night under certain lighting conditions... borderline incredible. My wife says it looks like some kind of gem. Not nearly as dynamic in the daylight, unless you look closely at the metallic flake in the paint. But the only other color I might consider since owning the blue would be red. Not more than the blue though...

... I'm glad I chose the blue.

My main complaint is I don't think Honda does great paint jobs on Fits... I could be wrong though. It just doesn't seem to be that thick. The guy at the body shop told me he thought it was some of the crappiest factory paint he's seen... only because it's such a thin paint job. He was irritated he had a hard time matching color though... so who knows.

 

I bought a 2013 Vortex Blue Pearl Honda Fit two months ago (Jan. 8, 2013) and have found it shows dirt more than the light-blue Taurus I had previously - and I have waxed it which is supposed to help.

BUT...Almost everyone says, "I really love your car's shade of blue."

So do I, so I don't mind a little extra maintenance: and with no trunk and not much hood it doesn't take me long to give it quick wash and dry. I quickly pass an 8" soft sponge, kept soaked with wash/wax suds, over the whole car (I can do the whole car when the temp's in the 50's before rinsing it off). Then I go back and spend time with the lower grill work up front and the hub caps - the only places that seem to get grimy. Then I use a chamois cloth to dry it. The whole process takes 15-20 minutes.

I've also used (once so far) a quick wipe-on wipe-off wax after washing the car, and like seeing the rain turn into tiny beads on the roof to show me it's still working and protecting the finish.

 

The dust shows pretty well. Mainly because I live in the country side. Dust and swirls show really well up close. But from a distance it also looks washed. I didnt like the color at first because it looked purple but I bought the color in the winter when the sun barely hit it. I like it a lot better now. It doesnt matter what color you get. I like all the color the Fit offers

 

I have Blue Vortex on my '12. It shows EVERYTHING! Scratches on the roof (not sure how they got there). Swirl marks from waxing. White wax marks in the gaps I still can't figure out how to clean out. A million paint chips plastered across the hood.

And the dirt. One rainstorm and the car looks absolutely filthy. I wash it weekly, at least, and that's getting expensive (live in an apt. complex, so I have to go to the car wash).

That said, once it's washed --- and I stand 10 feet away, the car EASILY is the best-looking one in the parking lot. Especially if I throw some "Tire Wet" stuff on the tires. So despite all my whining, I have no regrets.

FYI -- When the car gets coated with winter road salt, Blue Vortex turns into a really, really girly-looking purple. But I'm secure in my manhood, so I don't care. One run through the car wash and it looks killer awesome!

[Now when I talked my Dad into picking up a Fit for my mother, we picked Alabaster Silver because it's virtually maintenance-free. Just wash it once a month. But the car disappears in parking lots. So take your pick.]

 

My current '12 Fit (Vortex) Blue is almost identical to my 04 Honda Civic (Fiji) Blue.

Shows almost everything but not as bad as Black or White.

Dirty:
http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/...03479001_n.jpg


Clean:
2004 Honda Civic EX Photos by HondaCivic04AT | Photobucket

Hopefully once it gets warmer out I will get some pictures of the Fit (just purchased in Jan)

 

I get lots of compliments on my car, and it does look great when clean. But damn, it scratches easily. I'd still get it again though.

 

Mine does get dusty pretty easily. After a wash, the shine is really nice. The streaks from washing/waxing are too easy to see when it's in the sunlight (may have been my fault for doing it wrong one time back...), but in normal light it's not bad.

I love the metallic flecks in it, though.

 

i love my deep saphire blue pearl and when it is washed it pops but i too have chips and light swirls and scratches a nice coat of wax every now and again sorts it out