I have owned a black Saturn. Saturn used to use a black polymer panel for the doors and then paint them with a flexible paint. The trunk lid, roof, and hood were steel. The paint then would have the same swirl marks all over after a couple of years. The black Smart I got to examine was a molded in-color plastic with a clear sprayed on. Painted or not, the care it takes to maintain a black car will be the same. I failed at back car care 101 so I am not allowed to buy another black car

. Good Luck!