By
EWAN KENNEDY
18 June 2007
To most people the number one choice after deciding which car
to buy is its colour. While choosing something to suit your desires and
personal image is important, there are some other considerations you may
care to take into account.
White cars are a sensible buy in hot Australia and have
long been big sellers. They remain cooler inside than cars with other
colours, though not by as much as you might expect. And white makes it
easy for other drivers to see your car, particularly in conditions of
poor light and/or during wet weather.
White paint is generally very stable, meaning that it
doesn't fade easily if the car has to be parked outdoors all the time.
On the other hand, white is often seen as being somewhat
predictable, and it doesn’t carry much status in the fashion stakes.
Other colours which are easy to see are reds and oranges
(unless you are travelling in parched outback areas with a sandy
background), but these colours are notorious for fading in strong
sunlight.
To maximise resale value, go for a colour that suits the
image of the vehicle. For example, go for silvers, dark blues and greens
in a prestige car, or bright reds and yellows in sporty models. Silver
is all the rage at present and has the bonus that it can be almost as
easy to see as white in many conditions.
Keep an eye on what others are driving and make your
decision from there. If you want to be non-conformist, that’s great,
but remember you may suffer at resale time.
Metallic and pearlescent paints do a lot for the
appearance of a car but can be difficult to match accurately when the
car is resprayed after rust or crash repairs. Even if the metallic paint
is matched up accurately, it's possible the new paint will fade at a
different rate from the old. Take a look at old cars the next time you
are trekking through a carpark and you will soon see what we mean.
Fashions come and go; for example oranges, yellows,
purples and the like were all the rage in the swinging sixties and
seventies but later became as passe as sideburns and flared pants. But
fashion being what it is, cycles come and go and the bright shades are
showing signs of making a return.
Those who buy a 4WD generally go for more sedate shades
at least in the bigger cars, the smaller ones often look more attractive
in the younger and trendier hues.
ewan@marque.com.au
