One of the things that can make a or break a car is colour choice. If we said Ford Focus ST most people will bring to mind the bright orange one that was shown in the Top Gear review. Likewise if we said Maserati MC12, it’s the famous blue and white livery that comes to mind. When you’re considering a car purchase, especially a used car, it’s very easy to forget that other colours are available. Some cars just look better in a particular shade or hue.
So how do you choose which colour you should go for? Well, that depends. One consideration is of course resale value of your chosen car. An acid green Sirocco might seem like a good idea, but do you know how that will affect the possible buying market down the line? Will it alienate some people or alternatively attract others? On this note, whilst a wrap or respray might seem like a good idea, we don’t recommend either for a good reason. You may not be happy with the results down the line and it’ll only be another added financial issue attributed to your car.
Which is the choice for you? Well how about a few little suggestions:
- Executive – black or silver
- SUV – most colours really, it’ll still blend in to most of the other SUVs that are on the road
- Hot hatchback – the wilder the better
- Family hatch – sensible beige, brown, champagne or any other muted metallic
- Supersports – if buying as an investment go for the most well known hue
- Estate – A metallic black or silver derivative
It’s worth considering that a paint job can flatter or deceive. It may make a large car look smaller, or a small car look more aggressive. Alternatively it can make it appear that an angular car has softer lines with the right shade and vice versa. Some manufacturers will charge in excess of £1,500 or more for a particular finish. Add a coat of protective film (as some choose to do) and you’re looking at almost £2,000! Factor this in to the budget of a new car and a reasonable price can quickly start to look excessive.
Our advice? Whether you’re buying new or used, shop around. View as many colours of the model that you’re interested in to make sure it’s the right one for you. Equally as important however is the interior, but we’ll leave that for the next article. Comments as always are invited below.
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