# Why did you choose that colour for your car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 2, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635 "2018-09-02T04:57:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/1 "2018-09-02T04:57:19Z")
My first car was a 1966 MGB roadster that my mom bought new. As I came in from putting the cover on its clone I wondered, ‘Why did mom choose Old English White with a red interior? Why not British Racing Green or Tartan Red or Iris Blue or Primrose Yellow?’ It’s too late now to ask her or my father, but I can imagine. Before we returned from Japan, dad had a Triumph Herald convertible. I was told that it was blue when he bought it, but he’d had it painted red. (I was very young, but I recall the red version.) I’m guessing Iris Blue was out because it simply wasn’t a preferred colour. What about British Racing Green? Growing up, I remember dad saying green was an unlucky colour for a car. So no green. Tartan red? Dad once said that the worst drivers in the world are Japanese cab drivers – any my mom drove two of them off the road. Red is stereotypically attractive to cops. He may have convinced my mom that a red sports car would be a ticket magnet. Primrose Yellow? I can’t see my folks liking it all that much. (Not that it’s unattractive, though.) What it may have come down to is that my parents were young in the '50s. I’ve seen several '50s cars that were white with red interiors, and the MG appealed to their tastes when they were in their 20s. By the time I was driving mom’s car as a hand-me-down in the '80s, I disliked the Old English White. To me, at the time, the ‘cream’ white looked dingy. I would have preferred something more ‘glaciery’ – like maybe just a drop of blue in the white paint. And yet… I have an Old English White MGB with a red interior today. It’s not hard to understand why I chose the scheme. Pure nostalgia. And I actually like the ‘cream’ now. I used to have a white Porsche 911SC coupé (no tail – tails are for poseurs – and with polished Fuchs wheels). I shouldn’t have sold it. I’d like to have another. It could be a 911SC, but I’d prefer a Carrera (which ‘was the last iteration in the original 911 series’, according to Wikipedia). I could go for a 911/993, but I do like the original styling. White? A perfectly good colour. But my preference would be Racing Yellow with a black interior, or Night Blue Metallic with a Linen interior. Neither are correct for the '84-'89 Carrera, but I like them. Why would I choose one of those? Because I like them. ---
**Author:** ![blob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blob/32/489_2.png) [@blob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blob)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/2 "2018-09-02T05:35:37Z")
My car is white. Why? I would have liked a red one, but the shade of red wasn’t the same shade of red as the stop-light covers and it didn’t “look right” when you looked at it from the rear. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/3 "2018-09-02T05:40:30Z")
I chose my last two cars to go with the old international racing colors; an MGB-GT in British Racing Green, and a BMW in silver. Don’t know if I’ll keep that up, but I like the idea. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/4 "2018-09-02T07:18:33Z")
When I bought my Mustang in 2011 (2012 model year), I wanted it to be a fun color, since it was going to be my midlife crisis car. 😃 So, no black, and no white. I was considering either red or yellow, but the yellow that Ford was offering that year was more like [butterscotch](http://mustangattitude.com/mustang/2012/2012_00015_02.jpg) than the [racing yellow](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Ford_Mustang_GT_coupe_--_07-30-2009.jpg) they’d offered in previous years. So, I wound up with [red candy metallic](http://images.gtcarlot.com/pictures/62086331.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/5 "2018-09-02T09:51:23Z")
I occasionally note that the vast majority of (American, at least) cars seems to be black, white, or silver. Then I remark to myself how boring that is. Then I remember that I own two vehicles and one is black, the other silver. mmm ---
**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/6 "2018-09-02T12:14:21Z")
My cars tend to be whatever color they are because that’s the car that was in the lot at the time. The car salescritter even apologized about the only color that was available (black, with black interior) when I bought my current car. I didn’t care about the color; that one had the electronics I wanted, and it was sitting right there in the lot. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/7 "2018-09-02T12:21:40Z")
There was a tremendous deal this last January on the two last remaining 2017 Honda Accords with V6 engines. One was black, and one was white. Not wanting the sun-absorbing black one, we chose the white. I would have preferred a red car, but we took what they had. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/8 "2018-09-02T12:21:40Z")
My car is dark red. It used to be my mother’s car and red was her favourite colour. My family once bought an old car from our nextdoor neighbour. It was a colour that I could never decide whether it was green or blue. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/9 "2018-09-02T12:37:33Z")
My current car is a model that I had never considered buying. They had one at the lot where I was shopping and suggested that I take it for a test drive. It seemed like a nice car so when the salesman asked what I thought of it I said that I liked everything except the revolting color. Because of my disdain for the color I was able to make a really low offer and just stick to it. I have had the car for years now and most people like the color, personally I still think it’s awful. Mind you it has been a very good buy. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/10 "2018-09-02T12:38:25Z")
My Volt is basically beige/brownish, but under blue skies she turns cement grey. GM calls this colour _Pepperdust_. The few Volts on the dealer lot that day (darker colours) had rain spots on them, and I figured a dust-coloured car would be mostly immune from that, so I ordered her that way. It’s not the most beautiful Volt on the road, I have to admit. But the pearl white cost extra $. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/11 "2018-09-02T12:51:51Z")
Well the current car is black, the last 2 were silver, and the 3 before that were red. It helps that they the colors of my hockey and college sports teams. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/12 "2018-09-02T13:07:58Z")
On the budget I have for cars, colour is pretty far down the priority list. I do (despite my current silver car) have a preference for unusual colours- ie. not white, silver, black or red, which account for about 80% of the cars in the UK, but that’s mostly so’s I can find the thing when I’ve parked. Silver _is_ good for not showing the dust, so it does have than going for it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/13 "2018-09-02T13:20:14Z")
People are expected to choose their car color? Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/14 "2018-09-02T14:22:09Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I occasionally note that the vast majority of (American, at least) cars seems to be black, white, or silver. > > Then I remark to myself how boring that is. There’s a used car lot in Bellingham where it seems every car is black, white, or silver. I never looked too closely, but I think they’re primarily BMWs. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/15 "2018-09-02T14:25:52Z")
I saw a car in the lot and I liked the color. Realized later that lots of people like the color which can make it difficult to find in a parking lot. > [@ftg](#): > > People are expected to choose their car color? > > Wow. Henry Ford died a long time ago. Cars now come in different colors. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/16 "2018-09-02T14:35:24Z")
When I decided to buy my current car, I looked at the available colors and decided I wanted the dark blue. I looked up the inventory online at my local dealership and there was a blue one listed, so I went to the dealership and told them I wanted THAT car. The salesman took me to a charcoal grey one and we did a test drive. Yes, fine. No, I don’t want that car, I want the blue one, your online inventory said you had one. He went back into the office and took quite awhile before coming back and saying they’d get it ready for me, but it would be a while more. Turns out they’d already sold the blue one they’d had in their inventory and found another one in the next state over - they had someone drive it up and prepped it for me. I’m sure he thought I was batshit crazy, but I drive the thing almost every day and I’ll probably have it for at least 10 years. When you lay out that kind of cash, you should get what you want. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/17 "2018-09-02T14:36:12Z")
I wanted a red Sonata, but they only came with the tan interior, and I didn’t like it. They had a blue one on the lot with the gray interior, and that’s what we got. I’m not that crazy about the blue, but I do like the gray. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/18 "2018-09-02T14:40:25Z")
Most of my cars have been whatever color was available. Either available on the lot, or (when I’ve ordered a popular car that isn’t available at all on the lot) the first one to come in with pretty-much the package I want. When I have had a choice, I’ve chosen lighter colors that are colors – not black, white, gray, or silver. So I’ve had blue and green cars when I had a choice. (And would have gotten a buff car, except the light blue was available now.) I especially dislike a black or very dark interior, because it gets so damn hot in the sun. But my newest car is black with black upholstery, because we got a good deal on it. I’ve considered painting it and/or buying upholstery covers to change the color. (that would still be cheaper than the competing cars we were shopping at the time.) But when it comes right down to it, I don’t care enough. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/19 "2018-09-02T14:42:00Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I wanted a red Sonata, but they only came with the tan interior, and I didn’t like it. They had a blue one on the lot with the gray interior, and that’s what we got. I’m not that crazy about the blue, but I do like the gray. Ooh, tan is my favorite interior color. Light enough to be less hot, but dark enough to not show ever bit of fluff or dirt. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635/20 "2018-09-02T14:43:31Z")
My first two cars were red. Third was metallic light green. The metallic paint faded and aged terribly. I vowed never to get metallic again. Then I got older and bought white vehicles. Why? \, color just didn’t seem to matter. Raising kids and work were bigger priorities. My current van is this odd bronze gold, brownish color. I don’t even know what to call it. Some weird color Ford dreamed up. It looks nice. [https://goo.gl/images/7ZBceM](https://goo.gl/images/7ZBceM) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-you-choose-that-colour-for-your-car/820635.md?page=2)