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Neutral Paint-Colors....No, They are not all Negative.
I've had a number of discussions with other CL members, in other Car Chat threads, about automotive paint-colors, what sells and doesn't sell, why they sell or don't sell, and what comes first....the Chicken or the Egg. In other words, do neutral colors sell well because that's all that's offered and buyers have little other choice, or because of popular demand, auto manufacturers responding to that demand, and buyers feeling that they are "safe" colors and make the vehicle easier to resell.
Well, in this thread, I'm not going to re-hash those questions...we've already discussed those issues Ad Nauseum, and we all have our views on that, and that probably won't change. In this tread, instead, I want to clarify one misconception that some members have had about some things I've mentioned before....the idea that, somehow, I like only unusual and/or rainbow colors. That is true to some extent, but it is also true (and I'll admit) that there are several neutral shades that I have found very attractive, and have a high opinion of.
^^^^^One is the Lexus Atomic Silver. Lexus really nailed it with this package. It is arguably the best-looking silver tone I've seen on a production car. If I were ordering a new Lexus, it would be very high on my choice-list, as Lexus (wisely, IMO) offers it on a number of different models.
^^^^^ Another one is the Pepperdust Gray that GM used, across the line, for a few years, on a number of models from Chevy, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. (My former Buick Lacrosse had this color....I ordered it that way). Out of direct sunlight, it has a somewhat dull gray appearance, but in bright sunlight, it has a gorgeous look with tiny gold/metalflake particles in the gray paint....the above shot captures at least some of that. IMO, it is as impressive as the Lexus Atomic Silver......but in a different way. In fact, to some extent, I wish the Encore GX was offered in that color...I might (?) have chosen it instead of the also-very-nice Bronze-Cinnamon color of my own GX...although I get a lot of compliments on my GX's color from bystanders.
^^^^^ Some years ago, both Dodge and Audi did a beautiful Titanium-Metalflake paint package that was stunning to look at, although it is very difficult to find images today that really capture it well...this was about the closest I could come to it from Google-images. Audi, in particular, for years, was known for some of the best fit/finish in the industry, and was expected to have nicely-finished paintwork, but something like that was highly unusual for Chrysler products.
^^^^^^And then, of course, there is the ubiquitous White Pearl/Oyster paint (sometimes called White-Diamond) that many people love.....I'm a fan of it myself. IMO, Cadillac probably does it better than any other (American-brand) manufacturer, but Lexus, Audi, Lincoln, Infiniti, Mercedes, and several other manufacturers also do it very well.
^^^^^And, last, I'm usually not a fan of black (it is one of the most difficult colors to keep clean), but, as I watched this video of the new 2024 Encore GX, I was struck by how well I thought the new 2024 version (not the 2020-2023 version I have) looks in black with white pinstripes down the side, and the silver-aluminum 18" wheels of the base Preferred-Trim version.. The black paint contrasts especially well with the red/amber taillights/turn-signals in the rear. It would look even better, IMO, with the ivory/off-white interior, but this one came with the dark Ebony trim inside.
I agree, there are a number of "whites" that are spectacular! They go by various names, Frost White, Arctic White, etc. and can be both gorgeous and unusual, simultaneously. I'm not particularly fond of just white-white, white needs a bit of character to make it attractive. Often this is achieved by the addition of a bit of metalflake in the mix, but whatever, a flat-white isn't too attractive . . . it needs some punch. GM had a white that absolutely sparkled, but like most whites, it had to be kept absolutely clean and regularly waxed to keep that inherent punch If you're not willing to invest the time and elbow grease, you're probably better off with some other paint treatment, I've had SUV's, station wagons, even sedans as company cars over the years, and all were carefully ordered in white. Initially I chose white because I could color-balance my cameras with the ready-made test chart, but over the years, white kinda grew on me.
When carefully maintained, white can be stunning. Then there was that two hours driving through a blinding sandstorm in West Texas . . . Well, my customer had a black company car . .. and although my chariot was heavily dusted in red, HIS car looked downright filthy. Of course, I kept even my my company cars carefully waxed, so they shed dirt pretty handily, but there are other advantages. One of the larger ones was that white, while not always the most dramatic shade on the lot, was always "in style" where some of the color experiments my many automakers could age horribly. If the car is attractively designed, white is a great choice IMHO,
More styling flaws are evident, particularly in some colors, I've had a couple of cars that were "pool table green". Attractive at the time, but they didn't age well. I had a Travelall at one time that was a light gold, I had it painted "Wimbledon White*. . . . It looked pretty good - except for those oversized fake woodgrain panels down the sides. Yuck! Big mistake. Sadly, stripping off the woodgrain would have made it look like a barge in any color. Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead.
In the end, you just pick out what appeals to YOU and live with it.
I agree, there are a number of "whites" that are spectacular! They go by various names, Frost White, Arctic White, etc. and can be both gorgeous and unusual, simultaneously. I'm not particularly fond of just white-white, white needs a bit of character to make it attractive. Often this is achieved by the addition of a bit of metalflake in the mix, but whatever, a flat-white isn't too attractive . . . it needs some punch. GM had a white that absolutely sparkled, but like most whites, it had to be kept absolutely clean and regularly waxed to keep that inherent punch If you're not willing to invest the time and elbow grease, you're probably better off with some other paint treatment, I've had SUV's, station wagons, even sedans as company cars over the years, and all were carefully ordered in white. Initially I chose white because I could color-balance my cameras with the ready-made test chart, but over the years, white kinda grew on me.
When carefully maintained, white can be stunning. Then there was that two hours driving through a blinding sandstorm in West Texas . . . Well, my customer had a black company car . .. and although my chariot was heavily dusted in red, HIS car looked downright filthy. Of course, I kept even my my company cars carefully waxed, so they shed dirt pretty handily, but there are other advantages. One of the larger ones was that white, while not always the most dramatic shade on the lot, was always "in style" where some of the color experiments my many automakers could age horribly. If the car is attractively designed, white is a great choice IMHO,
More styling flaws are evident, particularly in some colors, I've had a couple of cars that were "pool table green". Attractive at the time, but they didn't age well. I had a Travelall at one time that was a light gold, I had it painted "Wimbledon White*. . . . It looked pretty good - except for those oversized fake woodgrain panels down the sides. Yuck! Big mistake. Sadly, stripping off the woodgrain would have mad it look like a barge in any color. Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead.
In the end, you just pick out what appeals to YOU and live with it.
Welcome back, Bob ! Haven't seen you post in ages.....I was afraid that something had happened to you.
Always well-informed, comprehensive posts as before.
I like a bright, crisp white. One thing I don't love about the Designo Diamond White/Manufaktur Diamond White on my car is it can appear kind of cream colored in some lighting. Tesla also has a great pearl white, BMW's mineral white is also great
Lexus has the Pearl White but like mentioned above, it has to be very clean & waxed to a shine to see the full Pearl and sparkles in it.
Dirty and standing 10 feet away, just looks like refrigerator white. lol
Yes, I mentioned in the OP that Lexus was one of the companies that did the White Pearl well.
Actually, all else equal, the Pearl White (if applied in the classic way) has somewhat less sheen than the plain appliance-white. The pearl/oyster texture in the paint has a tendency to make the white color look richer, but also cuts down on the gloss, even with clearcoat.
I like a bright, crisp white. One thing I don't love about the Designo Diamond White/Manufaktur Diamond White on my car is it can appear kind of cream colored in some lighting.
Ford and Chrysler used to have a smart-looking vanilla-colored cream/off-white color that I thought was attractive, but I didn't mention it above because I don't consider it a true Neutral color. One of my neighbors has an Edge in that shade.
I like a bright, crisp white. One thing I don't love about the Designo Diamond White/Manufaktur Diamond White on my car is it can appear kind of cream colored in some lighting. Tesla also has a great pearl white, BMW's mineral white is also great
I like UW best. I don’t think AS is that great. It needs to be clean or it would look pale/old. I too think it’s odd Diamond White is an upgrade as Polar White is std. But the metallic appearance certainly looks nicer. I also think BMW mineral white looks great and individual colors are nice unique offers.
Ford and Chrysler used to have a smart-looking vanilla-colored cream/off-white color that I thought was attractive, but I didn't mention it above because I don't consider it a true Neutral color. One of my neighbors has an Edge in that shade.
I like UW best. I don’t think AS is that great. It needs to be clean or it would look pale/old. I too think it’s odd Diamond White is an upgrade as Polar White is std. But the metallic appearance certainly looks nicer. I also think BMW mineral white looks great and individual colors are nice unique offers.
I like the DW in most lighting, but on a cloudy day it gets that cream tinge to it which I dont like.
07-09-23, 04:57 PM
Neutral Paint-Colors....No, They are not all Negative.
It is arguably the best-looking silver tone I've seen on a production car. If I were ordering a new Lexus, it would be very high on my choice-list, as Lexus (wisely, IMO) offers it on a number of different models.
