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Why is every car black or silver?

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Old 09-15-05, 08:15 AM
  #16  
mmarshall
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Originally Posted by AmethySC
I actually find a regular silver car quite boring to look at for most models, but I guess people like it because they think it's easy to clean . . .
It is not so much the easy-to-clean issue as it is the so-called "trendiness" of metallic high-tech colors. Silver, light gray, platinum, titanium...that is what sells...or what marketers THINK people want. That's why you see so many cars with that silver-painted plastic inside on the dash and console.
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Old 09-15-05, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Black paint in general DOES shine the most...
I know what you mean but it's not shining more, it's that the reflection is more easily visible because of the contrast with the background color (black).

The 'shine' comes more from the clear coat than the paint.

And I agree Scratch-Out is great stuff.

What do you think of the Langka product by the way for fixing paint dings? I've got the kit and it's ok, but tricky to use.
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Old 09-15-05, 08:30 AM
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I heard once that silver is popular on German cars because after WWII there was a shortage of paint and cars were shipped WITHOUT PAINT! (stainless steel)
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Old 09-15-05, 08:35 AM
  #19  
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
I heard once that silver is popular on German cars because after WWII there was a shortage of paint and cars were shipped WITHOUT PAINT! (stainless steel)
I can't vouch for any postwar German cars.....maybe, maybe not. The only mass-produced cars I know for a fact that ever had stainless-steel bodies, of course, were the "cocaine specials".....the DeLorean cars of the late 70's-early 80's.
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Old 09-15-05, 08:37 AM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
I know what you mean but it's not shining more, it's that the reflection is more easily visible because of the contrast with the background color (black).

The 'shine' comes more from the clear coat than the paint.

And I agree Scratch-Out is great stuff.

What do you think of the Langka product by the way for fixing paint dings? I've got the kit and it's ok, but tricky to use.
Never tried Langka. I have other ways of dealing with paint dings....but the Scratch-Out will usually take out the discoloration.
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Old 09-15-05, 09:17 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Never tried Langka. I have other ways of dealing with paint dings....but the Scratch-Out will usually take out the discoloration.
I have the dark, dark, dark blue GS and even with the bra it is very prone to the stone chips. I have the Langka kit as well maybe I haven't spent enough time wth it but I have to agree that there is a lot of technique to try and work on. Otherwise the results are only so so. Sure wish if I work with it more, it works better. So many projects, so little time.
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Old 09-15-05, 03:57 PM
  #22  
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I've owned 2 black Lexus, and I've always b*tched about keeping them clean. But when I can see myself on the car like on a mirror at the end of the job, it really makes me happy.

I guess you could say as a black car owner, it's a love-hate relationship
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Old 09-15-05, 05:51 PM
  #23  
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Another thing is RESALE value. People that buy luxury cars rather a "safe" color, b/c people will want it and its easier to sell. Buying that red or blue luxury car, you may like but its a lot tougher to sell and it can negatively affect value.

Oh and personally, I would get a red BMW ANYDAY. With red leather inserts. That color combo gives me a

Luxury cars are safe cars. People don't really venture out much. Thus the safe colors.

I do notice most have beige leather interiors though.
 
Old 09-15-05, 06:20 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX
Oh and personally, I would get a red BMW ANYDAY. With red leather inserts. That color combo gives me a

.
One of my closest friends has a 2000 bright -red M coupe wirth black / red leather seats. Paint is good...I went over it with SCRATCH-OUT myself. I never cared for the body style, though ............reminds me of the old MGB-GT hardtop British sports car. If he puts it on the market ( he might ) I'll let you know.
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Old 09-16-05, 12:09 AM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by BlkGS3
Black > All
I agree!! But black cars are a pain in the a** to keep clean though.

~Josh
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Old 09-16-05, 12:13 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by mmarshall
Black paint in general DOES shine the most...( one of the reasons it is used so widely by limo firms) but it is a major PITA to keep clean. You have to wipe off fingerprints every time you touch it, and dust, winter salt , light surface scratches, deformed blobs from bird and insect droppings, sap, and waterspots are other problems....one of the reasons I give away bottles of SCRATCH-OUT to many car buyers. And it is hotter than h - - - in the summertime if you don't stay out of the sun.

Silver, yes, is close....but not quite the easiest color to keep clean. In general beige, light tans, and champaines are....they are the same color as road dust and don't show scratches much..

Silver has one big problem. It........and other light metallics...... are probably the hardest colors to match on a re-paint or accident damage......primarily because very small amounts of pigment have to be used, as opposed to darker colors where you have much more room for error. Body shops are MUCH better at matching it today than they were years ago, but it still takes paitience, care, and know-how.
Words of wisdom. I have a beige ES300, you can't see any of its scratches and you can go weeks without cleaning it. Great colours.

Regarding silver, I had an MX-5 (miata) which had its nose repainted. They could never match it perfectly...it drove me insane looking at it. I seems that they had even more difficulty matching the colour because the nose cone was plastic, is that right?
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Old 09-16-05, 12:42 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by magneto112
Once you black......

black is honestly the best looking color on a car, however not the most fun trying to keep clean.
Not true to everyone. My mother hates black the most, and likes white the most.
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Old 09-16-05, 03:29 PM
  #28  
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I gotta say that Black is my favorite for cars. It just looks sleek and classy and it will never go out of style. I normally not a fan of silver but I love the color of the car below. That is the perfect color silver. I'll bet the paint job cost as much as my car though... I think part of my problem with silver is that I see too many silver cars on the road.

I gotta say I'm also not a fan of metallic colors. Just give me a regular non metallic, they just look smoother and deeper. That is part of the reason I like black, it normally isn't metallic. Metallic black is a in my book, it usually makes it look like dirty black.
Attached Thumbnails Why is every car black or silver?-ferrari.jpg  

Last edited by AgentWD-40; 09-16-05 at 03:58 PM.
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Old 09-16-05, 03:38 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by AgentWD-40
I gotta say that Black is my favorite for cars. It just looks sleek and classy and it will never go out of style. I normally not a fan of silver but I love the color of the car below. That is the perfect color silver. Silver just doesn't do it for me, and I see too many silver cars on the road.

I gotta say I'm also not a fan of metallic colors. Just give me a regular non metallic, they just look smoother and deeper. That is part of the reason I like black, it normally isn't metallic. I guess you can say I'm also not a fan of metallic black.
There is one black metallic that you MIGHT like ( ? )

Some years ago Saturn did a color called Black Gold which was a basic black with extremely fine goldflake particles mixed in instead of regular metallic. It had a interesting and ( I think) good-looking effect....especially in direct sunlight.
http://www.saturnoffarmington.com/image_archive/
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Old 09-16-05, 03:40 PM
  #30  
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Because black is the best color next to Spectra Blue Mica!!!
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