Now HERE's how to paint a new car.
11-30-14, 03:37 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Now HERE's how to paint a new car.
Though there are a few exceptions here and there (Mustang, Camaro, Charger/Challenger, etc...), one of my often-criticized policies about today's automakers is their tendency to either cheap out on the number of paint-colors offered, or to make most of their available colors look like something out of a funeral home. When the 50-60K Hyundai Equus, for example, first hit the American market a few years ago, it only offered four exterior colors...black, silver, gray, and white (dark brown has since been added). That.....considering the fact that Hyundai's own entry-level product (the Accent) that costs only one-quarter as much, offers at least six or seven, depending on the trim-version.
Well, IMO, here are at least two American-market manufacturers who still do it right....one low-priced, one upmarket. Fiat, on the 500 Pop, offered 15 different exterior colors, not only covering dull blacks/grays but virtually every color of the rainbow except pink and purple. Same with the Lotus Elise....which offers 16 colors of virtually every dull and bright shade. And Fiat shows that it can be done by a low-priced manufacturer that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for their cars, though it admittedly does charge extra ($500) for a couple of shades. VW also offers a decent color-choice on the Beetle, but to somewhat lesser extent.
http://www.fiatusa.com/en/500/pop/#
http://configurator.lotuscars.com
Well, IMO, here are at least two American-market manufacturers who still do it right....one low-priced, one upmarket. Fiat, on the 500 Pop, offered 15 different exterior colors, not only covering dull blacks/grays but virtually every color of the rainbow except pink and purple. Same with the Lotus Elise....which offers 16 colors of virtually every dull and bright shade. And Fiat shows that it can be done by a low-priced manufacturer that doesn't charge an arm and a leg for their cars, though it admittedly does charge extra ($500) for a couple of shades. VW also offers a decent color-choice on the Beetle, but to somewhat lesser extent.
http://www.fiatusa.com/en/500/pop/#
http://configurator.lotuscars.com
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-30-14 at 03:48 PM.
11-30-14, 03:48 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Wouldn't it be cool to be able to order your car without paint? Then take it to a local shop to custom paint it? I know I would! Wait..they paint inside the engine bay. Never mind.
11-30-14, 03:55 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Some very expensive makes like Rolls and Bentley (and the old custom-order Avantis that were built in South Bend) used to custom-build each car on the assembly line to the customer's order, and paint each car separately. But, again, those are not high-volume manufacturers, and each car is essentially hand-made.
Fiat and Lotus, IMO, do it right....offer the customers a wide choice of colors at the factory without charging six-figures for it, where the job can be done properly, on the assembly-line, as the car is being built.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-30-14 at 03:59 PM.
11-30-14, 06:49 PM
#5
You would run into all kinds of problems with rust if carmakers did that. Besides its amazing how car manufacturers have the primer/paint/rustproofing thing down to a science now days. The quality of finish a robot can paint a car in a few minutes would take an experienced body/paint guy at least 40 hours worth of sanding, painting, polishing, etc And that's assuming you give him a laser straight body in primer to start with.
11-30-14, 08:20 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
The problem with doing that is that the whole car would essentially have to be disassembled down to the bare unibody frame, body-panels, and bumpers to make sure the paint job was complete and done properly. That's just too big a job for even a custom shop to do for a reasonable price. Then, you might have warranty-issues (and coverage-denial) if the car wasn't re-assembled properly.
Some very expensive makes like Rolls and Bentley (and the old custom-order Avantis that were built in South Bend) used to custom-build each car on the assembly line to the customer's order, and paint each car separately. But, again, those are not high-volume manufacturers, and each car is essentially hand-made.
Fiat and Lotus, IMO, do it right....offer the customers a wide choice of colors at the factory without charging six-figures for it, where the job can be done properly, on the assembly-line, as the car is being built.
Some very expensive makes like Rolls and Bentley (and the old custom-order Avantis that were built in South Bend) used to custom-build each car on the assembly line to the customer's order, and paint each car separately. But, again, those are not high-volume manufacturers, and each car is essentially hand-made.
Fiat and Lotus, IMO, do it right....offer the customers a wide choice of colors at the factory without charging six-figures for it, where the job can be done properly, on the assembly-line, as the car is being built.
11-30-14, 08:24 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by rxonmymind
I forgot which one had the British flag on the roof
And, BTW, thanks for bringing that up.
I had almost forgotten that Mini also offers quite a nice line of vibrant body-colors, though, for 2015, to a lesser extent than Fiat or Lotus.
Last edited by mmarshall; 11-30-14 at 08:29 PM.
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12-01-14, 05:24 AM
#8
Well, IMO, here are at least two American-market manufacturers who still do it right....one low-priced, one upmarket. Fiat, on the 500 Pop, offered 15 different exterior colors, not only covering dull blacks/grays but virtually every color of the rainbow except pink and purple. rl]
12-01-14, 06:29 AM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Yes, I saw that on some Google-Fiat images, but, according to Fiat's website, those two colors are not currently offered in the American market. (almost everything else is, though). They are, of course, in Europe. I was writing primarily from an American standpoint....because different colors and trim patterns are often offered outside the American market.
I myself don't believe in stereotypes, but, in general, here in America, pink would probably be a hard sell to a lot of straight males because of its general association with feminism and the gay movement. The most successful use of pink, here in America, so far, has been with the patented pink (actually a pinkish-beige) shade that is used on the special-order cars that Mary Kay Cosmetics gives to their salespersons.
I myself don't believe in stereotypes, but, in general, here in America, pink would probably be a hard sell to a lot of straight males because of its general association with feminism and the gay movement. The most successful use of pink, here in America, so far, has been with the patented pink (actually a pinkish-beige) shade that is used on the special-order cars that Mary Kay Cosmetics gives to their salespersons.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-01-14 at 02:42 PM.
12-01-14, 10:48 AM
#10
I think pink would be a virtually impossible sale to straight males. That said I did see a guy buy one in a Fiat dealer near here but he said it was a gift for his teenage daughter.
Well that's what he claimed anyway...
Well that's what he claimed anyway...
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