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My recent driving around Southern England makes me think there are more, recently registered white cars around. In particular I saw BMWs, Mercedes and Audis as well as the the smaller commom or garden hatchbacks. Anybody agree with this observation?
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It's the new black dahling.
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Well-informed citizens anticipating a surge in global warming probably. White reflects infra-red radiation, dark colours absorb it. Gives the air conditioning an easier time.
Or perhaps it's just fashion as Humph suggests. A lot of people here seem to be down on white but it doesn't worry me. I've had three white cars and three silver ones including the present jalopy.
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>> It's the new black dahling.
>>
Particularly for sporty German stuff, round my way at least.
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White cars are faster PP!
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When I bought the Panda white was the free colour, would have shown up the scratches less but would have looked stupid in car parks as it would have been identical to my mates.
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>> would have looked stupid in car parks as it would have been identical to my mates.
That's not the way to look at it Sheikha. It would have made your mate's car look stupid in car parks because it would have been identical to yours. That's the way to look at it.
After all identification would present no problem. Your mate's car is pristine and polished and yours is all mash up (as they say in the Caribbean) since you hurled a computer at it.
:o}
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If you don't mind keeping the paint clean and rust free white is excellent for hiding scratches and small dents..try to fault the body on a clean white car on a sunny day.
I've only had one white car, i think, ex plod Sierra, the colour doesn't do a lot for me but is surprisingly practical, heat reflection too as AC notes, though i imagine the fashion revival will be short lived.
Still like a dark as poss bottle green the best, with MB's green black being my favourite car colour of all time.
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The Fiesta is that colour is quite practical but does show up scratches.
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I think that a factor in the increased popularity of white cars lately is that it combines well with another fashion trend - i.e. black alloys.
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It's also probably due to more private buyers not wanting to be trousered £500+ for metallic paint that is no longer significantly more durable than solid colours.
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Nah its always due to fashion trends
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It is indeed. Only 7 years ago I thought about white for a new Audi, but the business manager at the dealer said white was a complete clunker and would lose value faster than the rather boring silver that I went for.
My new Octavia vRS is white so I hope that the 'new black' lasts for a few years yet.
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Indeed, and those "trends" are planned often years in advance. The whole fashion industry, no matter which product category or field of endeavour relies upon the creation of short term strong desire followed by medium term perceived obsolescence. International councils decide on styling, colour, texture, fabrics, yarns, dyes and no doubt paint shades way in advance of product launches. People are extraordinariliy biddable particularly when the "leader" brands entice them to conclude that their lives will not be complete without the aquisition of this season's must-have.
Thank goodness !
:-)
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Mon 2 May 11 at 21:38
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I still cannot get my head round why they charge extra for paint.I mean the car has to be painted anyway so why charge?Its a bit like saying there's the price of your new car but the wheels will be £500 extra.
On a side note i noticed that Vauxhall's "free" white paint is now commanding £100 for it.I think Vauxhall have got a cheek and only cashing in on white's popularity.
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I think that white cars look terrible. I genuinely can't think of one car that looks better in white than in any other colour.
White cars used to be so unpopular that the Met started to order their panda and response cars in silver to make them easier to sell on.
I know that one man's pleasure is another man's poison but I would *never* buy a white car, no matter how good it was.
So there :-)
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>> I think that white cars look terrible. I genuinely can't think of one car that
>> looks better in white than in any other colour.
Fiat 500
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>> Fiat 500
Ok, I missed one! I'll grant you that the 500 does look quite good in white. Still wouldn't have one, though.
Last edited by: Badwolf on Mon 2 May 11 at 22:32
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My old Mk 1 Renault Laguna in Arctic white looked superb with smart SILVER alloy wheels.
Black alloy wheels look as though the wheel trims have fallen off, absolutely horrible and chavy.
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>> Black alloy wheels look as though the wheel trims have fallen off, absolutely horrible and chavy.
You're not wrong there. Ruddy awful, and it speaks volumes about the class and taste of the owner.
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> Black alloy wheels look as though the wheel trims have fallen off, absolutely horrible and chavy.
> You're not wrong there. Ruddy awful, and it speaks volumes about the class and taste of the owner.
Mmmm... negative rat look... sounds like my kind of motor....
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>> Black alloy wheels look as though the wheel trims have fallen off, absolutely horrible and
>> chavy.
>>
Maybe. But you no longer have to clean off brake dust!
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>>I think that white cars look terrible. I genuinely can't think of one car that looks better in white than in any other colour.>>
I used to think the same (always regarded white as a non-colour) but, as already mentioned, the Fiat 500, plus the VW Sirocco and most of the more flashy Audis really do look good in such paintwork.
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...until they get dirty or dusty - which happens fast
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Paradoxically solid white hides the grime very well - infinity times better than black does.
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I understand that white cars are involved in less accidents, although I've not heard of any insurers offering a discount to their owners.
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My uncle always bought white cars right from the 60s as he thought they showed up well on the road 99% of the time.... he has moved onto silver now though.
White is easy to look after and small scuffs show far less than on a dark colour.
I still won't buy a white car though.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 3 May 11 at 09:15
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Reckon white is the new silver though I do prefer silver myself.
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I think small cars can look good in white, but it's not a colour I would choose for something like a Mondeo.
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>> I think small cars can look good in white, but it's not a colour I would choose for something like a Mondeo.
>>
I like white cars and I have driven white cars for most of my driving life.
Ford - 1600E, Crusader, Crusader, Sierra all non company cars.
The exceptions were a green Triumph 200 for a couple of years ( from a friend getting a company car ) and that was written off when I was sandwiched in a RTA.
The other exception is my current 98 Mondeo II Ghia X saloon which I suspect was never ever ordered in white. Saloons are rare and white ones rarer.
Silver was all the rage back then and it was the closest to white that was available.
I do not like the current Mondeo in white.
With the Mondeo starting to rust it looks like I might have a much better choice when I next go to market.
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Isn't it supposed to be a beneficial colour to the Arabs? Rather like they have lucky numbers and so on... The fashion must be to emulate their tastes in car paint, in the hope that their tastes in cash will follow.
EDIT: That big hotel in Dubai has 4 white Rolls Royces as airport shuttles: bit.ly/kgcPJq
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi {P} on Tue 3 May 11 at 09:54
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Think it's to do with reflecting the sunlight rather than obsorbing it keeping the car cooler. Either way it's easily the most popular colour in all the ME countries I've been to, particularly on the small twin cab pick ups.
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>> I think small cars can look good in white, but it's not a colour I would choose for something like a Mondeo.>>
Just seen an Insignia in white - looked rather good. As it does, to disagree with you, on a Mondeo...:-)
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>>Just seen an Insignia in white - looked rather good. As it does, to disagree with you, on a Mondeo...:-)
My dishwasher and washing machine still look tremendous in white, so a well deserved pat on the back for you.
Hope your memory is as keen as your wit. :)
:-)
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>>My dishwasher and washing machine still look tremendous in white, so a well deserved pat on the back for you.>>
My Miele washing machine does 0-1200rpm in about 11.7 seconds...:-)
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>>
>> Reckon white is the new silver though I do prefer silver myself.
>>
>>
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Each to their own but I detest it. Makes the most stunning car look bland, probably because there are so many silver cars about today. I used to wonder if Mercedes offered any other colour.
One thought; since silver is by definition metallic (or else it would be grey) and said metallic finish is claimed to be costlier, why are solid coloured cars now more expensive?
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>> Paradoxically solid white hides the grime very well - infinity times better than black does.>>
But still not as well as silver...:-)
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Indeed - except for the dark grey silvers that seem prevalent on Mercs and Beemers currently - seem to remember seeing the colour palate for 5 series a year or two ago - about 12 shades of grey/silver on offer.
Old CRV II in alabaster silver only looked dirty when you were halfway through washing it and could see the difference.
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Some cars actually look quite good in white, especially some VAG cars.
When solid paint is free and metallic or pearlescent paint is £400+ then I can see why people opt for the cheaper solid colours. But your choice is limited.
VW dropped solid black from some cars - probably too popular.
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Here's an identical model/colour to my Shogun - not my actual car tho.
tinyurl.com/drugdealermobile
Not a pretty beastie in any colour - white just helps everyone to realise that I think!
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>> Paradoxically solid white hides the grime very well - infinity times better than black does.
Weird but true. The other thing you said about white cleaning up really well has proved true for me too. The car doesn't look dirty when you start to wash it - fine dust all over if you look really closely, but after a wash it's shiny as they come. Rewarding.
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White is an amazing colour for those with a detailing itch to scratch - it can look like Tippex, or it can take a fantastic mirror finish with the correct treatment.
The Octavia looks cracking in well polished white, without being as overtly aggressive as red or yellow.
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I think it depends on the shade of white:) Ford white reminds me of Woolworths, but the "pepper white" of the MINI looks pretty good. As do VAG vehicles like the Octavia.
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My car is 'Ice White' Which is a metallic white paint (which I think is Ford's way of making you pay for white paint!).
Second hand car and so not my choice as such, but I'm rarely fussed about colour and it makes a change from boring silver or black. I quite like it actually.
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Saw a blinged white freelander2 today - it looked awful
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So what's the conclusion on white cars in 2011? Are they more prevalent? Is it now a confirmed "trendy" colour, or just a flash in the pan?!
I'm looking at a used Audi A3 in white: tinyurl.com/6ulnvzv
What do you reckon? Silver a safer bet for 500 quid more?!
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Nick, all taste is personal. FWIW I think that the A3 looks classier in white than silver. Plus you save money. A win-win.
White is good. It gets you seen. (He says, being the owner of a black car himself - what a hypocrite that Londoner is! - Ed)
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Nothing wrong with white and it is currently flavour of the year but it has never been classy.
Silver is that slightly plain girlfriend who never turns heads in the street but will stick with you year in year out.
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I rather like white cars, in fact I always have but avoided them due to the many years when this colour was a resale liability, I rather like red cars too - simple tastes I guess. Glad they're popular now, I wonder whether it will last ?
Maybe OAP beige (aka metallic gold, which I confess to quite liking) will have its day too ? Remember the urine coloured Citroens and Golfs circa 1998, they soon dated along with their lime green siblings. However, a serious point - white cars were always popular in France and Spain, and in the US too if I recall correctly.
Has anyone noticed the resurgence of metallic browns which is the vogue at present, those cars will be the metallic-urine of this decade I'll bet.
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>> Has anyone noticed the resurgence of metallic browns which is the vogue at present, those
>> cars will be the metallic-urine of this decade I'll bet.
>>
For some reason manufacturers like this poo-colour when they launch new models!
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>>What do you reckon?<<
S'ok, except for the (IMO) ugly front grill area, which wouldn't be so noticeable with a darker colour,
Tiptronic is nice, goddit on the Lancer n' I use it in semi-auto mode far more than I ever have done with 'ordinary' autos.
Some jam jars look downright awful 'finished' in white - like the Nissan Puke for starters!
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Every girl should have a little black number, but remember everyone remembers Marilyn Monroe dressed in white.
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White cars are for those with failing eyesight.. easier to find in a dark MSCP
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>>>everyone remembers Marilyn Monroe dressed in white.
Perhaps... but was she a keeper... I think not.
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Scared to have red - the colour invariably seems to oxidise and fade badly anytime after 6-7 years. Seems they've never found out how to prevent this happening?
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The trouble with a White car is it soon shows the dirt, where as a Silver or Grey car doesn't,
Do you have dirt downunder :)
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>> Scared to have red - the colour invariably seems to oxidise and fade badly anytime
>> after 6-7 years. Seems they've never found out how to prevent this happening?
I doubt if that will happen so much now. It's become more the norm for flat colours to have a clear coat.
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It's the newly fashionable Primer Grey that I don't get. Cars in it look as if they escaped the production line before getting their top coat. There are plenty of early latest shape Mondeos in this colour.
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I remember my Mum had only white cars for the safety aspect. Last one being a Volvo 345 on a 1983 Y plate. I remember very well the summer pain of 'T-cutters finger' after it's annual spruce-up.
Until recent years white cars were the preserve of the boys in blue, mainly not the case any more, and white vans, all of which stigmatised this as a choice of colour for a personal or company car.
I went to Mexico early 2008 after having ordered my Beemer in Silver to collect on my return (what choice did I have? Silver, silver, silver or another shade of silver, black, a vile deep red and the blue my neighbour has) and saw every BM in Mexico city was white and looked fab. Regreted my lack of courage in choosing this but thought I would slash it's resale value. Seems I should have had the courage!
The next big colour I predict will be Brown. I am serious. In Germany on a few recent trips the number of deep metallic brown Audi's, Merc's, Porsche's (I kid you not), Volvo's etc I saw was significant. And they did look real class. Not the poo-brown of past VW's. I was sceptical at first, but after a while they really stood out as both something new, but also classy and understated.
I would certainly consider this for my next car. (I step back, preparing to get a load of flak, but give it 12-24 months you will remember this prediction as you tick the 'brown' box on the order form.....)
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Brown is a great colour for hiding the horse manure I get from country roads round here. Gentrification of the area has meant carp on the roads every day.
I fail to think of any other reason for having a brown car...:-)
(and seriously they are downright dangerous in poor light as they bland (NOT blend) in with wooded backgrounds and there are always neandertals who drive with no lights in the gloaming)
Last edited by: madf on Wed 9 Nov 11 at 13:45
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Well... I had the choice of silver or white today, and I chose white :-) Feeling trendy ;-)
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>> Well... I had the choice of silver or white today, and I chose white :-)
>> Feeling trendy ;-)
Nothing to do with it being '500 quid' cheaper then :)
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>> Nothing to do with it being '500 quid' cheaper then :)
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Maybe NZ is different from the UK!
On the continent many manufacturers do not charge extra for metallic/high gloss as they do in the UK
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>> >> Nothing to do with it being '500 quid' cheaper then :)
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>> Maybe NZ is different from the UK!
Possibly, although that was Nick's figure - the silver car probably had a different spec/age/mileage ie. it might not have had anything to do with the colour.
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>>Well... I had the choice of silver or white today, and I chose white :-) Feeling trendy ;-)<<
S'not too bad really, I've had a few all white (alright!) cars myself ova the years,
Mrk 2 Sirocco
Bran gnu BX (with blue herringbone pattern int.)
Discovery,
Jaaag (old English white, red leather int.)
Probably a few other whitens as well, but I've had sooo many cars I can't remember all the colours!
Had an Anthracite Sapporo once (almost brown) :(
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mk5 and 6 Golf GTI both look fab in white.
Agree also on the Fiat 500.
A bit of a "faddy" colour though. Everyone will want it, until they don't want it any more and then it knocks hundreds (or worse) off the resale value.
Remember Blaze Yellow on the 90's Peugeots? Very pretty / fashionable colour at the time. Now looks hideous.
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This from a man who had his S60 in Maya Gold!
};---)
Incidentally, it's funny that there used to be quite a few of those about but I hardly ever see them now, whereas there are still plenty of 2001-03 S60s about in plainer colours.
The resurgence of white is a welcome antidote to the depressing shades of grey on today's roads. I'm looking forward to the return of real colours - a Skoda Superb estate would look great in forest green, for example.
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>>a Skoda Superb estate would look great in forest green, for example<<
A superb bogey??
I'd like to see some metallic Orchid and some Aubergine cars por favor.
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>> I'd like to see some metallic Orchid and some Aubergine cars por favor.
We had an aubergine V6 Mondeo some years ago (N reg). You say 'aubergine' to most people and they think green.
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>>I'd like to see some metallic Orchid..
>>
A name from the past. Ford produced the 1600E in Orchid or as some brochures said Orchard.
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You can get a purple Suberb if you'd like! Quite a few 'unusual' colours on the Skoda colour chart...
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>>Ford produced the 1600E in Orchid<<
That's what I was thinking of henry, the Capri was available in that colour as well,
Focus, cop hold of this one ~ www.flickr.com/photos/55777341@N00/4106828874/
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>>Ford produced the 1600E in Orchid<<
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>> That's what I was thinking of henry, the Capri was available in that colour as well,
>>
www.flickr.com/photos/27302738@N06/5041913454/
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Wow! ... d'ya know, I nearly purchased a metallic orchid Zephyr 4 mrk 4 in the early 70's!!
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>> This from a man who had his S60 in Maya Gold!
Fair cop :-)
Thing is though, it cost me £500 less than one in a less controversial colour would have set me back, and wasn't easy to flog on again. Luckily the local postman spotted it and liked the colour, but the Autotrader ad came to nothing.
A "Marmite" colour. As is white.
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I like Maya gold, but I think it's fair to say it's a wee bit more marmite than white..?!
White used to be very popular until quite recently - my sister had a string of white Fiestas and Astras in the 80s-90s. You see loads of white cars in hot countries today too of course
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Brown is more Marmite - and indeed, Marmite more brown - than either.
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Lighter colours show dirt and fine scratches less than darker ones.
The CC3 - dark blue - has been a disappointment in this respect.
No thoughts of changing it at present, but my next car will be a light colour, probably silver.
I've never had one of those, even if lots of others have.
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I'm really surprised that no-one has mentioned just how hard silver cars are to see in day time fog.
Pat
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Exactly, Pat. Or in drizzle, or just in poor morning or evening light. I suspect it's exacerbated by silver having been the default choice for so long, chosen (not exclusively, of course) by those who don't think much about their car and don't think much about their driving either, so they're the last to put their lights on. At least the sheep are now mostly buying black, which gives a distinct outline that makes it easier to pick out on a murky day.
On scratches, our silver car and our dark green one both have hedge kisses on the nearside wing and there's not much to choose in terms of which shows them more.
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>> At least the sheep are now mostly buying black, which gives a distinct outline that makes it
>> easier to pick out on a murky day.
I disagree. The "sheep" are mostly buying grey.
Black is the colour chosen by the thinking man (or woman) with a high degree of discernment and taste.
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>> I disagree. The "sheep" are mostly buying grey.
Or, the people who don't like cleaning cars are buying grey ;-) The quartz grey of our A4 has been the easiest car to keep loking clean that I've ever owned...that's why the new car is a very simlar colour :-)
Peter
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When I bought my car the first thing I said to the sales guy was that I would not have a silver car. 100% not.
Ended up ordering a silver car. Having had a dark blue S60 before that I was cleaning at least once a week I found with the silver I clean it every 2-4 weeks depending on season. Saves me a fortune / time depending on how it gets clean.
But it has no character, and I miss that. Silver is so monumentally boring.
Would love Black, but been there, got the tee-shirt. Never clean. Even in the summer a thin layer of dust is there overnight. Argh!
What next? Really, if I can, probably that nice dark brown (if indeed it gets offered for the UK)!
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>>The quartz grey of our A4 has been the easiest car to keep loking clean that I've ever owned<<
Same colour (more or less) as my Lancer, good colour for the great unwashed (car)
Previous car was metallic black, and as Slightlyfat says - Never clean :(
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When most police cars were white, the trend for normal cars to be white died away and you could very often spot an ex-plod car as it just stood out like a sore thumb.
Up in Strathclyde the trend over the last few years were for the police to take on silver cars, assume they are dearer to maintain with bumps etc but possibly the resale values justify it. But when the police went to silver, the general public started buying white again..
Have now seen some dark blue Strathclyde police cars so we will see how this affects the trend..........
On a personal level, I like white cars with black roofs (rooves has never looked right). A white Qashai with the panoramic roof looks great as does a white Fabia vrs with painted black roof.
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...rooves has never looked right...
That's because it isn't - any more.
Rooves is now regarded as the archaic plural form of roof.
Several police forces moved to silver to improve resale values.
I was surprised it made much difference to the value of a well-used ex-plod car, but apparently it does.
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In the past 40 years, I have had most colours of cars: blue, white, red, black, maroon, yellow - but never pink.
Silver has been the easiest to not clean regularly.
White? Shows horse crap up well...
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>> In the past 40 years, I have had most colours of cars: blue, white, red,
>> black, maroon, yellow - but never pink.
I've had a couple of red cars that have taken on a slightly pink hue... a VW and a BMW (I'm talking abour late eighties/early ninties cars that were 10+ years old though). My red 205 GTi didn't fade at all, and neither did my first car, a 1984 red Fiat Uno
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More white cars around these days? - Runfer D'Hills
