An entertaining article in the Guardian reports a return to popularity of black as the colour of choice for new cars. Red has slipped, apparently.
"Black is the new black", "Britain's cars have returned to the dark side" are among the journalistic gems.
I found the suggestion that the rise of grey is linked to insecurity and uncertainty - political and otherwise - and that we see grey as safe and reassuring pretty unconvincing, I have to say.
tinyurl.com/y8mymxpp
Last edited by: Focal Point on Mon 15 Jan 18 at 10:29
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>> red has slipped apparently
>>
Have they checked with manufacturers what colours are free to choose for new cars?
I wanted red on my latest order for 2018 delivery but it was not an option, even on a chargeable basis, so I ordered white.
The majority of paint options are chargeable in some degree, at least on Volkswagen Golfs and not all colours are available on all models.
When you also take into account the pre-order process which many dealers use and the number of these demonstrators etc which are probably selected on the "how easily does that colour sell? / what does that colour look like in a showroom? type of basis the reasons for choice change again.
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>>Have they checked with manufacturers what colours are free to choose for new cars?
Indeed - when white and non-metallic red were free they were more popular - flat black gets scratched to blazes when you sneeze on it.
>>The majority of paint options are chargeable in some degree, at least on Volkswagen Golfs
VW are diabolical for this - either you get a vaguely glossy primer grey (Urano grey), or pay for a not-crap colour - flat white is £250iirc
My Merc is white because it cost nil extra, and the flat black doesn't interest me (see above). Metallic was £600.
Suzukis were metallic red and metallic grey because it was a no cost option.
Subarus have been metallic because that's all they came in.
Shogun? Flat white - only non-metallic colour - saved £500
I doubt I am alone in this.
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Honda are particularly bad at this con trick.
The only included colours on the Jazz range are a vile orange and a very dull red - even white is £500 extra.
Absolute rip-off.
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Why is it a “con trick� It’s an openly displayed part of their pricing. You may not like it but you have an option.
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>> Why is it a “con trick� It’s an openly displayed part of their pricing. You
>> may not like it but you have an option.
>>
It is obscured pricing especially when the free colours are very limited.
The true cost of the car is usually £500 or £600 more than the list price.
Bit like the alloy wheels thing. Alloys come with the car but you want different ones. That'll be another £1,600 mate!
The manufactures don't even design them themselves. They send car pics to a subcontractor who designs several sets and gets them approved. Then make them, x-ray and ultra sound check them and ship them to the factory and dealers directly and when I was working with them (financier) they were £25 to £30 each (though that was c2005) and before they had to move production to South Africa or go out of business.
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It s no more “obscured†than any other option. You might just as well say they should include mats or leather seats in the price.
Actually cars now include loads of features that you would once have paid extra for. Everything from heaters and windscreen washers and carpets to ICE systems and electric windows.
You may prefer an inclusive price but it’s cetainly not a con.
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>>You may prefer an inclusive price but it's cetainly not a con.
No, it is not a con. But it is irritating.
I wonder how the equipment and appearance of the "Base Model" would improve if they were forced to use it in any advertising mentioning the price of the model.
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>> Actually cars now include loads of features that you would once have paid extra for.
>> Everything from heaters and windscreen washers and carpets to ICE systems and electric windows.
>>
Ah, that reminds me!
My great, great, great granddad paid extra for a heating element on his Skoda's rear window.
Said it helped keep his mitts warm when pushing the thing!
:-)
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>> Said it helped keep his mitts warm when pushing the thing!
How long have you been waiting for a chance to get that oldie in?
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>>
>> >> Said it helped keep his mitts warm when pushing the thing!
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>> How long have you been waiting for a chance to get that oldie in?
>>
Since Sun 8 Aug 2010! :-@)
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When I was looking at first specing the Beemer, all colours other than two dull base colours were chargeable.
At some stage up to ordering they all became free except some special individual colours, So I got free metallic. Atlas Cedar, a kind of bronzy/gold depending on the light, anonymous beige at night
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>> When I was looking at first specing the Beemer, all colours other than two dull
>> base colours were chargeable.
>>
>> At some stage up to ordering they all became free except some special individual colours,
>> So I got free metallic. Atlas Cedar, a kind of bronzy/gold depending on the light,
>> anonymous beige at night
>>
My car was cheaper to lease in metallic than flat, I suppose based on re-sale values, by about £10 per month.
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>> When I was looking at first specing the Beemer, all colours other than two dull
>> base colours were chargeable.
>>
>> At some stage up to ordering they all became free except some special individual colours,
>> So I got anonymous beige.
>>
I said this weeks ago - and you denied it!
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>>
>> I said this weeks ago - and you denied it!
Huh? Proof where is the proof.
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I would never have another black car. Very difficult to keep clean and marks/scratches seem more visible.
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The only non-chargeable colour for my 2017 Sportage was 'Poo Brown'. White was £250 and every other colour was £500.
I have white.
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Only car I had a choice with was Xantia but I needed it ASAP so as Storm Grey was first off the line I got that rather than preferred red. Current Berlingo was available in metallic blue locally but with much larger discount, £2k + difference, in metallic grey (again) in Milton Keynes.
Skoda was high mileage cheap but only 4yo and full dealer history so black won there too.
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Last black car I had was the mk III Mondeo because it was no looker and I thought black hid it as well as any other colour.
The Passat CC was nearly black - midnight blue. It could look black to some I guess but it was very dark blue.
The last two cars are similar in colour - a grey. Audi was a pearlescent grey and the Superb a metallic grey.
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I’ve had two cars that were actually black, and two that were almost black, if that’s possible. The black ones were an Audi A6 in 1998, which really didn’t look very good in black but as the only other non metallic options were red or white it was the default choice, and a BMW 520i in 2001. That looked OK in non metallic black. Much later I had a BMW 525d in Carbon Black, but that looked very dark blue most of the time. A few years later I had a 520d in Sophisto grey metallic. That was such a dark grey it looked black. The only one of the 4 I’d choose again would be the last one. All looked dirty very quickly - mid to light grey / silver are the low maintenance options. So I’d put the rise in grey down to laziness ;)
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The only black car I’ve had was a third hand S reg RS2000 donkeys years ago. Bought off a friend... it was rusting quite nicely at the time.
The colour choice on my current car only had two ‘free’ colour choices... black or white. The 9 metallics available were all an extra £632 ( I chose Volcano Grey which I thought complemented the standard black 20†alloys quite nicely)
I really fancied the special Carmine Red metallic but that was an extra £1676, so gave it a miss.
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Crikey...for old times sake I’ve just had a look at what price people are asking for a 1978 Mk2 RS2000. Mine had been road rallied, as did I ( very unsuccessfully) so had lots of mods and wasn’t factory condition. But still, they’re asking lots of ££ for them.
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Possibly a wide gulf between what they are asking and what they are getting though!!
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My usual choice of colours is white, silver, red or light metallic blue.
I will never buy a dark coloured car, even second hand. I feel that it is not only black cars that show up any scratches, scrapes - I find that it applies to any dark coloured cars.
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My VW Transporter was metallic black and having van shaped aerodynamics would pick up dust even in the dry to soil its cleanly washed body.
The replacement Peugeot Traveller is metallic silver and doesn't show the dirt anywhere near as much. A brief jet-wash to hose off the mud is all it has had so far, and it still looks 'clean' after 3 months.
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The V90 is Magic Blue but on a dull day it does look black, and yes, it does show the dirt.
.....but on a sunny day it is a truly gorgeous colour, a deep purple mixed with a midnight blue and I love it!
I've had a few vehicles through out my life and there are only 4 I can ever remember enjoying looking at every time I saw them.
1) My Tiger Cub with a silver tank and clip ons.
2) A Champagne coloured Vauxhall Carlton.
3) A Scania 480 Topliner which was my Penthouse Suite
4) The V90, I never want to change it!
Pat
Last edited by: Pat on Tue 16 Jan 18 at 15:44
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That's the one Roger, not quite as plush as that but it was my office, my lounge, my bedroom and my home for so many years!
Pat
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I had a black '83 MG Metro Turbo, and more recently a metallic black (Panther Black IIRC) '07 Focus ST.
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I had a black eye once. I never knew the missus could punch so hard!
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I just bought a nearly new 4x4 in a somewhat bright blue - the impression I got was that it is not an easy colour to sell as they pretty much allowed me to name my price within reason.
I don't mind it as a colour, although on something so large it is certainly, er, distinctive, but I can see why its not for everyone - similar examples in other colours were £800 more used, even white ones, but I much prefer it to white and the other colours were like varying degrees of depression, though no doubt more saleable.
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>>I just bought a nearly new 4x4 in a somewhat bright blue
Umm, that's, erm, lovely.
tinyurl.com/stuu-new-car
p.s. is that Arabic on the plate or a sexual position?
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I think the pale Miami Blue looks good on both Boxster & Cayman, but not on an SUV. I had a VW Polo ( RWX 566R) that colour once!
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This one is called Electric Storm Blue which I suppose is mildly relevant it being a hybrid, that's what I'm hanging onto anyhow :-)
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>>RAV 4?
Very nice<<
Aye. 66 plate Icon hybrid with 8k on the clock.
Interested to see if the 2.5 engine is less economical than the 1.8 in the Prius as RAV weighs only 100kg more but is significantly more powerful so may in everyday driving work out about the same - this time around I at least know how to drive a hybrid, which is a bit of a learning curve as there are certain tricks to adapt to for max economy.
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Should be significantly worse than a Prius.
Under 40mpg is the norm in the RAV while 55 is achievable in the Prius in mixed driving.
Pretty sure the RAV is around 1800kg vs 1500 for the Prius and the drivetrain is nowhere near as efficient.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Thu 18 Jan 18 at 23:17
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If it has a 2.5l petrol engine then it sounds like it shares the same powertrain as in the Lexus IS300h etc. It's an Atkinson cycle engine as opposed to the Otto cycle.
The Prius 1.8 is probably an Atkinson cycle too.... I think Mazda's doing similar/same with their petrol engines.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 18 Jan 18 at 23:40
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>>If it has a 2.5l petrol engine then it sounds like it shares the same powertrain as in the Lexus IS300h etc. It's an Atkinson cycle engine as opposed to the Otto cycle.<<
Same engine yes, felt quite muscular on the road, much lower revving than the 1.8.
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>>Pretty sure the RAV is around 1800kg vs 1500 for the Prius and the drivetrain is nowhere near as efficient.<<
I have a Prius Plus rather than the hatch which is has a kerb weight of 1575, RAV is 1710.
Will be interesting to see what transpires as my A/B road use has proven to be unkind to an underpowered 7 seater, though it is excellent on occasional town use.
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Black is back - commerdriver
