No More Colorful Cars?

[SteveMD]

I was at a light and there were 6 cars each behind or next to each other in nondescript colors like gray, silver, black (minivan) and I thought where had all the eye-catching car colors gone to? Once in a while you see a red car (Mazda 6) or a yellow 850R but not often. Mostly we see muted colors like I mentioned, white, beige, or metallics.

Maybe it's just where I live.

I miss the deep, rich colors. A red 240 looks nice as MikeJr has shown us. An orange 245 would be pimp. Black looks good on 240's.

[MrBill]

I was at a light and there were 6 cars each behind or next to each other in nondescript colors like gray, silver, black (minivan) and I thought where had all the eye-catching car colors gone to? Once in a while you see a red car (Mazda 6) or a yellow 850R but not often. Mostly we see muted colors like I mentioned, white, beige, or metallics.

Maybe it's just where I live.

I miss the deep, rich colors. A red 240 looks nice as MikeJr has shown us. An orange 245 would be pimp. Black looks good on 240's.

but ZOMG people get tickets with flashy colors
I really think its true, people have been charged more insurance for racey colors like the intense blue, hot reds, yellows..

[SteveMD]

but ZOMG people get tickets with flashy colors
I really think its true, people have been charged more insurance for racey colors like the intense blue, hot reds, yellows..

My insurance co. never sees my cars, just the VIN and basic stuff like mileage, body style. Can they figure color from the VIN and actually charge one more for a hot color?

[Chris_R]

My insurance company never asks the colors of my cars.

I find that no matter the color I get pulled over when I'm doing stupid ****.

I call those cars 'pavement colored' cuz they just blend in to the asphalt. But I also don't lump silver or black into those colors (perhaps I'm biased? :-P)

[SteveMD]

The black, red, and maroon look nice ^

Often it comes down to how well you care for your paint. Even red, etc can look dull crap if not cared for/abused.

I like this site for how to care for paintwork as well as for products to do so: http://carcareonline.com/

[MrBill]

not sure what the vin does say.
When I was registering for historic tags last year (when the MVA required you to provide proof the model was no longer manufactured), I gave Volvo my vin and they knew it was a grey 245, and again a red 242 when i did it later that year.

Now that was volvo, but the vin told volvo that unless they have better records of the cars

[towerymt]

not sure what the vin does say.
When I was registering for historic tags last year (when the MVA required you to provide proof the model was no longer manufactured), I gave Volvo my vin and they knew it was a grey 245, and again a red 242 when i did it later that year.

Now that was volvo, but the vin told volvo that unless they have better records of the cars
More likely that they have access to some database with a field for color. Does carfax list color? DMV knows the color. The VIN doesn't tell the color, but does have the chassis number...although I'm not sure I'd count on there being a record of all Volvo based on chassis number. Make, model, safety, number of doors, engine, year, check digit, factory, chassis number...probably not in that order. I can just about decode your VIN on the fly. :-P

[Lord Tentacle]

if your in DC and running around in a less than 10 year old silver honda accord with no sunroof the police will not chase you
there are so many of them floating around that the second you get out of site, unless they have video of your license plate they cant prove it was you
they have failed numerous times in the court and so just give up most of the time
i think its one it every 20 cars in dc area is a silver sedan without a sunroof

[codesplice]

Silver cars are t3h fastest, duh.

[Marek]

but ZOMG people get tickets with flashy colors
I really think its true, people have been charged more insurance for racey colors like the intense blue, hot reds, yellows..

that is not true at all, well in canada it isnt, hell your car can be fluorescent red or yellow your insurance wont go up because of the colour, its not your colour thats going to make you drive faster or make you become a better driver, its actually has no influence whatsoever.

My red 944T is loud (3"straight pipe) plus it has a massive b.o.v. the red is immaculate, the windows are tinted black like crazy and i never ever had a problem with the cops!!!
I got pulled over by a cop once as i was driving at 100km/h at 2am in my neighbourhood, he gets to my window and tells me, "damn, what a nice ride, my dad had the same when i was your age and i used to drive it around like crazy, i have so many good memories of this car (he almost had a tear in his eye remenising)"

I even asked when i was insuring my ride, if colour was a factor, if a turbo upgrade was a factor, non of them were, they only told me "if you want your turbo and ice to be insured you have to take pictures of them in your car and have all the specs"

It really depends on your age and tickets you got. Also if you have a criminal record.

Im all for flashy colours, a nice deep colour that actually gives an attitude to the car!

makes me think i have to paint the 244 as it has no clear coat !!!!

I will most definitely be going either into reds, electric blues, i thought about Yellow R but... i dont know.. so many choices, why stick to silver black and white!!

mmmmm Peeeeeeearl!!!!!! Leeeeeeeeooopardddddd! (sorry chappelle Show ;))

[SL8Brick]

Regarding non-colorful cars: IMO, Silver seems to be the current bland choice of the masses. My Wife's VW Golf is Reflex Silver and the only reason she chose it is because VW lacked a tasteful BLUE color in the US market at the time.:roll:
But don't get me wrong, I still think any Volvo wagon in bright, shiny silver is super-sexy.

Regarding vehicle color & the Po-Po factor: I've never been pulled over for a moving violation while driving a 240...period(knockin' on wood). In my Wife's silver 4dr Golf, we both got speeding tickets within the 1st year of ownership. The cops will deny it, but I think the bias lies more toward the model of car being driven rather than the color of the car.

[Rust Reaper]

Seems young people get the shaft in the eastern provinces.

Here in BC age doesn't come into play. What comes into play is how many years you've been driving without an accident. There's a base rate for insurance, and every year you go without an accident you get 5% off your insurance, stacking to 40%.

I got 25% now :D

[schaff70]

The only thing I hate about my wagon is the color (silver). The worst thing was when I had to find a daily driver while the wagon went into the garage for the winter, the most suitable car I was able to find was silver.
I hate silver cars, white is a close second.

[Tuff240]

...An orange 245 would be pimp...
Well then I'll be pimpin in the next few months as my 83 245DL (not my black 245ti) will become orange over the winter. No stripes this time though. :-P

[fivealive]

one thing i DID notice is that when I switched from a 1981 242 DL to a 1981 242 Turbo, my car insurance went up significantly. So at least my company (allstate) charges you based on the engine that you have. I should have just +T'd the DL I guess. Woulda saved some money.

[Delfosse]

did someone say orange?

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l194/volvhoe/1976%20Volvo%20245DL/1%20Mar%2010%202007/DSCN0597.jpg

[viking72]

What do you mean?
This is my brand new ranger I just bought- oh yeah and I am color blind
Insurance could care less what color it is-
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6348/picture192qp1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[psy]

I even asked my insurance company about this and they said color doesn't matter, its the safety featrures / age of car / and your age that make the biggest deal

[DoubleV]

Yeah... The whole insurance argument makes no sense. If anything, insurance companies would love flashy colored cars, b/c they get more tickets, and therefore drive up rates.

[MyRed240]

my car is kinda flashy. :)

[Volvit]

insurance dirt cheap for this one... hmmm

http://www.evolvolution.com/images/tradvolvo.jpg

[Paddler Ed]

in the UK silver (and any metallics) have the best resales; however silvers/greys etc all blend in in our wonderful climate!!! Thank god for a Red V70!

[fivealive]

insurance dirt cheap for this one... hmmm

that is awesome. very cool look.

[GrandmaSideways]

insurance dirt cheap for this one... hmmm

http://www.evolvolution.com/images/tradvolvo.jpg

Wow looks nice, Lightning McQueen

[SL8Brick]

Volvit likes to cruise Skyline Drive, I see. :-D

[bag3lbit3s]

Funny story from high school. My old Calc teacher drove a bright yellow Ford Ranger. Was driving on the freeway got pulled over by a cop for driving over the speed limit. He asked the cop why he pulled him over. Cop said he was speeding. He responded but there were other cars going faster than me. Cops response was, yea...well just look at your car, can't miss ya.

[Wes613]

Ferrari red earned me an extra $6 a month on my insurance
well worth it in my opinion

[Volvit]

Volvit likes to cruise Skyline Drive, I see. :-D

:oogle:... i gotta do a duryeah (sp?) run with every car I own... that was the only one I could get to slide around the corners...so far