13 years ago
DRIVERS are being warned to choose the colour of their next car carefully – and the advice is something dealers should heed, too.
HPI’s valuations experts warn that following fashion when it comes to car colour choice can, in the long run, be costly.
‘The main problem for buyers is choosing a colour that suits the car, as this can be a very important factor in deciding how much value it will retain,’ explains Alan Senior, HPI’s used car valuations expert.
‘Silver has become a favourite choice over recent years – however, this means it could be out of favour for those wanting something different. Too many of the same models in the same colour can lead to over-saturation in the market.
‘As with clothes, black is probably the safest option, as it always seems to find a buyer no matter what make or model. The latest trend for white is in many ways similar to yellow or bright green; you either love or hate it, so take this into consideration.
All salient points that you should consider when choosing your used stock. What’s more, colours should also be considered within the context of vehicle sector, too. ‘Some colours work well on sporty models, but are bad news on larger saloons or hatchbacks,’ said Senior.
‘Many car owners don’t think about resale value when choosing the colour of their car. In our experience, the colour can have a huge impact on pulling buyers in, so we’d advise buyers to think carefully before making a statement in a cerise MPV.’
Which colours do what?
Black: Classic, timeless colour that suits all types of vehicle
Silver: Second only to black, but there are too many cars around in the market in this colour. Champagne is a good alternative on premium models
Blue: Metallic is a must, with bright hues working well on sporty/GTi models but are not good news on MPVs, hatchbacks and saloons, where medium to dark shades work better. Solid blues are okay on small hatch and sports models, but dark ‘doom blue’ is a real no-no
Red: Solid red is fine on small hatches and sports/GTI models, but go for metallics on saloons and MPVs
White: Hailed as the new silver, but not nearly as universal. Suits sporty models and coupes, but has limited appeal on larger saloons and MPVs
Green: Go for brighter shades on small hatchbacks and sporty/GTi models, but steer clear on everything else
Yellow, purple and the rest: Experiment at your own risk. Fine on small hatchbacks and sporty/GTi models, but hard to pull off on other models.
What’s your tip for the next ‘in’ colour? Drop us a line and let us know!
