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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why the majority of cars seem to be

61 replies

2kidsintow · 01/12/2012 18:46

White, black, blue, red or silver.

Where have all the rest of the colours gone?

I loved my dark green astra a few years ago. And I've always wanted a deep burgundy car, or a dark dark purple one. But there just isn't the choice.

OP posts:
Original poster
2kidsintow · 01/12/2012 21:55

I've had a navy blue metro ('92), a silver rover metro ('98), a racing green astra ('02) and then a lilac/silver ('06).

My original comment was based on the observation of the colours of cars in our staff car park as at that time all the cars were blue, silver, white or black. Then backed up based on the cars in the showrooms now I am looking for a car myself (used, as well as new).

I too am thinking about another silver car as they don't show the dust too much. We live near a cement works and most of the time things are fine. But occasionally, the wind will change and if it rains it can bring down a coating of dust onto the cars. Urgh.

I had a shock the other evening, diving at dusk and looking quickly across to a sliproad. The charcoal grey car there was exactly the same shade in that light as the road itself and I nearly didn't see it.

OP posts:
AudrinaAdare · 01/12/2012 22:04

"slow-moving jobbies"

Grin I had been looking for a nickname for my detested gold / beige asexual mum-mobile of a Peugeot and that describes it perfectly!

lifeintheolddogyet · 01/12/2012 22:07

Saw a lovely aubergine coloured Polo today. I hankered after it, from the depths of my 'Sahara Beige' gold Skoda beast.

edam · 01/12/2012 22:33

Our car is silver but my Dad once had an orange Talbot Sunbeam. Now that was an embarrassing car to be seen in. Even worse, his previous car was a lovely rich blue MGC with original wire wheels (divorce/mid-life crisis). The orange Talbot Sunbeam belonged to my Stepmother who I think insisted he got rid of the MGC. Or he was too cheap to keep it when she had a car. Either way, the orange car was a huge come-down!

MissChristmastRee · 01/12/2012 22:35

I miss my pink (classic) Mini Sad

Stuck with DP's stoopid boring silver Mondoogle now!

Original poster
2kidsintow · 01/12/2012 22:37

I did see a couple of rather icky phlegm green/brown cars on the forecourt yesterday. Trying to be flogged as 'bronze' I think.

My Dad has a picasso in that rather naff gold, but then he did drive a brown Austin Princess in the past.

OP posts:
specialsubject · 01/12/2012 22:39

I drive a mud-brown car (wanted a cheapie, it runs fine) and I always have at least side-lights on as it is apparently invisible otherwise. Probably a good reason why they don't make them that colour any more.

excellent for my defensive driving skills though.

gail734 · 01/12/2012 22:42

I've only ever driven second hand cars and absolutely do not consider colour at all. I have had red, wedgewood blue, dark metalic blue and now silver. Trying to think of a colour that I wouldn't be happy to drive - might feel a bit silly in yellow?

hiddenhome · 01/12/2012 22:47

I have a lovely bright green car Grin

Original poster
2kidsintow · 01/12/2012 23:01

When I go car shopping my priorities are

1- My budget
2- A model of car I like
3- How young a car I can get for my money
4- With low as low milage as I can get
5- In a colour that I like.

OP posts:
ConfusedPixie · 01/12/2012 23:35

Haha! OP, I have a dark green astra (a 2002 eco too!), I'm well impressed with it Grin

bruffin · 01/12/2012 23:46

The last 3 cars were had were blue, but now have silver.

I work for a dealership.

The Seats come in quite nice yellows and the Hyundai comes in an very odd bronze. Although the red version is a lovely shade of dark red.

We also have colour swatches in about 10 shades of white.

ArthurandGeorge · 01/12/2012 23:53

I'm about to buy a white car. Previous 3 (from approx 2001) have been a variant on pale metallic greeny silver. Before that I had a white car. Colour is my last priority.

Would have liked a bright blue or green though.

TraineeBabyCatcher · 02/12/2012 00:15

I've had lets ignore that I have only been driving two years a turquoise Honda, a silver Citroen, a silver Vauxhall, and a red Renault, which is now for sale.

I am a blue (navy) person, blue is a colour that suits me and that I love in most aspects of life, yet a think it looks crap on most cars.

Silver cars neither here nor there, its nothing special but nothing wrong.
Every car can look good in black.
Mini's can look good in anything except dark green, nothing looks good in dark green

For me, most other colours entirely depends on the car.
White is exec.
Red is sporty.
Green is a statement.
Yellow is for little cars.
Blue, only light blue, is for smaller/medium cars. Dark blue is for no car.
Metallic suits all, non metallic suits few.
Brown is an offence to cars.

I want a fiesta, in that lovely pinky/purpley colour which I have no idea what they call and I'm sure most people dislike.
But generally colour is my last priority, as others have said, when buying cars.

Linnet · 02/12/2012 01:54

My first car was grey, second car was a dark grey sort of charcoal colour and my new car, which I got a couple of months ago, is White. I wasn't sure about a white car but it was the cheaper option as any other colour would have added to the price so we went with white. I love it.

Shutupanddrive · 02/12/2012 09:19

Me and Dp both have silver cars (boring)!

threepiecesuite · 02/12/2012 09:27

I have a Grand Picasso and it's mauve. I love it! The kids don't.

MmeLindor · 02/12/2012 09:27

When we see a car in an unusual colour, DH and I joke about the size of the downpayment needed when the car was ordered.

'Sooo, MsCarbuyer. The Focus is VomitGreen, is it? Excellent choice!

Now. About the deposit ...'

EverlongLovesHerChristmasRobin · 02/12/2012 09:42

I have a white car. I wanted a white car.
I won't ever have another white car.

It's never white!

Silver is the best for keeping clean Wink

PessaryPam · 02/12/2012 09:57

Our car colours in chronological order:-

Silver
Silver
Graphite
Yellow
Purple
Dark metallic green

I have actively avoided silver since I noticed they were the norm. It's much easier to spot your car in a car park if it's different from all the others! (Failing ageing memory here)

valiumredhead · 02/12/2012 13:15

I made the mistake of referring to our car as silver the other day - I was soon corrected by dh who put me straight, it's gunmetal grey apparently Hmm

nokidshere · 02/12/2012 13:37

we had a lovely Sky Blue vauxhall back in the early 80's Grin

since then we have had..
burgundy
metallic green
dark green
dark green
dark green and
dark green

haha we obviously like dark green!!!! or more likely they were the ones we could afford :)

Mrsjay · 02/12/2012 13:40

we have had 2 green cars they broke A LOT we now stay clear of green our car is red well burgandy, I did see a snot green car the other day and just thought why Confused

NorbertDentressangle · 02/12/2012 13:50

We once saw the most hideous colour new car on the motorway a while ago - it was a big, long car in a sparkly brown colour .

DS (who has a habit of coming out with comic one liners) was about 6 at the time said in a completely deadpan voice " that car looks like a metallic poo" .

CogitOCrapNotMoreSprouts · 02/12/2012 14:12

When you buy a new car blue, black, red and white are 'standard' colours available at no extra charge and usually arrive quicker than special paint request. When I got my new car last year I could have had something metallic in 12 weeks and for a whopping great fee or a black one in four weeks for no extra charge. Guess which I went for? :)