I've wanted to write about this for a while now. I don't know when I first started noticing car colors, but when the bright blue one hit the markets about 10 years ago, it was noticeable. For starters, it was very different from the usual colors available and it was bright. In a sense, it maybe brought out a personality. Recently, I considered purchasing a new car. I've long since changed my mind, but when I think of a car purchase, color is very important to me. I know you are thinking that the make and performance of a car is far more important. Sure it is. So is color. To me at least. As much as I view a car as a vehicle to get from point A to point B, there are times I view it as an extension of myself. A car should somehow feel like home. A point of comfort. I don't know why, but that's how I feel about it. As you all know, I have Buddy. He's more than a car to me. He's a friend with a personality. He's someone I talk to and laugh with and share my stories. He doesn't mock me and he's a great listener. Yes, a car can be like a relationship. Or maybe if you are not as crazy as me, it's "just" a car.
Hey, since this is my blog post, these are my musings. If I tell you color is important, it is! Anyway, when I was considering the purchase of a new car, I had pretty much decided that I wanted bright blue. Buddy was supposed to be that color, but when I walked through the lot, several years ago, a car of Buddy's color was sparkling in the sun. It looked bright copper. I had never seen that color before and I immediately changed my mind from the bright blue to the copper. Now, there were only 2 interior choices for a car of my exterior: black and umber (the orangish). I picked umber and long story to finding Buddy and bringing him to St. Louis all the way from Minneapolis, but he's the only one in the Midwest with that color combination. I will say one more thing about Buddy before I talk about car colors again. This weekend I was in Chicago and at a light. A couple was crossing the street in front of Buddy. The woman pointed at him. The man looked at Buddy too. I could tell they were looking at his color. I thought to myself. Yep. Buddy is unique indeed.
Back to a few months ago when I was looking at different makes and models. I remember the Audi. It turns out that the bright blue will have to be a special order. Maybe I'm not being totally accurate. To get bright blue with a particular interior would be a special order. But in general, there was one or two bright blues for sale. Those had a common black interior. Going back to exteriors, with the common colors, there were several to pick from with different interiors. Apparently, bright blue is not such a common color so manufacturers don't make a lot of those colors and they charge more for it. My question is, why? Is it really so out there or so off the wall? I personally would also love a bright orange or a bright green. I think it has to do with what colors sell the most. I say, why not offer it all? After all, I sought after a unique car. Wouldn't others?
The other day, I was looking at the colors of all the cars passing by. There were no greens. None. All I saw was white, various shades of metallic grey (Silver), named differently. There's gold. Maybe a light blue, although manufacturers seem to be going away from it. Of course, black and red. But really, that's it. Red is interesting because I consider it a color, not one of the neutrals. It stands out to be taken notice. Red is dashing. If red works, why can't the other colors do the same?
I remember a long time ago when I was in Dubai. I saw a flashy metallic Barbie pink Mercedes. The Arab boys I guess used it to pick up girls. Being flashy. I guess, men don't have peacock feathers to attract the female sex, so they use their cars? I did not find that color appealing in the least bit but I'm not asking for something so wild either. I believe the manufacturers should get out of their commercial mass production mentality and take a risk with new colors though. Maybe they'll be known for their colors, like the bug. These days it's all about what sells fast and that is good marketing, but how do you know the other colors won't, if you don't give it a chance.
The mercedes doesn't offer any fun colors. It only offers neutrals from white to black with the silvers mixed in. I don't even think there was a red in the E class. Really? You are a mercedes and you can't offer great colors? What kind of statement is it making? Having bright colors means it's not "mercedes" quality? Maybe some sporty Mercs offer red, but majority of them do not. Some of you are going to bring up the Porsche and I don't have anything to say about it, other than having unique color combinations, are not usual showroom cars. They are special orders and one has to pay and arm and a leg to get that look.
My car Buddy is unique. I told you that he's the only one in the midwest with the exterior of dark copper and Umber leather (looks orangish) interior. I know when I purchased him, I left out of town the next day while my dealership was acquiring him. Apparently, he was sitting outside and the dealer had to fend off interest in him because he was already sold to me. If there was interest in Buddy, then why not manufacture more of him? I'm not totally complaining. I have a unique car, but are my color choices truly that different? I would like to think so and boost up my ego, but it's not true. I think the average person would like more color choices. They are just not given that option.
Since starting this post (more than a week ago) I have seen 2 bright lemon green cars. Small ones. I can't remember the make, but I remember the color. It took me by surprise. Was someone actually reading my mind? Maybe there is hope. Maybe in the future, we'll see more of the fancy colors without having to tag on a fancy price. One can hope.
I was talking about my blog to someone and they told me that I should add pictures of the colors of the cars I'm mentioning. I should, but then it'll take me a while to find all the colors and besides, how am I going to be fortunate enough to run into the lemon green car again? So, please use your imaginations.
Talk to you all later,
TTR
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