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5 Facts You Didn't Know About Auto Paint

Not only are these facts are good trivia, you should definitely keep them in mind if you’re buying a new car.

We deal with the outside of vehicles for a living, so these topics are on our mind all the time. Some hardly known details can really make you scratch your noodle, while others can be important bits of knowledge for the next time you are trying to decide on a big vehicle purchase. Check out these 5 crazy car paint facts from the paint experts at Island Color:

 

1. What is the world’s safest paint colour?

The safest car colour was determined to be white. Based on studies, it is the most visible colour under all conditions except snow. Although lime-yellow is the most visible colour in all conditions, we thought we’d omit it on grounds of popularity and availability. Silver is a close second and could have been a top choice for its invisibility during heavy rains and fogs

Read more here.

2. Red cars don’t get you speeding tickets, but sports cars do!

You’ve likely heard the conventional wisdom that driving a red car is likely to result in being pulled over by law enforcement more often than driving a car of a different colour. And at first blush this makes sense: Red is the quintessential “sports car” colour, the furious hue of the Ferraris and Corvettes and other high-priced vehicles built to be driven well over the speed limit.

However, this theory is nothing more than an urban legend, according to Snopes.com. Police have long denied that the colour of a car matters in attracting their attention. And statistics show that overall, it’s the kind of car you drive, regardless of the colour, that affects the likelihood of getting a ticket, reports Forbes. Drivers of sporty import models like the Volkswagen GTI and the Mercedes Benz CLS-63 are more than twice as likely to be cited compared to the average mini-van driver.

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3. The crazier the colour, the higher the resale value

A study of 20 million previously owned vehicles last year found that less popular shades lead to lower price depreciation, and the most popular colours lead to higher depreciation. Surprising? Well, the difference is very substantial too. Overall, a yellow car depreciates 26.2% on average over 5 years compared to 34.4% for a black vehicle. That means that the depreciation on a $40,000 model, with all things being equal except for the colour, the yellow car will lose $10,480 and the black one will lose $13,760 from its initial purchase price.

How can this be? Well, it seems that this is simply caused by the invisible hand of supply and demand. The price for the car on the lot will be the same, no matter what colour you choose (aside from speciality paints) but the used market is variable based on what is available in each variation. It is reported that 1.1% of cars on the road are yellow or orange, so people on the used market will pay a premium for these rare colours based on their scarcity.

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4. Cheaper vehicles chip while luxury cars last and last

Vehicles on the cheaper end of the spectrum tend to spend less cash in areas that are cosmetic instead of safety related. If you have a car that chips and peels after 5-10 years you know just what we mean. But what if you buy a super fancy luxury car? Well, take a look at Rolls Royce. Each car undergoes a 22-stage process which uses more than 100 pounds (45.5kg) of paint. How long do you think 100lbs of paint will last?!

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The good news is that all paint can be successfully maintained with just a little bit of attention. The most important thing to keep in mind is that keeping up with minor damage is WAY more cost effective than ignoring it. Dealing with paint chips and minor dings as soon as you can will leave your paint healthy and beautiful, regardless of what kind of car you drive. Island Color is here for all your paint-related issues, and offers a wide variety of services to help you keep your car in showroom-shape.

5. Some car colours are cooler…literally

Conventional wisdom says people living in hot climates would do well to buy white cars if they want to keep their cool. This is another area of sparse research, but a lighter-colour car may be a bit more comfortable than a darker one in a hot climate, says Michael Duoba, a research engineer at Argonne National Lab’s Center for Transportation Research.

“We have yet to do a side-by-side study,” he says. However, he cites another research report suggesting it may be true.

In that study, scientists parked two Honda Civics, one black and the other silver, in the sun. After an hour, the silver car had an internal temperature about 10 degrees cooler than the black one, according to a report in Applied Energy in 2011. Over time, this difference will undoubtedly cause less load on AC units, saving you money – so if you live somewhere hot, it’s smart to consider how the colour of your vehicle can affect its heat gain.

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5. Low-Maintenance vs. High-Maintenance Colours

So, which colours require more work to look good? Darker ones, according to car care experts.

“The darker the colour, typically the more types of scratches and swirls you will begin to see,” says Mike Pennington, director of training and consumer relations for Meguiar’s, which produces car care products. There may be scratches on the white car, too, but they’re just not as noticeable.

“You can neglect a lighter car more — a light silver, light gray,” agrees Jim Dvorak, a product specialist for Mother’s, another car care products company. Dark reds or dark metallics show more wear and tear, he says.

But extra maintenance effort pays off on cars in more dramatic colours, they say.

“When you get that black car shined up, there’s nothing wetter, deeper or more stunning,” Pennington says.

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Trust Your Car to the Experts

While some colours are safer or cooler than others, at Island Color, we think all vehicle paint matters. That’s why we’ve been taking care of Vancouver Islanders for over 20 years, and are here for all your automotive paint and small collision needs. From bumper repair to mouldings, check out our paint services here, and never hesitate to give us a call.

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