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Can anyone tell me what is the most popular colour when coming to resell a car, I am thinking of buying a black car, but am worried whether silver is better? Also can anyone tell me the advantages of air conditioning on a Ford Fiesta Zetec S? Thanks Ema
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Did you sell the Escort OK Ema?
David
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Yes thanks, I got £1750 with no mot so I thought that was OK. But do you know, problem after problem, I have decided on the Fiesta Zetec S, black with air con etc but guess what they wont have one for 2 months!! I'm sure someone out there's trying to get me! Your thoughts are appreciated.
Ema
PS how did you remember?!
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Because David being a kind considerate kind of person probably searched on your name to see if there was any previous posts to make you feel welcome, and look for the slightest excuse to twist the thread to the double chevron. ;-)
Incidentally Ema, I wonder why you picked black. Everyone I have ever met who has had a black car has said never again, they show every scratch. Look fabulous when clean and shiny but after Sainsbury's car park trolley dings etc, ouch.
Personally I tend to favour the colours with which the manufacturer shows the car in brochure pics. The basis for my logic (or lack of) being that they probably have decided which colour the car looks best in with some focus group, and therefore it must be a popular colour when it comes to resale.
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Ema,
Like interesting conversations I think most of the regulars here do remember a little of many threads. Stuart was right, I did search to check what you were asking last time, mustn't trip up and give a completely different answer! Also until Rebecca (? I think) posted about mad French drivers/husbands punching the windscreen I think there have only been two girls on the site in the past month or so.
I agree with the above feeling about black, can be very impressive the day you collect it and after a wash/leather. For ease of care a popular metallic is best. I like metallic dark green, met dark red, a good metallic blue and met silver rarely offends...it is also very dirt-friendly.
Having said all that we had a new Fiat Uno in 1986 (when they were still current and quite cute). Specially ordered black with green tint glass, upsized tyres and special trims. Looked really smart for a small car. Second day we had it Mary took her Mum to look at a new house we wanted, on returning home it was covered with dust from the site that showed up on the black like no other colour. Had to wash it straight away!
Bit like I said about the whole deal before, know the pitfalls and then if you still want to go ahead enjoy the purchase.
Just wonder if it is metallic black/dark grey, that is a little easier to look after.
David
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Hi Well thank you all for all your help. I have gone through everything thoroughly and have decided on the Silver with air conditioning - so I'm looking forward to getting it!
I know that I probably sound like some silly girl who obviously doesn't know a thing about cars, but as you say, it is better to take all the advice that you can get.
Thanks again
Ema
PS I'll let you know how it goes!!
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Colour choice can be a problem! I bought a new Mercedes and went to the factory to collect it. There were a dozen Germans walking round it in the collection area oohing and aahing at the beauty of the thing! When I parked it inmotorway service areas people walked round looking at it. When I came to sell it one dealer said he wouldn't have it on his forecourt and another suggested that I tried a hairdresser or a footballer's wife! I thought it looked very smart and so did 95% of the people who saw it but selling it was a different matter. I got the right price for it but my choice of colour severely limited the number of people who were prepared to consider it when I sold it.
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Nick,
Less exciting but the "average" colour might win in the end. Was it too terrible to tell us what your colour was?
David
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It was "Vivianite" - a sort of turquoise quite similar to one used on small Rovers at the moment. I thought it looked good and it did sell but obviously to someone who wanted an extrovert colour. The dealer who bought it took it away on a trailer within 4 hours of rining me up so he obviously had a buyer lined up, I guess.
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Ema,
A good metallic such as silver or light blue is always a good re-sale colour. Often people will only have a black car once, and never again! Too difficult to keep clean, and shows the smallest of marks.
CAP black book suggests a good metallic or stong non-metallic such as red can add 10% to book value secondhand. Avoid at all costs dark blue (aka doom blue) and maroon. I'm sure I've read advice from HJ to this effect, but my advice comes from 20 years in car sales. If you do have black, air-con is a must. You will not be able to get in the car otherwise on a sunny day. Even the steering wheel will burn your hands. Still, black looks great doesn't it.? Enjoy the car.
Regards
Mike
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Ema
Stuart and Mike are right. Black looks good when new, but it's unbelievably difficult to keep looking nice - one trip and with a bit of dust or a damp road and you're reaching for the car cleaning kit. Plus every tiny mark shows, as does slightly dodgy polishing. I've one black car (it's a classic so it doesn't go out much) and made the mistake of owning two everyday black cars. Never, never never again.
yes, go for a silver or light blue metallic as Stuart says. Metallic red looks pretty good on Fiestas too.
By the way, back to the actual purchase - you do know there's a new Fiesta due out end of the year?
Regards
john
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Yep I do, but it's what I've wanted since last year, and there's a good deal on with the Fiesta Zetec S at the moment, so if I want to change it for the newer one I can do then can't I.
Thanks for letting me know.
Ema
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Silver is the easiest to keep clean, but is also one of the most difficult to match if you have an accident (!).
Ford silver can be different on each panel. We had a new Fiesta in 97 and rejected 3 silver cars on or shortly after delivery because of colour mismatch or dust in the paint. We changed colour on the 4th car to dark metallic green. Happy to say Ford customer service/ the dealer, were very helpful.
Have you thought about getting a Zetec S from Trade Sales of Slough? I haven't used them, but they seem to be well regarded and they are very cheap. Drawbacks are
- might have trouble getting your exact spec
- only 12 month Ford warranty
- care with first reg date (some are new imports, but have been registered abroad)
- no insurance deals
, but you could save £2 - £3k
Good luck
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Whatever you do don't buy black unless you want to spend all your time cleaning it, and cleaning it properly.Silver or light metallic blue always seems to look clean and will be cooler in summer. Go for air-con anyway.
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How come most Xantia's I see are black including mine?
Peter
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Peter,
It is because yours is black they all seem black.
I had never seen (noticed) the metallic blue of my Xantia much before I bought it. Day after collection there was one in the local town three cars away in the park and a few minutes a different one in the same colour next to me at the fuel station.
David
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Fleet News Net and a couple of other sites have news items regarding colours. Dark metallic blue looks good and is a preferred colour.
However, there may be a glut of silver cars out there by the time you come to sell. I'd therefore avoid silver as there are so many out there.
Unfortunately, people will behave like sheep and follow everyone else.
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Sorry, that came out wrong. Apparently silver has been one of the highest selling colours for the past couple of years.
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I guess I'm not one of the black sheep, but I am on my second black car. I agree with most things that have been said: looks fabulous when clean; shows marks and scratches; one of the most visibly damaged by bird strikes (would have said s**t but it's a lady contributor) and must have aircon.
I previously had several company cars (not all at once!) and chose metallic silver/platinum/gunmetal grey because I then didn't have the time or inclination to clean them much. Provided I kept the wheels and windows clean (an old trick of my dad's) I got away with it.
It's nice to have a new car and CHOOSE the colour isn't it?
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The best three colours are silver, silver and silver. There are several auction report and a news item on this on the site.
HJ
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Damn, if I had picked this thread up quicker I might have been able to sell Emma my wife's Metallic Silver Mazda 323 1.8 Automatic. P reg, 27,000. No air con though.
Oops, was that an advert !!
Happy motoring, Adam
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You must try to second-guess the market fashion. My guess is that as there are so many 'silver' cars around they may become next season's white. All of a sudden white cars were a no-no a few years ago. Personally I think they look as though the factory forgot to paint them.
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Andrew Tarr wrote:
>
> You must try to second-guess the market fashion. My guess is
> that as there are so many 'silver' cars around they may
> become next season's white. All of a sudden white cars were
> a no-no a few years ago. Personally I think they look as
> though the factory forgot to paint them.
Yet in some cars white looks the business, but in others it looks like a great lump of lard.
Colour choice can have other consequences. 6 weeks after I got my current car plod bought a shed load, and you've guessed it there are some out there with identical model and colour running unmarked with all the cameras etc on them. The result is that its an absolute sod when someone won't overtake because they think you are old bill and just sit there on your rear quarter.
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Silver seems to be very long lasting in the popularity stakes. Even if it isn't the no.1 choice it never offends.
I can remember it as a popular colour with the Capri in the late 60s, loads of silver cars in the 70s, silver VWs in the 80s and now some really nice silver cars of all makes.
Sound if unexciting choice.
David
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David
Yes, I think you're right. Silver and the lighter metallics have been popular for some time with a wide cross section of vehicles. There are few cars it doesn't suit. Down the line at trade-in time, I suspect it will be a non-contentious colur so won't prove a problem. Also the 'stay-clean' looks help on the forecourt.
White, although popular at one time, never looked much and didn't have a really widespread appeal, and certainly doesn't look right on a large number of cars.
Regards
John
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Silver will last the distance. I'm looking at buying a Rover P6 as a practical classic car. In 1976 at the end of the P6 production run they ran a very limited (35) number of P6's through the production line. They robbed the parts bin and put every conceivable extra on the car (including air-con !!). They called these the 3500S VIP.
Which colour did they choose for these special edition cars ...... metallic silver.
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Michael,
I remember it well, big 3500 fan..had loads....manual and auto.
David
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What colour was that, Nick?
HJ
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Vivianite - see reply earlier in the thread to David Woolard. It was different, but I enjoyed driving it round the Alps in June with the roof down and the breeze and sun on my bald patch!
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