Even now, buying a car in India is considered to be a luxury, and hence one of the more important landmarks of one’s life. Choosing the right vehicle is often a long drawn process, with factors like budget, size, functionality, and brand playing a role. Additionally, with cars now being manufactured in almost all colours of the rainbow, choosing the right colour can be quite tricky, time-consuming, and all in all, a huge decision to make.
While owners usually choose the colour based on what reflects their personality, or their favourite colour, there are several other factors to consider while making this critical choice.
Confused about which colour to opt for your new baby? Here are 5 all-important dos and don’ts to help you decide!
- Do match the colour with the model of the vehicle
One of the most important factors to keep in mind before zeroing in on the colour for your new car is the model or the type of the vehicle. For SUVs, phantom blacks, and pearly whites are the preference, while brighter colours like yellows and oranges look best on sports cars and sleek models. Reds look the best on sports cars, which scream aggression, passion, and opulence. Sedans look the best in universal and neutral colours like black, silver, and white.
- Don’t discount the resale value of the vehicle
While this is a much later action, after you’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and made many memories in your car, the colour of the vehicle actually impacts the resale value. It becomes important to choose a colour that does not decrease the overall resale value of the vehicle. Neutral colours like black, silver, white, and grey are among the popular, usual colours, and contribute to a higher resale value, even after 4-5 years of using the vehicle. Offbeat colours like brown, golden, and yellow are not as popular, thereby decreasing the resale value.
- Do ponder over the purpose of the vehicle
The use of the car often impacts the choice of the colour. The car could be used as a family car, a personal vehicle, or even to promote a company/business.
For family cars, lighter colours magnify scratches, wear and tear, and dirt, and hence these cars should be darker, or a more neutral colour.
For cars that are used to promote companies/businesses, lighter coloured vehicles are preferred, so graphics, decals, stickers, and other forms of advertising will be more visible.
With respect to personal cars, the colour can be based on the price and personal preference.
- Don’t let the birds become literal party poopers
Believe it or not, the colour of your car impacts the amount of bird poop that can get on it! One of the worst, and ickiest things is to see your car – new or old, covered in bird droppings, just because you parked it under a tree. Scientists have said that there are certain colours which aggravate, and prompt the birds to use our precious vehicles like their personal toilets. Car colours that are flashy and bright, like blues and reds, are more likely to be covered in droppings. Why, you ask? The theory is that the birds are more likely to see their own reflection in these colours, and think of it as a threat. To save yourself from the disgusting task of cleaning bird droppings, choose a more neutral coloured car.
- Don’t let your car be just a fair-weather friend!
Who knew that the weather conditions, and environmental factors would also play a role in determining the ideal car colour? This usually missed, but important factor really impacts the owners, and must be thought of, when buying a car.
For people living in tropical cities, where the sun is blazing, dark coloured cars like blacks, and blues, have a greater tendency to become an oven. The feeling of opening the car door and being smacked by a wave of hot air, and sitting on the seat and feeling the burn, is not desirable at all. On another note, lighter coloured cars will be cooler, and require you to use the air conditioning less, thus saving on precious, precious fuel.
If you live in a city which is notorious for heavy rainfall, it is best to avoid lighter coloured cars, as the splatters of mud, and dirt are more prominent, and visible.
Keeping the above in mind, whoever said that the colour of the car should be chosen on a whim, or just because you are drawn to a particular colour. Sometimes, the choice can be made on a personal preference, but often, it is best to do adequate research, and then book the car. In the future, all the research will definitely pay off!
