White Cars

Dave1000

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As I thought before reason not to buy a white car especially if you are keeping for the longer term S3 favours well in the article but may only be short lived !!!

Article from Autocar

White has become an increasingly popular colour choice for cars in the last couple of years, but used values show that only a minority of cars can get away with wearing it.
According to car valuation experts EurotaxGlass’s, white works best on exclusive models when specified with sports styling kits and big alloy wheels. But in most instances white remains a major turn-off for used buyers, with ordinary cars finished in it tending to suffer from a major residual value penalty.
According to Eurotaxglass’s Richard Crosthwaite, an Audi A4 S-Line in white performs strongly on the used market – but a white version of the standard A4 is worth up to £1000 less than an otherwise identical car in a more desirable colour.
Some models do extremely well in white, including the Audi S3, Audi RS4, Audi R8, BMW M3, Porsche 911 GT3 and Porsche Cayman.
But for other prestige saloons and SUVs, white can be the kiss of death – shaving up to £3000 from the value of the car compared to one finished in a more popular colour.
“The recent favourable reception for selected white vehicles on the used market has, in part, resulted from more vehicle manufacturers using white cars on their press launches, generating widespread national media exposure,” says Crosthwaite, “white car values have also been supported by low levels of supply... Our assessment is that, if supply increases significantly, or if white falls out of favour with fashion-conscious buyers, values could fall sharply, even on those sports derivatives where they currently perform well.”
White has become an increasingly popular colour choice for cars in the last couple of years, but used values show that only a minority of cars can get away with wearing it.
According to car valuation experts EurotaxGlass’s, white works best on exclusive models when specified with sports styling kits and big alloy wheels. But in most instances white remains a major turn-off for used buyers, with ordinary cars finished in it tending to suffer from a major residual value penalty.
 
I agree the `nice stuff` looks great in white, in fact the S3 loks the ******** in Ibis (nearly as good as Sprint)

Im not sure white is a fad that will fade too soon if ever?
 
white isnt a fad, its been around for ages... it does only suit certain cars tho for sure... smaller sporty car IMHO. I dont think the RS4 or R8 look good in white. As fo SUV's!!! :asskicking:
 
Agree with Kontraband and some of the article, boggo standard cars look rubbish in white and won't resell well, also depends on the shade of white. Mines a company car but would still have had white if i had bought it, but not if it wasn't an s line
 
Confirms everything i've always thought really. If a car looks good in white, it just does, and it will hold it's value irrespective of 'fashion'. Performance and sports models will always look brilliant in pure, sharp white (not the ****** arctic white).

Anyone who buys a big salloon in white (ghostbusters car) needs a slap , as does anyone who buys a white 4x4 (ice cream van).
 
Confirms everything i've always thought really. If a car looks good in white, it just does, and it will hold it's value irrespective of 'fashion'. Performance and sports models will always look brilliant in pure, sharp white (not the ****** arctic white).

Anyone who buys a big salloon in white (ghostbusters car) needs a slap , as does anyone who buys a white 4x4 (ice cream van).

Spot on mate, i totally agree!!

All except the comment on the ghostbusters car - that is a truely sublime vehicle that is dear to my heart lol!!! Those sirens are immense!!

:jester:
 
IMO, the only car that looks anywhere near decent in white is the Fiat 500.
 
I've had 2 Golf GTI's, a Mk2 and a Mk3, both in White, the paintwork on both was exceptional and i always used to get complimented on how good they looked, I would love to have my 8L S3 in white as well as I think this would look great too...

But as mentioned, some cars just dont look good in white, and some do.
 
I've had 2 Golf GTI's, a Mk2 and a Mk3, both in White, the paintwork on both was exceptional and i always used to get complimented on how good they looked, I would love to have my 8L S3 in white as well as I think this would look great too...

But as mentioned, some cars just dont look good in white, and some do.


you got an answer to my question then Nilz if youve had loadsa whites?
 
IMO, the only car that looks anywhere near decent in white is the Fiat 500.

Now come on.... The Miami Vice Testerossa?! Doesn't get much better than that :rock:
 
I've had 2 Golf GTI's, a Mk2 and a Mk3, both in White, the paintwork on both was exceptional and i always used to get complimented on how good they looked, I would love to have my 8L S3 in white as well as I think this would look great too...

But as mentioned, some cars just dont look good in white, and some do.
On the subject of white Golfs, white MK5 Gti in Candy White looks very very cool.
Was tempted by a white ED30 before the S3.
 
My mini is pepper "white" more of a cream colour really but looks the business!
Funny to think how ***** it'd look on an A3 though!!
 
The Mk5 Golf and the new S3 in white both look "loooovvvveeerrrllllyyy!"
 
The one car ive been "seriously" wondering about trading to :yes:

I'd love to see you going into a Fiat dealer and asking to trade your car for a 500!
They'd have to give you two!:)
 
And a balaclava...

I'm with you there.
I like the Fiat 500 from the point of view that I'd like my wife to have one.
But, then again, I feel like that about the Mini and there are plenty of blokes driving them.:ohmy:

(no offence)
 
Ok, im not so sure now.... My testosterone is telling me no after reading your comments. Im happy to be a closet 500 lover then..
 
I'm with you there.
I like the Fiat 500 from the point of view that I'd like my wife to have one.
But, then again, I feel like that about the Mini and there are plenty of blokes driving them.:ohmy:

(no offence)
Absolutely.
Also the VW Bettle:scared2:
Why is it that these new versions of old icons are so camp? When the originals weren`t.
Im with you on the Mini thing but many seemingly arent.

That said, I wouldnt mind the wife owning any of them neither.
 
I saw a guy driving a white Fiat 500 yesterday with a chequered roof, wing mirrors and chequered stripes down the side.
The guy looked in his 40's, chubby and balding. I wanted to flag him down and ask him where his life had gone so badly wrong....
 
PMSL....you guys....maybe your man driving it yesterday was a hairdresser.....not a very good one at that, as if he was he would be driving a TT (Oh my what have i just said!!)

You know im only joking fellow TT drivers :)
 
Why is it that these new versions of old icons are so camp? When the originals weren`t.

That's a very interesting point, IMO.
FWIW I think it must be to do with the car's roles.
Back when the originals were on the go, these cars were marketed as utilitarian motoring for the skint masses, who required a fair amount of mechanical knowhow to keep them going.
Therefore, it fwell to blokes to either buy them in the first place (breadwinners, back then) or to keep them going.

They're now luxury items for the fashion conscious, who simply aren't particularly interested in how a car works, as long as it does and "it's pretty, *giggle*"
That ain't your typical bloke.:)

It is a generalisation, I know and I apologise for any offence.
But I don't think it's an unfair one.
 
That's a very interesting point, IMO.
FWIW I think it must be to do with the car's roles.
Back when the originals were on the go, these cars were marketed as utilitarian motoring for the skint masses, who required a fair amount of mechanical knowhow to keep them going.
Therefore, it fwell to blokes to either buy them in the first place (breadwinners, back then) or to keep them going.

They're now luxury items for the fashion conscious, who simply aren't particularly interested in how a car works, as long as it does and "it's pretty, *giggle*"
That ain't your typical bloke.:)

It is a generalisation, I know and I apologise for any offence.
But I don't think it's an unfair one.

I certainly dont have a better explanation.
 
I think the basic reason for cars becoming fashion accessories started when cars became more disposable commodities. A car was for life many moons ago but now we swap them every few years (some of us fickle bunch even more regularly) and manufacturers release new models far more frequently so a car has a much shorter life cycle nowadays. They're also cheaper and more accessible to 'own' via lease, finance etc.
Not to mention the very fashion orientated way in which manufacturers market cars now. Most of them are like watching a perfume advert....You're buying into an image and a lifestyle more than you are just buying a mode of transport. Strange really.

Sorry, don't mean to lecture on the changing social position of the motorcar but it is interesting! (to me anyway lol)
 
I think the basic reason for cars becoming fashion accessories started when cars became more disposable commodities. A car was for life many moons ago but now we swap them every few years (some of us fickle bunch even more regularly) and manufacturers release new models far more frequently so a car has a much shorter life cycle nowadays. They're also cheaper and more accessible to 'own' via lease, finance etc.
Not to mention the very fashion orientated way in which manufacturers market cars now. Most of them are like watching a perfume advert....You're buying into an image and a lifestyle more than you are just buying a mode of transport. Strange really.

Sorry, don't mean to lecture on the changing social position of the motorcar but it is interesting! (to me anyway lol)

I agree that many car purchases are more lifestyle driven than what the car abilties and attributes will do for your needs and requirments.
This is no more more apparent when you consider the HUGE SUV/4x4 market in the UK.
Manufacturers have spent millions making SUVs/4x4s drive like a car because many SUV/4x4 buyers dont particularly want or care about off road ability but want the 4x4 statement.
Its an odd situation as a 4x4s primary function, which is to go off road as the very thing many buyers dont give a hoot about!

Can you imagine buying a performance car and not giving a monkeys whether its fast or goes around corners? (Although Im sure a minority still do and have them purely as `trinkets`)

For practicality and interior space, estate cars and MPVs can do what 4x4 does, but dont have the off-road abilty, again, which few buyers care about but still want big 4x4s to potter around town.
My neighbour bought an X5 for the same reasons but after having a 320d estate on loan is considering exchanging the X5 for a 3series estate to carry the kids/prams etc around instead. The fuel price situation is a factor in that also.
This isnt a cheap shot at 4x4s but it highlights how a massive market can be supported by `lifestyle buying`.
Each to their own I suppose.

Cheers
Paul
 
That's a very interesting point, IMO.
FWIW I think it must be to do with the car's roles.
Back when the originals were on the go, these cars were marketed as utilitarian motoring for the skint masses, who required a fair amount of mechanical knowhow to keep them going.
Therefore, it fwell to blokes to either buy them in the first place (breadwinners, back then) or to keep them going.

They're now luxury items for the fashion conscious, who simply aren't particularly interested in how a car works, as long as it does and "it's pretty, *giggle*"
That ain't your typical bloke.:)

It is a generalisation, I know and I apologise for any offence.
But I don't think it's an unfair one.

I bought the Mini for many reasons, mainly because the A3 bored the pants off me. It was a good, dependable car and never really put a foot wrong but it had no character.
The Mini on the other hand, has! Yes, it is a bit of a girls car but I looked past that. It handles ****** brilliantly, looks great from every angle (including the funky interior), is cheap to tax and service etc. It just made sense as I didn't really need the space either as 90% of the time is me and SWMBO.
I certainly didn't buy it because it was fashionable.
 
I bought the Mini for many reasons, mainly because the A3 bored the pants off me. It was a good, dependable car and never really put a foot wrong but it had no character.
The Mini on the other hand, has! Yes, it is a bit of a girls car but I looked past that. It handles ****** brilliantly, looks great from every angle (including the funky interior), is cheap to tax and service etc. It just made sense as I didn't really need the space either as 90% of the time is me and SWMBO.
I certainly didn't buy it because it was fashionable.

Good point.
I reckon girls buy the MINI because its fashionable and cute, where these are key factors for the purchase. And I thinks its fair to say that the majority of MINI owners are girls.

Blokes who buy MINIs IMO do so predominantly because they are a great drive. And Im sure the fact that the MINIs are fashionable is of little consequence, or even a slight burden to those blokes who have taken the plunge.

Paul
 
Good point.
I reckon girls buy the MINI because its fashionable and cute, where these are key factors for the purchase. And I thinks its fair to say that the majority of MINI owners are girls.

Blokes who buy MINIs IMO do so predominantly because they are a great drive. And Im sure the fact that the MINIs are fashionable is of little consequence, or even a slight burden to those blokes who have taken the plunge.

Paul

Agree 100% here....
 
There will be a lot of white cars around on the second hand market in 18-24 months time - the dealers will, predictably, say there's no call for them. Just wait and see.

I saw a new 5 series in white this week - ugh! He will be spanked when he wants to trade it in...
 
Big cars have so much surface area it makes white a very difficult colour to carry off. Smaller cars with slightly more fussy styling look best IMO.
New SUBARU Sti anyone?
 
I'm just picking myself up of the floor as Bowfer has said twice in one thread 'No offence'

Has he gone soft? Mind you after his generalisation statement and his liking of the Fiat 500.........

I'll say no more :)

I have to say also and its not because i own one but the S3 in white looks the danglies...... The amount of people who have said to me

'you bought it in white? why?'

and then been to see the car and say how much they like it. One of those people was my girlfriend too!
 
My shortlist of colours on the S3 was White and Sprint.

My girlfriend talked me out of white asking "why would you get a white car?".

At GTi International I bumped in to L60N queuing to go on the strip and what does my girlfriend say "His S3 looks brilliant in white!!"
:keule:

I agree though, only certain cars can pull it off and the S3 is definately one of them!
 

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