Is a rare color worth more money?

"BadMotorScooter" (badmotorscooter) 01/11/2015 at 14:56 • Filed to: None

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I've owned a few cars with rare color combinations, which I like because they are unusual. I don't think I've ever paid more for the color though. I saw a Nassau Blue C5 hardtop (FRC) for sale, which is a rare color (not the car pictured, but the same color). It was a 2000 model and something around 130 were made in that color. Thing is they are asking $25,000 which is bonkers for a 2000 FRC. The rare color can't be worth that much. Are there cars where an ultra rare color makes it worth more?

Brian Silvestro > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:00

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man that is beautiful, but not "coulda had a Z06" beautiful

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:00

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If it has less than 80k miles, that's not a bad price. On a car like a Corvette, the color can play a big part in its value. With only 130 made, it stands to be a collectible of sorts as time goes on.

Scorpio GTX1 > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:02

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I can tell you that Bayside Blue certainly makes a Skyline GT-R several thousand dollars more valuable. But in my personal opinion, if the price premium costs more than a repaint, it isn't worth it. They don't usually cost that much more, though.

sellphones2493 > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:02

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When my father was looking at a new car, he was pretty sure he was going to get an A6. He wanted a unique color, which turned out to be either Prism Silver or Suzuka Grey Metallic, both Audi Exclusive Colors.

They wanted $5,000 added for getting a cool color. He just got Quartz.

ly2v8-Brian > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:04

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yes and no. It helps it is a Vette.

BadMotorScooter > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather 01/11/2015 at 15:04

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Yeah it makes the car more interesting, and that might mean it would be preferred over a common black or red car. But I don't think it's worth several thousand dollars. A good low mileage 99 or 00 FRC shouldn't be 01-03 Z06 money, which this one is.

BadMotorScooter > Brian Silvestro 01/11/2015 at 15:05

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Exactly. I think for $20k it's worth discussing. But I can't see paying that much more for the rare color. $25k will buy a nice Z06.

DrScientist > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:05

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i think its rare x desirable.

i've seen more than a few truly awful mint or metallic green carreras around that were marketed as "rare," but i surely wouldnt pay more for one than a more common grey or dark blue carrera.

also, "iconic" might play into the true market value of a rare color. i'm thinking of the phoenix yellow e46 m3's.

BadMotorScooter > sellphones2493 01/11/2015 at 15:07

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And that was on a new car, where every color they make is available. I don't like paying more for 'premium' colors on new cars. I'll choose a standard 'free' color just for the point of not paying more for a color.

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:07

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For classic cars, yeah. For a more recent car, I'm not so sure. The only limited edition color I'd pay more for is a midnight purple GTR, and thats because I love the color, not for the sake of rarity.

BadMotorScooter > Scorpio GTX1 01/11/2015 at 15:07

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Does that color cost more on a new car?

sellphones2493 > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:08

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Technically, he payed I think about $500 more to not get black or white. Remember - you're dropping over 50k on a car. Heaven forbid you get sparkles in your paint for no additional charge.

Shifty > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:12

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Gorgeous car, but yeah overpriced...mine (also a 2k FRC, though arctic white), was $16k with 43k on it, and in 99% condition with no mods.

BadMotorScooter > DrScientist 01/11/2015 at 15:13

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That makes sense, although mint green Carrera might be considered iconic in some years. Funky colors can be cool, on the right car. Yellow sports cars seem to be more desirable when they are older, and less so when they are new for some reason.

BadMotorScooter > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis 01/11/2015 at 15:15

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If the color cost a lot more when new, then I can see it having some additional value on the used market. But the color itself can't be worth more than a few percent increase in price, in my opinion.

BadMotorScooter > ly2v8-Brian 01/11/2015 at 15:16

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Nassau Blue is a classic Vette color too, which does help. But not several thousand dollars help.

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:18

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I really hope so

KoenigSTIGg > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:19

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My dad bought a school bus yellow new beetle when they first came out. After four years he sold it for the same price he bought it. Supposedly they only made a couple hundred of them and people really wanted them for some reason.

Michael Maguire > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:19

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a friend of mine purchased an 01 z06 for 22K about 3 months ago. I can't imagine him spending 3 grand more for a worse car with a cool color...

BadMotorScooter > Shifty 01/11/2015 at 15:20

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That's what I was thinking price wise. I do like the color though. I bought a 99 C5 coupe new, and remember seeing Nassau Blue on the color chart and thought it was too soft. I ordered boring silver, because I was coming out of a bright red car and wanted something not as showy. Looking back, I should have ordered the Nassau Blue!

E92M3 > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:23

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Sure it's "rare", but not worth more than $1000-2000 more. If had under 25k miles it MIGHT be a future collectable and worth it.

BadMotorScooter > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors 01/11/2015 at 15:25

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That's sharp. What do they call that color? Did it cost more new?

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > DrScientist 01/11/2015 at 15:26

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Laguna Seca blue, Oxford green, Interlagos Blue, and Mystic blue hold higher premiums than Phoenix yellow if paired with the right interior color on the E46 M3. The BMW Individual paint color, Estoril Blue, probably holds the biggest premium.

PushToStart > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:29

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It's entirely circumstantial. Newer cars probably won't be effected as much (although, as Doug pointed out in one of his articles, red Ferraris are generally more sought after, hence the term "resale red.") Certain classic cars have desirable or rare paint colors and interior/exterior combinations that might sell for higher if being sold at auction to a serious collector.

Graphics packages can effect values on certain cars as well, Heritage Edition and stripe-delete Ford GTs fetch higher prices than regular striped GTs simply because they are rarer.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Lime Rock Green C7 Corvettes demand a premium in several years, seeing as how they only made cars in that color for the first model year of the C7, which Corvette buffs will appreciate.

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:36

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I believe it was called Tangerine Orange Pearl Metallic, but I just call it the TurboPumpkin. It was part of a special edition that included the wheels, the trim, the stripe, and orange interior stitching. They only made 200, and the package only cost an additional $500.

More pictures if you're interested

MoterTrend Review

whatisthatsound > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:37

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My answer is maybe. It may bring more money if you have a buyer who will only look for that color. Other wise you may lose out on a sale because of it being a polarizing color that some may not want at all. So as with all things money, on one hand yes, on the other hand no.

DrScientist > GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo 01/11/2015 at 15:38

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besides estoril, which i think is a great looking color, are any of these colors "rare" in comparison to the more standard silver/black/red?

also, what is the premium for these over the standard colors in the second hand market?

last question, are the colors that you mention all "metalic" or some other multi-step paint process (i have no idea) that, from a manufacturing pov, warrant a higher price as an option when new? or are they just standard paints, but in rare/unique colors?

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > PushToStart 01/11/2015 at 15:42

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I'm still upset about that. Not that I can afford a C7 or anything...

DrScientist > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:42

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forgot about that mint green on the 80's carreras. i was actually thinking of this one 997 c4s that a friend had. he was always going on about the rarity of the color, which you couldn't argue with, but didn't make it any more desirable to me. it was a blue-ish green metalic teal color. not that bright gt3 rs green.

i feel like new yellow sports car = douchebag, but agree that sentiment goes away when the car is 20+ years old

dogisbadob > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 15:43

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And that's why the Z06 was made—they used the unsold FRC shells. The first recycled supercar :p

BadMotorScooter > PushToStart 01/11/2015 at 15:57

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I think I'd actually prefer a Ferrari in a color other than red, because so many of them are red. I may be weird like that though. When the C5 Vette came out they had a Dark Bowling Green and a Fairway Green, I think Fairway was a one year only color and they do seem to be a little more sought after.

The also made 15 Aztec Gold C5s. Only one of which is a manual trans. I could see that fetching some more money.

mrtom > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 16:00

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I purchased my SI in SI-only "Sunburst Orange Pearl" so I wouldn't confuse myself with the other 32 grey honda civics in the parking lot at work.

BadMotorScooter > mrtom 01/11/2015 at 16:03

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Plus it tells those that know that it's an SI. And it looks cool.

mrtom > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 16:08

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Exactly. plus since I keep it debadged, it keeps the fast and furious crowd away.....

GTRZILLAR32-Now saving for Godzilla and a condo > DrScientist 01/11/2015 at 16:50

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LSB is non metallic and while not super rare is uncommon enough (with the right interior color) to command a $2-3 thousand premium on today's used market. A clean very good condition 04-05 60-80k 6spd M3 in black can fetch up to $23k, take the same car in LSB and the lowest it should be listed is $25k. Enthusiast Auto Group has skewed the E46 M3 market though, most of their cars are $23-27k, a few of the cars are listed over $30k.

What I learned after buying my M3 was that if I had bought a car from a reputed forum member, I probably could have gotten the same car for a few thousand less. However forum searching takes patience and the car you want may be across the country.

RobG-ADV > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 17:28

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Remember when the C5 first came out? People were really wanting the Millennium Yellow color. They were hard to get and dealers were charging a lot more for them. I also see these go for more on the used market.

Then when the second-year Z06 came out, the hot color was Electron Blue metallic. That's the color I personally want if/when I get a C5-Z06, but it wasn't nearly as "hot" as Millenium Yellow.

The two colors I dislike most on Corvettes are Silver (because GM can't make a shiny silver to save it's life) and the eggshell white that was on the 2001 model. When I get white, I want REALY white, not smokers' teeth white.

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > BadMotorScooter 01/11/2015 at 18:24

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So here's the thing. Do a search for a C5 in that color. Let's say that instead of being casual about color, you had to have Nasau Blue. How many are available in your area? If you find another one, is it in comperable condition? What are the prices?

Clown Shoe Pilot > BadMotorScooter 01/24/2015 at 23:05

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In S54 (2001-2002) M Coupes, rare colors like Laguna Seca Blue and Phoenix Yellow (yuk) seem to fetch a little more.