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What color Prius should I get?

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by hhyoung, Apr 28, 2012.

  1. hhyoung

    hhyoung New Member

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    I need some help with choosing a color for the Pruis I am buying in the next few weeks. What colors do you guys recommend? Want something that will look nice as it ages... any thoughts?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    red. i was going to get red but they didn't include it in pip colors.
     
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  3. Brerkev

    Brerkev New Member

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    Blizzard Pearl is a classic choice.
     
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  4. hhyoung

    hhyoung New Member

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    Any pictures?
     
  5. Keiichi

    Keiichi Active Member

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    Well, Blizzard Pearl White is basically, 'white'... With a slight iridensence. White, Silver and Black tend to age well as they tend to not change that much over time. Reds, Blues and greens tend not to do so well as they are a form of shade that tends to vary from year to year but Silver, White and Black pretty much are classic car colors.
     
  6. itsallgood

    itsallgood New Member

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    Love my Blizzard Pearl.... even after a rain it still looks clean and the sparkle is fabulous.
     
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  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Well silver is usually the safe choice and easy to sell. I would think white and grey are good too.

    I went with Blue Ribbon (deep blue) myself but that's replaced in 2012 with Nautical Blue which is a much darker blue. I can't say if dark blue will age well as it depends on the car (e.g. a 2006 RAV4 Limited or 2008 Tundra Limited in Nautical Blue Metallic look fantastic even today but a Blue Moon Pearl 2001 Prius or Echo looks a bit dated).
     
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  8. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

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    I thought red was the worst-aging color.

    I would get black.
     
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  9. ralleia

    ralleia Active Member

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    I'm a huge fan of the Sea Glass Pearl. If they had Clearwater Blue offered in the Prius, then that would probably be my choice.

    It's pretty dusty out here where I live, so I avoid colors that will show the dust too much, like white or black.

    Silver is probably a very safe choice for aging. I have an 18-year-old silver Chrysler LHS and she is still beautiful.
     
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  10. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Everybody is going to tell you their favorite color, but since it obviously isn't a really big deal for you, I'd do a little research and find out which is the more popular color...even though that's really not going to matter since there's about an 80-percent chance that you're going to trade it in when you're done with it.....so it could be Sea Foam for all the dealership that you trade the car into cares.

    Here are some of my thoughts (FWIW)

    White: Great color! Visible, hides nicks and scrapes, the Blizzard White Pearl is an up-optioned color, but it's worth it. However (comma!) some consider it to be a dull and unimaginative color...like driving a refrigerator. The depth of the BWP color hides dust fairly well, but road grime will show up on it more than the Silver.

    Black: Probably the best looking and sexiest color.....for about six months. A little longer if you dedicate your life to keeping it clean. Shows every little nick and buffing swirl with perfect clarity. If you live south of the Arctic circle, you may regret this color if you ever park outdoors and don't have a remote start.

    Silver: Probably the most conservative color. You can go for months without washing your car and nobody would ever notice from more than 50-feet away. You spend $500 to get your car professionally detailed and nobody would ever notice from more than 50-feet away. Probably the least visible color, especially if you live where it's rainy or foggy more than twice a year. Hides nicks and dings fairly well. Resists fading somewhat, but who is going to notice?

    Red: I really like and dislike the red at the same time. It shows well on the Prius. Cops don't really care what color your car is...their radar unit will beep at them when you're speeding, and insurance companies don't really up-charge for this color. Visibility is great, but to me....in this car, it's a little bit of a reach. Screams "I wish I were younger, or this car was a bit sportier"....to me. Shows nicks and dings almost as well as Black or Blue. It makes a bold statement...but so do Truck Nutz.

    Blue. See also: "Red" It doesn't make the car look quite so much like a toy as the red does, and you won't see a hundred other blue Priuses every day on your morning commute. Much more visible on rainy days, but you're going to pay for that in the parking lot when some cretin opens a door on your car.



    Those are just my thoughts. If I were buying one, I'd probably go with the BWP....but in the end YOU have to pick YOUR color. If you're not married to a particular color, then you might be able to cut a better deal when you go and buy the car, since it will allow you to negotiate more freely.
    Car "experts" always say to but a light exterior (hides nicks and dings) with a darker interior (hides stains). They also advise you to buy the colors that are predominately used in advertisements and brochures, since other "experts" will consider colors that "work" better with the car. Me? I really don't think it matters all that much in the long run unless you prefer to eschew a certian color for a specific reason, like black for fading and heat, and silver for reduced visibility.

    YMMV! :D
     
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  11. jabecker

    jabecker driver of Prii since 2005

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    +1 for Sea Glass Pearl.

    But, then, my 2005 was Tideland Pearl, which was also an "unusual" color. I got a decent trade-in price for it, and the dealer I traded it to sold it in less than a week, so I doubt that the color hurt its value.

    My personal opinion was that I could get BP, black, or silver, and look just like every other Prii I met on my daily commute. Or I could get a color that I really like and be happy with it. I like any color as long as it's green, so there you go. Sea Glass Pearl is neither too dark, nor too light. It doesn't show dust or grime. And it's pretty. :D

    YMMV as they say.
     
  12. jabecker

    jabecker driver of Prii since 2005

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    Just out of curiosity, I did a totally unscientific poll of Prii spotted on my daily commute. I only counted Prius HB, and not Cs or vs. This is what I spotted:

    8 - Blizzard Pearl / Super White
    4 - Millennium Silver Metallic / Classic Silver Metallic
    2 - Magnetic Gray Metallic / Winter Gray Metallic
    1 - Black
    3 - Driftwood Pearl / Sandy Beach Metallic
    2 - Barcelona Red
    2 - Blue Ribbon Metallic
    3 - Seaside Pearl
    1 - Tideland Pearl
    1 - Silver Pine Mica
     
  13. PlacerLode

    PlacerLode Prospecting Planet Earth

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    Usually I have definite colors I like for any car or truck I buy but I must admit the Prius looks great in every color! I hate white on any car except the Prius. I ended up with Classic Silver but Barcelona Red came a close second. I'd say 90% of my friends said they would buy Blizzard White pearl :)
     
  14. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    Isn't the Blizzard Pearl an extra charge?
     
  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yes it is. It's a 3-coat pearlescent paint that glimmers in the sun.
     
  16. Fil Factor

    Fil Factor New Member

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    If you're not partial to a specific color, then I'd say the "best" color is the one that your local dealer has in abundance on the lot (and will want to get rid of at a deeper discount)! :D
     
  17. jabecker

    jabecker driver of Prii since 2005

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    I've always had a hunch that's why it's so popular. More expensive must be somehow better, right? :D
     
  18. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

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    see also iPhone/iPad ;)

    how much is the blizzard pearl option?
     
  19. hhyoung

    hhyoung New Member

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    Thank everyone! I appreciate all the feedback. It has been very helpful.
     
  20. No Idle

    No Idle Junior Member

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    Black is definitely sharp but after having a black camry for about 3 years there's no way I would get another black car. It's clean for about 15 minutes after you spend 3 hours detailing it. And it shows every swirl! On the other hand, our 2002 silver camry looks like the first day we bought it, it even survived the "care" of our teenage daughter... With that in mind, you can guess which one we bought (see photo). With a tinted windows and no wheel covers (black alloy wheels) I think it looks pretty sharp!...
    Good luck!