The "Color Regrets" phenomenon. Anyone?

[Accel Junky]

I've owned a lot of cars. 34 to be exact. Having owned that many, I've discovered that many times I've sold a car because I regret the color I chose. Not every color works on every car and their different lines. I call it "color regrets" and it is a strong incentive to get into something else.

I'm wondering if anyone who has already purchased their M3/M4 has regrets about choosing their particular color. Even slightly.

Please indicate your color if you have any regrets about the choice and why. Thanks!

[Wah]

I have MW and I am completely happy with it. I think it looks awesome... but the thing that surprised me was how good AW looked on the M3 that I saw. I think I would have been happy getting AW and saving $500 for the metallic paint. Either way, they are both white, so can't really go wrong with either.

[1stm3f80]

MG love it. Space gray always be my favorite tho. Only regrets I had was buying black cars.

[solstice]

I have the opposite experience. Once I have my car I always feel I made the right choice even if I struggled with the decision before I got it. Love my AW and also looking forward to easy maintenance and paint correction should it be needed. The black interior I never doubted. Very happy with my color choices. I still think AY is a stellar color on the M3 though. No regrets

[04RC51]

Originally Posted by 1stm3f80

Only regrets I had was buying black cars.

Blasphemy! Once you go black...........ah, forget it. Seems like you went back.

I don't think I'd ever buy anything but a black car. Just looks the best to me.

[Accel Junky]

I've almost always regretted a straight red car. Silver, regret 100% of the time. Thankfully I've reached a point where I learned my lesson on those (as far as colors that I like when I look into the garage). As far as black goes, I'll only take that on an NSX. I've had 3 in black and it is just so right on that car. Then again I never drive them much so the upkeep isn't so bad.

White is pretty safe bet especially on a BMW. My ED initial paperwork is with Alpine White but I'm really starting to wonder about some other colors...but I'd hate to regret going with something crazy since I will need to live with this machine for much longer than I usually keep a car for. Just to give some context to my question...

[mike@x-ph.com]

From what i have learned, no matter how much time i take to pick the right car+ options, i always end up with regrets on couple things.

[onlybmw]

Yes, I did have a slight regret b/c no other colors were available when I ordered it. I originally ordered it Apr 29 with the YMB (not crazy about color but I could live with it). My car was majorly delayed so I just changed it to the Tanzenite Blue Metallic, which the individual colors didn't come out until recently. Real glad I switched and now I'm happy, granted I had to pay another $1400 for that color - damn BMW.

[secretariat]

I've never had any regrets with color, and I've owned a lot of cars. I've also never had black or white as a color.

[Walt Dockery]

I have AW M3 on order. Yesterday, there was a MW M4 parked in front of my building, and damn it looked really good! I'd seen MW on the F30 before, but it really looked good on the M4.

That said, I wouldn't exactly call this a "regret", I'm sure the AW will look great too. This will be the first white car I've ever owned.

In the end, choosing color should be one of the more fun aspects of configuring a car. You can't really go wrong. I would never sell a car because of the color, if I liked the car and the color was something I chose myself.

[Damasconian]

Originally Posted by Walt Dockery

I have AW M3 on order. Yesterday, there was a MW M4 parked in front of my building, and damn it looked really good! I'd seen MW on the F30 before, but it really looked good on the M4.

That said, I wouldn't exactly call this a "regret", I'm sure the AW will look great too. This will be the first white car I've ever owned.

In the end, choosing color should be one of the more fun aspects of configuring a car. You can't really go wrong. I would never sell a car because of the color, if I liked the car and the color was something I chose myself.

Choosing the color was anything but fun for me. It was agonizing! Black to Sakhir Orange, back to Black then finally settling on the Orange. My wife almost left me, my toddler wondered what was wrong, and my friends just wanted me to shut the heck up about it.

Best day in color selection is the day you find out it cannot be changed. What a relief!

[Andrew115]

I won't own a black car. I can't handle the swirls and worrying about the finish. It seems rare for me to see a daily driven black car (not brand new) that doesn't have some marks in it. Also in the sun/hot climates it really seems to get a lot warmer.

I did meet a forum member on here that had a 2012 F30 and did opticoat (I think thats what it was?) his car looked brand new after a wash no swirls or marks anywhere. Maybe he is in the minority but I just can't go that route.

Not to mention that every time I had detailed it within 1 hour it looked 50% as bad as it did before I cleaned it up.

[serieD]

Im in love with my YMB

[JoeFromPA]

I regretted ordering Alpine White.

Then I saw my baby in person.

Regrets vanished.

[l!ve]

Awesome!

AW F80 about to arrive. I hope I don't have any regrets at this point.

Viewing the car to purchasing the car to spec-ing the car took less than 24 hours in order to make production. Didn't really have time to flip flop too much. Went from YMB to AY, back to YMB, then suddenly AW. Afterwards, I got on this forum and heard there was another white and everyone was talking about how they prefer MW. Was worried for a few days. Fortunately, I finally saw MW and I prefer AW.

No regrets, but I do love all the colors on the M3. I do have to say SS is really becoming one of my current favs.

Lucky for us, there are wraps and if we do have regrets, just wrap it.

Originally Posted by Damasconian

Choosing the color was anything but fun for me. It was agonizing! Black to Sakhir Orange, back to Black then finally settling on the Orange. My wife almost left me, my toddler wondered what was wrong, and my friends just wanted me to shut the heck up about it.

Best day in color selection is the day you find out it cannot be changed. What a relief!

[BD SM3RF]

Originally Posted by Andrew115

I won't own a black car. I can't handle the swirls and worrying about the finish. It seems rare for me to see a daily driven black car (not brand new) that doesn't have some marks in it. Also in the sun/hot climates it really seems to get a lot warmer.

I did meet a forum member on here that had a 2012 F30 and did opticoat (I think thats what it was?) his car looked brand new after a wash no swirls or marks anywhere. Maybe he is in the minority but I just can't go that route.

Not to mention that every time I had detailed it within 1 hour it looked 50% as bad as it did before I cleaned it up.

+1 the only color regret I've ever had was the purchase of a black car from under the lights of the showroom floor. It never looked anywhere near that good again. Black also seems to wash out too many body lines on a car as well. I get the appeal but the trade-offs for me lead to regret so never again.

[sales@ESSTuning]

I had a AW E46 M3 and loved it. Purchased 2 black E92 M3's and hated dealing with keeping them looking good, told myself never again. Ordered a AW M4 and worried if I would enjoy it coming from a fire orange M3 and now I remember why I loved AW on the M. AW is not flashy but looks soo right. The other color I really like on this car is YMB.

[Doctor///M]

Great thread, glad to be hearing user perspectives on these sorts of details.

Originally Posted by Damasconian

Choosing the color was anything but fun for me. It was agonizing! Black to Sakhir Orange, back to Black then finally settling on the Orange. My wife almost left me, my toddler wondered what was wrong, and my friends just wanted me to shut the heck up about it.


Best day in color selection is the day you find out it cannot be changed. What a relief!

hahahaha... this sounds like me right now!

[WVUDrJay]

I started with YMB, then switched to tanzanite, then mineral grey. Was ready to order Hellrot but that would delay the car another month. So I switched to.........

Well why say, I'll probably change again.LOL

[schmitzna]

Originally Posted by l!ve

Lucky for us, there are wraps and if we do have regrets, just wrap it.

How much is a wrap? I was thinking about that for multiple reasons -- one to protect the paint for a few years, especially if I fall into the temptation to track the car; and two, if I have "color regrets."

[s4awd]

Always choose black always regret black. The madness needs to stop!

[Lynchmob6]

I am staying away from darker colors this time. I love my 335, but the Barbera Red is dark and shows ALL the dirt. I am going with SO...somewhat dark, but I think it will show the dirt a lot less.