Cars in non-metallic gray

[Z3Dreamer]

Car folks. I am seeing a bunch of cars in what I call "battleship gray." What are your thoughts? On a Reddit post someone described it as "no additives like metallics, flakes, pearl coats and such. Just one pigment and clear coat for gloss." Looks like paint from many years ago.

 

[JoeWras]

My thought is they are copying the recent trends in kitchen design.

My second thought is in 10 years, everyone is going to wonder why kitchens and cars painted like battleships were a good idea.

My third thought is this color could blend in with the winter sky in cold, gray areas like the upper midwest and northeast. I would avoid it there.

My fourth thought is I kind of like it, maybe because it contrasts with my kitchen which is early 80s stained brown wood. I haven't gotten on the latest trends there.

 

[Spock]

Putty.

 

[Midpack]

The first time I saw a "battleship gray" car I thought that’s boring. But it’s grown on me so it looks OK now, but I wouldn’t choose it for my car. I assume it’s a fad that will come and go like most do.

Wheels change - hubcaps, chrome, matte, blackout. Chrome v “chrome delete.” Big grills v no grill EVs. And on and on. Just to get us all to buy more cars, like all other consumer products, same as it ever was.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

Forgot to add that I am also seeing this style in new cars in red, green and blue. But in looking up this topic I found an aging beauty. Here it is:

 

[big-papa]

Putty.

Yes. That's what I've been calling it, too. There are a host of different putty colors that the manufacturers are using these days. Not sure I like it..

cheers.

 

[JoeWras]

The equivalent for old cars is to keep surface rust patina, and actually clear coat over it!

 

[ls99]

Thse greys, I call them puky pastels.

Wait for it........Avocado green is next.

 

[big-papa]

Thse greys, I call them puky pastels.

Wait for it........Avocado green is next.

I'm more of a Harvest Gold guy myself.

 

[Ronstar]

I like the grays, but the putty gray is too light. I like the medium to darker grays

 

[freedomatlast]

Looks like the primer we used to use doing body repair in the 70's. I would never buy a car in that color. Not the least bit appealing to me at all.

Along the same lines, look at any parking lot and the majority of what you see is white, black, silver and gray. That's it.

What happened to all of the beautiful high gloss metallic blues, reds, and greens? Do people actually prefer white, black, silver and gray or is that all you can order? Another question while I'm on a roll, why is it always the cars that are asphalt color that drive around on dark rainy days without lights on?

Then there's the black wheel trend with rubber band tires. Had about enough of that too.

 

[audreyh1]

We see some people do a stealth wrap to change their car from metallic or glossy to more of a flat, or just barely shiny satin finish. The whole wrapping concept seems odd to me, but seems popular among the younger folks. It’s often done immediately to protect the original paint job, but some done to completely change the car color. A stealth wrap ends up with more of a matte finish.

 

[CardsFan]

The first time I saw a "battleship gray" car I thought that’s boring. But it’s grown on me so it looks OK now, but I wouldn’t choose it for my car. I assume it’s a fad that will come and go like most do.

Same here. It has grown on me to the point I don't hate it anymore. But I would never buy one that color.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Not our cup of tea, we both comment on how carmakers are regressing when we see these drab colors. JOHO. Honestly, we think they look very unappealing.

 

[Car-Guy]

My latest car is a darker gray. In-between a gloss and flat gray. But the Challengers exterior design and colors are suppose to be a "throwback" to the late 60's muscle car ear.

On the exterior, other than the disk brakes, it would fit in pretty well back in the late 60's. I actually got the black calipers (rather then the red or yellow they put on performance cars these days) so it would look as reto as possible. Believe it or not, getting the black calipers was a $600 option.

Still it not very "stealthy". I think mainly because of all the Dodge racing/tire smoking commercials you see on TV these days.

 

[CaptTom]

Looks like the primer we used to use doing body repair in the 70's.

That was my first thought, too. We still see the occasional vehicle going around with a fender or something that's just primer. Someone too cheap or lazy to finish the job. It's pretty rare to see the whole car in primer. That would be true poverty.

 

[sengsational]

We've been calling it primer. Having just attempted to paint a bumper with metal flake dark gray, I'm ready to go to a non metal flake; it's very hard to get the paint the right thickness so that the flakes orient properly without sags. And the way the clear coat goes on can change the color of the metal flake paint.

Anyway, I don't care what my car looks like too much. I don't want to drive a "beater", so I guess there is some pride there, but give me a dirt colored car... that's fine.

Dirt in the southeast US has a reddish tinge, whereas in the northeast, more gray. And if you're a snowbird, then you'll have to average the colors to optimize not washing your car

 

[VanWinkle]

Looks like a shiny primer to me having been in the collision repair business for 18 years. I agree it will age the vehicle to the several years the color was slightly popular. My son has a Tundra with this simple gray shiny primer color. He didn't ask my opinion before he bought it. If you like it, buy it,

VW

 

[Another Reader]

I prefer not to stand out and I hate hot cars in the summer. White with a beige or light gray interior in this garage.

 

[Jerry1]

I’m kinda with Henry Ford. You can have any color you want as long as it’s black. I would never own a gray car like in the OP. I had a silver one once when I was leasing but that was an exception.

 

[Car-Guy]

I’m kinda with Henry Ford. You can have any color you want as long as it’s black. I would never own a gray car like in the OP. I had a silver one once when I was leasing but that was an exception.

Exact opposite here. I'll never buy another car in black, especially high gloss back. They are hotter in the summer, harder to keep looking clean, fades and shows swirl marks easier. But they look good on the showroom floor when new. YMMV

I prefer the "gray's or "red's", depending on the vehicle.

BTW, thinking about this, I noticed there were a lot of cars painted in non gloss Gray colors this past week sold at the Barrett Jackson auction in Scottsdale. I didn't know it was a new thing but there was a bunch of them.

 

[Time2]

My third thought is this color could blend in with the winter sky in cold, gray areas like the upper midwest and northeast. I would avoid it there.

Years ago we bought a dark Green Toyota Camry. The first week on my way to work on a tree lined road, I had two people pull out from a side street so close that I had to make an evasive maneuver. I'm pretty sure they just didn't see me because the car blended in with the background. From then on I ran with my headlights on.

 

[eytonxav]

Not a fan of battleship grey, nor olive drab that looks like an Army color.

 

[bloom2708]

I like the flat gray, flat tan, flat lighter green. Good change of pace colors.

I still like white as my favorite car color.

 

[Lsbcal]

I thought those grey cars were aimed at the Navy town markets like San Diego. DW actually stated she like one that had a bluish grey but would never buy one.

They are kind of eye catching at first but then seem to not wear well on me when seeing several. Our new car will be red. As I get older the colorful but still tasteful cars are my choice. You only live once ... maybe, I think.