This New Report Shows Paint Color Affects Resale Value Way More Than You’d Think – SlashGear

For the average vehicle, no color can depreciate its value more than being painted gold, which is more than a little ironic. Overall vehicles with a gold color lose 25.9% of their value over three years, which makes a significant difference of $11,546, more than 1.2 times the overall average. Despite the color’s popularity with sedan and truck owners, brown is still ranked the second lowest overall. Black is the third worst color when it comes to retaining a car’s value. That may seem surprising, considering how common black is as a vehicle choice, but, like with yellow, it points more toward availability as opposed to people actively disliking the color. 

The same can be said for silver, which ranks lowest for minivans, drop-tops, and off-road trucks. “Notice how two of the most popular colors, silver and black, rank near the bottom of the list,” explained Brauer. “Many consumers and dealers likely consider these colors ‘safe’ in terms of widespread acceptance, but they’re too common to help a car hold its value.”

If supply and demand factor into how color affects the resale value of used cars, don’t be surprised if the results turn out differently in future reports. Even if aesthetic preferences don’t change overnight, the availability of certain hues could change more easily, and the rankings could shift accordingly. Perhaps a 2024 analysis may even show a new color dethroning yellow as the most valued paint option for a pre-owned vehicle.