Can color add or detract from a car’s value?
The simple answer is yes, especially if you plan on holding onto your car long enough for it to attain classic status. “Everybody talks about Resale Red,” says Mike Fairbairn, a founding partner at RM Auctions Inc. Red is perennially popular with buyers but, according to Fairbairn, not all colors are so lucky. “The other conventional wisdom is that you can’t sell green.” Fairbairn advises owners—specifically those in the classic car world—to think carefully when choosing a color. “Choose a period color that people would consider iconic for that model.” A color should also apply to the type of car, with darker hues working well with formal luxury vehicles like a vintage Rolls-Royce. For some makes and models, color can add enormous value. When it comes to 1960s-era muscle cars, Fairbairn says the whole vehicle is valued according to what color it was when it left the factory. “God help you if it was hideous green,” says Fairbairn with a chuckle. Whether the owner likes it or not, the ca
