How Color Choices Affect Resale Price

Car color can affect resale price in the U.S.—neutral colors often sell faster and for more; bold or rare colors can narrow the buyer pool. Here's how color affects resale and what to choose if resale matters.

TL;DR Neutral colors (white, black, silver, gray) usually have the broadest appeal and often resell faster and for more. Bold or rare colors can limit buyers and sometimes sell for less. If resale matters, neutral is safer; if you love a color, accept that it may affect resale. See market and comps at autopremo.com.

Why Color Affects Resale

• Buyer preference. Most buyers in the U.S. prefer neutral colors—white, black, silver, gray. So those cars have a larger buyer pool and often sell faster and for more.
• Rare colors. Bold or rare colors (e.g., bright orange, lime green) appeal to fewer buyers. That can mean longer time to sell and sometimes a lower price—unless the color is sought after (e.g., some enthusiast colors).
• Condition and perception. Light colors can hide minor scratches; dark colors can show swirls. That can affect how buyers perceive condition—and thus value.

Check market for your car and color at autopremo.com.

Colors That Typically Resell Well (US)

• White, black, silver, gray — broad appeal, often fastest to sell and strongest resale in many segments.
• Navy, dark blue — often acceptable; not as universal as neutrals but still popular.

Colors That Can Hurt Resale

• Very bold or rare colors — lime green, bright orange, purple—narrow buyer pool; can take longer to sell and sometimes sell for less.
• Trendy colors — can date the car; resale may suffer when the trend passes.

Use autopremo.com price checker to see comps for your car and color—some colors may have fewer comps, which can make pricing harder.

What to Do If Resale Matters

• Choose neutral if you're optimizing for resale—white, black, silver, gray.
• If you love a color — accept that it may affect resale or time to sell. The difference is often a few percent, not a deal-breaker for many buyers.
• When selling — price to comps for your car and color when possible. Use autopremo.com to see what similar cars (same year, make, model, trim, color when available) are listed for.

See market and comps at autopremo.com.

Bottom Line

Color affects resale in the U.S.—neutral colors usually resell better; bold or rare colors can narrow the buyer pool. If resale matters, choose neutral; if you love a color, accept the tradeoff. Use autopremo.com to see market and comps so you price and buy with color in mind.