# Such a nerd (made a color choice spreadsheet)



## ölbrenner (May 4, 2016)

I suffer from severe APSS (Analysis Paralysis Spreadsheet Syndrome). It assures I take a very long time to make the right decisions  .

1= best ranking, 6=worst ranking, all based on my own tastes and experiences, ymmv.










Looks like silver with aero's for me (may get white since that's my wife's favorite, and second place choice for myself so that's okay too). What's your own color choice logic?


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## Michael Russo (Oct 15, 2016)

I just want to come to SoFla and steal @SoFlaModel3 on Valentine's Day... 

That's my optimum choice... All things considered, without spreadsheet...


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## BluestarE3 (Oct 12, 2017)

ölbrenner said:


> Looks like silver with aero's for me


You are obviously a man of refined tastes (those are my choices too)! 

My second choice is blue. My wife doesn't care as long as it's not Midnight Silver.


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## jsmay311 (Oct 2, 2017)

Is there any kind of consensus that MSM would be worse than blue in showing dirt?

Those are currently my top two choices and the final decision may come down to which hides dirt better.


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## SoFlaModel3 (Apr 15, 2017)

jsmay311 said:


> Is there any kind of consensus that MSM would be worse than blue in showing dirt?
> 
> Those are currently my top two choices and the final decision may come down to which hides dirt better.


I would say MSM is among the best at not looking dirty. Probably second to silver.


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## ölbrenner (May 4, 2016)

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I would say MSM is among the best at not looking dirty. Probably second to silver.


I've never owned a metallic gunmetal/gray/MSM car before. I would have thought being on the darker side, it would show dirt and or swirls. And be hotter than silver (currently living in California, plans to retire back to Texas...sun is darn hot both places lol).

I don't wash my cars often (always garaged at night, mostly covered parking at work), so I just let them go until they are finally too dirty for me too look at. Having seen the midnight silver with aero's twice in person, it is a STUNNER combo (better than silver with aeros to my own tastes).

Given the above, still say MSM is an acceptable choice? My thinking could be wrong for sure.


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## Ken Voss (Feb 2, 2017)

ölbrenner said:


> I suffer from severe APSS (Analysis Paralysis Spreadsheet Syndrome). It assures I take a very long time to make the right decisions  .
> 
> 1= best ranking, 6=worst ranking, all based on my own tastes and experiences, ymmv.
> 
> ...


I don't need a spreadsheet or any analytical logic to make "the absolute best color choice for my needs" , it saves me a lot of time and stress. How do I do it you ask? I get to pick the car, my wife gets to pick the color. She likes red, therefore Red is the best color for my needs. See how easy that is?


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## SoFlaModel3 (Apr 15, 2017)

ölbrenner said:


> I've never owned a metallic gunmetal/gray/MSM car before. I would have thought being on the darker side, it would show dirt and or swirls. And be hotter than silver (currently living in California, plans to retire back to Texas...sun is darn hot both places lol).
> 
> I don't wash my cars often (always garaged at night, mostly covered parking at work), so I just let them go until they are finally too dirty for me too look at. Having seen the midnight silver with aero's twice in person, it is a STUNNER combo (better than silver with aeros to my own tastes).
> 
> Given the above, still say MSM is an acceptable choice? My thinking could be wrong for sure.


I live in South Florida - sun is an issue. I'm not worried about the paint being hot.

MSM does great with dirt, bugs, etc.


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## ölbrenner (May 4, 2016)

SoFlaModel3 said:


> I live in South Florida - sun is an issue. I'm not worried about the paint being hot.
> 
> MSM does great with dirt, bugs, etc.


Oh no here I go wavering again. How about nicks/small dents/swirls? Two of my friends just got black cars, and they look like crap already, so really scared of darker colors (both my 10+ year old cars are white/metallic birch, both look very good for their age).


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## MelindaV (Apr 2, 2016)

ölbrenner said:


> Oh no here I go wavering again. How about nicks/small dents/swirls? Two of my friends just got black cars, and they look like crap already, so really scared of darker colors


metallic hides a lot of that even with a dark color. so MSM will be significantly better than gloss black when it comes to micro scratches


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## ölbrenner (May 4, 2016)

Ken Voss said:


> I get to pick the car, my wife gets to pick the color. She likes red, therefore Red is the best color for my needs. See how easy that is?


Unbelievable  .


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## SoFlaModel3 (Apr 15, 2017)

ölbrenner said:


> Oh no here I go wavering again. How about nicks/small dents/swirls? Two of my friends just got black cars, and they look like crap already, so really scared of darker colors (both my 10+ year old cars are white/metallic birch, both look very good for their age).


It's nothing like black as far as chips/swirls go.

My dad's S is now 13 months old and he's out on over 20k miles already. Lots of highway driving. No paint treatment or films. It's holding up very well!


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2018)

Mostly correct, but "looks" column, totally subjective and factually incorrect as well.
There are combinations that work and those that don't.
Black goes well with red and yellow, blue goes bad with red. Gray goes bad with white and black.
And any "very similar" combination is also worse than more contrasted one.
So first of all:








And now. Let me remind that actually, Tesla values red and and white more than anything else. Black less than anything else.
In terms of "looks", the eyecatcher on the streets will be red. This is just factually correct. No matter what wheels are used and
how dirty the vehicle is. Red is the most noticeable color. 








The most practical might be 50-shades of gray (especially near dirt shade) but it not very attractive/eye-catching color.
Black was about luxury years ago. Not any more. It is too simple and it lost its value due to that. Also it doesn't look
good few years later due to wear and tear. So black will pretty down in the list with both wheels. In addition, black
car with almost black wheels is the worst choice of them all. Silver wheels are definitely nicer with black car.
MSM is more premium in terms of look Though it still is not very good with almost black rims.
Red with dark wheels suits well. Better than with silver wheels.
Silver is the least eye-catching color on the streets. FInd me 5 silver vehicles in 5 seconds:








Now find 5 red vehicles. And then five blue ones.
And now notice the most eye catching color (hint, Tesla doesn't offer that).

Cars look should never be evaluated as a single specimen. Car is almost never alone... in terms of other cars.
It's like people. If you are at the beach and it's full of hot specimens, the most attractive is the one that is noticeable. Sometimes
it's the one who is the LEAST tanned. With our 6 colors, half of them "are the same" and lose the premiumness due to that.
This raises the other half up the ladder. And yes, that includes blue. Like on the picture above.

As an APSS carrier, you should consider evaluating every value as a deviation from normal. 5 is average, 1 is worst, 10 is best.
Black is 1 but pearl white is not 10, because it is not white enough and there is a black roof. So like 6.5. White bumper matters very little.


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## smak (Apr 1, 2017)

arnis said:


> Now find 5 red vehicles. And then five blue ones.
> And now notice the most eye catching color (hint, Tesla doesn't offer that).


The taxi?


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Metallic Silver is generally my favorite color. It's nice and bright, and it does a good job of hiding the dirt.

I just got rid of a silver minivan, and the Dodge I had before getting the Leaf was "Bright Platinum Metallic", so I need to stay away from that color for a while.


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## ölbrenner (May 4, 2016)

@arnis, I found your post so over the top, I can't tell if you are serious or joking  . Stating its totally subjective, followed on by how wrong my choices and methods are.

Did you miss my "all based on my own tastes and experiences, ymmv" line?


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## Quicksilver (Dec 29, 2016)

ölbrenner said:


> I suffer from severe APSS (Analysis Paralysis Spreadsheet Syndrome). It assures I take a very long time to make the right decisions  .
> 
> 1= best ranking, 6=worst ranking, all based on my own tastes and experiences, ymmv.
> 
> ...


Like the analysis... I am going with Silver and Sports Wheels...have not change my mind since the beginning...Red was second choice, then White.


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## Maevra (Oct 24, 2017)

BluestarE3 said:


> You are obviously a man of refined tastes (those are my choices too)!


We should create a "Subtle Silver Metallic" or "Stealth Silver Metallic" club.


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## Maevra (Oct 24, 2017)

ölbrenner said:


> I suffer from severe APSS (Analysis Paralysis Spreadsheet Syndrome). It assures I take a very long time to make the right decisions  .
> 
> 1= best ranking, 6=worst ranking, all based on my own tastes and experiences, ymmv.
> 
> ...


Very cool chart!

Also want to add, silver is the second easiest paint color after black to patch/blend in case of chips or scrapes (ask me how I know this lol).


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## Runt8 (May 26, 2017)

ölbrenner said:


> @arnis, I found your post so over the top, I can't tell if you are serious or joking  . Stating its totally subjective, followed on by how wrong my choices and methods are.
> 
> Did you miss my "all based on my own tastes and experiences, ymmv" line?


Over the top and obviously wrong - everyone knows blue is the best color


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## Gary Macdonald (Apr 20, 2016)

Runt8 said:


> Over the top and obviously wrong - everyone knows blue is the best color


What? No lime green?


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## Maevra (Oct 24, 2017)

Runt8 said:


> Over the top and obviously wrong - everyone knows blue is the best color


According to the Norwegians, BLUE is the fastest color.: Source


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## John (Apr 16, 2016)

What is this fascination with dirt-colored cars?

/s


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## Runt8 (May 26, 2017)

Maevra said:


> According to the Norwegians, BLUE is the fastest color.: Source


I always liked those Norwegians...


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## Gary Macdonald (Apr 20, 2016)

Maevra said:


> According to the Norwegians, BLUE is the fastest color.: Source


"Ah yes! The Norwegian Blue. Beautiful plumage!"


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