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why are white cars 7K baht more?


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Titanium dioxide is a major component in white paint. There has, and is a worldwide shortage for about 5-7 years. I dont recall the specifics but a few large plants in western Africa closed down or changed hands in that time and have not been up to previous supplies since.

It's listed as an ingredient in the pizza I just ate.

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It used to be Toyota and Isuzu (and maybe other brand) basic model pickups were cheaper in white in Thailand.

The extra charge is for the pearlescent colours, originally almost exclusively for white only.

On a side note, I've said that the worst drivers in Thailand (as in an aggressive kind of driving style) are people driving white (unmarked) pickups and the black Mercedes. Two days ago driving south from Bangkok (I know you can't directly do that, but eventually the road bends southward) through a line of thunderstorms, my wife pointed out that three out of four accident sites we saw were:

1. a white pickup truck

2. a white pickup truck

-and-

3. a white pickup truck

All lost control in the heavy rainfall with no other vehicles involved.

The fourth accident was a large bus stop collapsed by a strong squall.

(How do I know? : There were trees and signboards felled and scattered all over as well.)

you have obviously never seen me drive...wink.png

Certainly the Thais are capable of driving badly regardless of colour (of their car). It just seems a larger portion of low-end white pickups and high-end black Mercedes are "men behaving badly". The "unmarked" part is due to most company trucks being white, but mostly not driving quite as aggressive. Of course most vans are also white, but they are a category of their own (and don't let me get too deep into that). Looks like if Sombat gets kicked out of school due to anger management issues, but gets a drivers license for his 18th birthday present, he ends up driving a van. If not, he gets a whistle. (I refer to the traditional use of whistles in Thailand, not political.)

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Not sure if it has been mentioned yet but the reason for the extra cost of the white is because it is a pearl colour.

...and for those who haven't bothered to read through the whole thread (ahem), let it be noted that the surcharge on special colours is due to them being pearlescent...

Misspelling corrected.

Edited by MrY
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Not sure if it has been mentioned yet but the reason for the extra cost of the white is because it is a pearl colour.

...and for those who haven't bothered to read through the whole thread (ahem), let it be noted that the surcharge on special colours is due to them being pearlescent...

Misspelling corrected.

Yeah some should read the whole thread..... wink wink.

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Essentially there is only one shade of Black ... but a thousand shades of White

sorry - there are also myriads of hues in the colour BLACK! I guess for a repair guy none of all them colours is too difficult to match these days, they are all factory- coded by the car makers and maybe "copied" in a good local shop without too much of a problem

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In Thailand, car manufacturers are producing cars that suit the local preference and white is not a popular colour. The additional charges to you is for them to repaint another non-white car to white in their existing stock. Clear? The only guarantee of factory painted white only applies to those premium cars on order. Like it or not you have to wait.

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Honda charge 8K Bht for Crystal Black over the Basic Black Finnish, and 12K for Crystal White on the Accord Range, no idea why though.

I was pricing Honda City and Civic last Friday; and, lo and behold Honda now surcharges for most any color. I couldn't believe it - but true. They will offer free 1st-Class insurance if you pay by installments, but not if you pay cash. 25K to turn a terrible beige cloth colored interior into leather.

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It's stupid, white will turn yellow under Thai sun.

Duh? I cannot say I have seen any "yellowish" white cars in Australia where we have more sunshine than Thailand.

Stick with cooking.

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ive heard white is the toughest colour to paint match many years ago

but that was from a guy who paints damaged cars

You are correct about the 'White' colour.

I have a good mate who is a spray Painter ... spent many hours in his workshop over the years.

Essentially there is only one shade of Black ... but a thousand shades of White.

As for the extra cost ... maybe the request for a White is unusual because there are not many in the model that you are looking at, thus it has to be a special order? Just a guess.

Pearlescent white is generally 10,000 baht more expensive and any 'pearl' finish was always more expensive in the UK. White cars are now commonplace so the rarity argument doesn't hold water.

Black comes in so many different colours I can't count them all! There's 'plain' black, with blue, red, green, etc,, etc, not to mention with or without metallic. Black has always been a difficult colour to match.

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I have been told ( And science does prove this as fact) That a white car reflects more heat, and therefore, is cooler on the inside. Whereas a black car will absorb the heat. So , in short a white car is cooler on the inside and (Apparently) worth a little more). Important in a country as hot as this methinks ( And the car manufacturer thinks this also lol)

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Simple answer, the waiting time for a white car is usually zero weeks, black for example there is usually a three month waiting list, you want the car quick you paytheprice, based on my own experience after shopping for weeks, and backed up by Thai friends who sell cars for a living.

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Simple answer, the waiting time for a white car is usually zero weeks, black for example there is usually a three month waiting list, you want the car quick you paytheprice, based on my own experience after shopping for weeks, and backed up by Thai friends who sell cars for a living.

Not always true. We just ordered a white Honda CRV and their is a 5 week wait.

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Simple answer, the waiting time for a white car is usually zero weeks, black for example there is usually a three month waiting list, you want the car quick you paytheprice, based on my own experience after shopping for weeks, and backed up by Thai friends who sell cars for a living.

Not always true. We just ordered a white Honda CRV and their is a 5 week wait.

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Simple answer, the waiting time for a white car is usually zero weeks, black for example there is usually a three month waiting list, you want the car quick you paytheprice, based on my own experience after shopping for weeks, and backed up by Thai friends who sell cars for a living.

Yeah Iam in the process of buying my second black vehicle in as many years and the first one was 5 weeks and this one will be 4 weeks.

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Simple answer, the waiting time for a white car is usually zero weeks, black for example there is usually a three month waiting list, you want the car quick you paytheprice, based on my own experience after shopping for weeks, and backed up by Thai friends who sell cars for a living.

Yeah Iam in the process of buying my second black vehicle in as many years and the first one was 5 weeks and this one will be 4 weeks.

Usually a colour that folk don't want they must wait for a colour run, perhaps white is one of those not wanted colours.

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