How to Use the Car Color Depreciation Calculator
Even for the same model, resale depreciation rates differ by color. This calculator takes the new car price, years owned, and color to estimate resale value and the difference versus a popular neutral color.
Why Depreciation Differs by Color
White, black, and silver appeal to a broad buyer pool and are easy to resell, so they depreciate at a lower rate. Red and blue have a narrower buyer pool and depreciate somewhat faster, while rare colors like yellow and green tend to depreciate the fastest.
What to Consider When Choosing a Color
If you plan to sell after a short ownership period, a neutral color that resells easily is the better choice. If you plan to keep the car long-term or value personal style, keep in mind that maintenance condition often affects resale value more than color does.
Frequently Asked Questions
White, black, and silver have steady, broad demand and are easy to resell, so they tend to depreciate at a lower rate.
Rare colors like yellow or green appeal to a narrower buyer pool and can depreciate 5-7 percentage points faster than neutral colors.
Condition, brand, and trends all affect results, so it's not an absolute rule, but neutral colors are favorable for resale on average.