Jul 1, 2012
teslasguy Which color S do you plan to order (or already have ordered)?�
Jul 1, 2012
ddenboer Getting Signature Red, but if I was still a general production #, I would be getting Blue.�
Jul 1, 2012
teslasguy Can a Moderator please make this sticky?�
Jul 1, 2012
DLM270 I will be selecting the Sunset Red, if available when my number (P9001) comes up.�
Jul 1, 2012
StephRob Just got my paperwork on Sig #731. Signature Red, Performance, Pano Roof, Tan Leather, Lacewood, 21" wheels, 3rd row seats, HPWC, no spoiler. CAN. NOT. WAIT!!! Official due date is October, but I'm hoping for mid-September.
If I wasn't getting the Sig, I'd probably get the brown. Beautiful color. Would have liked the blue to be lighter.�
Jul 1, 2012
Eberhard i miss my bright yellow�
Jul 1, 2012
doug Kinda think we have enough stickies at the moment. I edited the poll to add Sunset Red (though it's not yet listed as available on the Tesla website) and to list the official names of the colors.�
Jul 1, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla We've had a poll on colors before. I guess folks have now seen them in person rather than having to go by the (rather inaccurate) design studio representations.
Well, Sequoia Green, it is for me.�
Jul 1, 2012
SCW-Greg There's color polls all over the site, some with just a few of the hot colors, but here's a comprehensive one that's been up for awhile with numbers behind it...
Actual Color Poll - New
Though I think your list best, as it's the most accurate/complete for the posted colors from Tesla, and it's anonymous.�
Jul 1, 2012
bbmertz Selected black in the poll, but seriously considering blue. Unfortunately, the blue car was taken out of service for the Sunday test drives in LA, so I didn't get to see it today. :crying:�
Jul 1, 2012
shokunin the only two colors I didn't get to see were Catalina White and the sunset red at the LA event. However, I'm all in for Pacific Blue with the performance wheels. The pacific blue at LA had the 19" wheels, but a quick photoshop hack I added the dark carbon wheels and that's what I want!!
�
Jul 2, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla Some great pics of the Green from the LA event (courtesy Lyon?!) - I'm definitely sold!
Test Drive LA�
Jul 9, 2012
teslasguy Bump...�
Jul 9, 2012
Andrew Wolfe Fascinating - given that silver is the most common car color in the U.S. and among luxury cars. We are a strange bunch...
Whoops - looks like I am out of date. White has edged it out in recent years and both white and black have edged out silver for luxury cars - but this is still a really unusual distribution. Those 3 colors are typically 60% and with gray close to 75%.�
Jul 9, 2012
brianman IMO, the red results are significantly skewed due to the color limitations of Signature and non-Signature. This also, arguably, inflates the black, white, silver results relative to the other colors as well. For example, if they offered a Signature Blue (i.e. a blue tone but the same "spark" to it that the red has) it is something I would have definitely considered.�
Jul 9, 2012
J in MN 
�
Jul 9, 2012
brianman lol, woops. Yay for editing.�
Jul 9, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla At the test drive events, Silver has looked particularly weak compared to the Grey - both in person and in pics; a lot of folks who might have gone for Silver might be opting for the Grey instead.
The poll's a little misleading though; it might have made more sense to break it out into two polls - one for Signature folks and the other for General Production - given the choices (restricted in a sense) for both. Oh wait, Trnsl8r had them back in January before we had seen the colors in the flesh:
What's your color? - Signature
What's your color? - production�
Jul 9, 2012
Rifleman I was 100% set on black, but after seeing the sunset red in person at the LA event, I am now torn. I guess the good news is that I have some time to think about it (I have to find some positive aspect to my high reservation number)�
Jul 9, 2012
AndyM It might be useful to see what the NEW poll turns up, now that most of us have seen live versions, or photos of live versions.�
Jul 9, 2012
teslasguy Given the dynamic nature of the test drives and hands on viewing poll results like this have a short shelf life now (IMHO).
I didn't have the Sunset Red in the poll when I created it, since it isn't even being offered yet. The moderator added it.
I would recommend that all polls like this be closed after one month now and then people could start a new one with more current info.
Tastes and opinions will quickly morph over the next few months as more info and experience becomes available.�
Jul 9, 2012
MikeK I wasn't very impressed with the silver car at the Fremont event, but I think there were two distinct reasons:
- It had the dark graphite grey performance wheels on it, and I don't think that's an attractive color combination
- The panel fit on that car wasn't so good, so that just made me like that particular car a bit less overall
On the other hand, I spent quite awhile the other day driving both in front of and behind a silver Model S beta with the 19" rims (same one that was parked off to the side at the Santana Row event, I believe), and although it's a debadged test mule and not a good cosmetic example, I still found the silver to be very pretty.
I think Tesla owes it to the bucket of silver paint to put the silver performance rims on that Get Amped test drive car. It will look a lot better.
That said, I think I still prefer Dolphin Grey or Catalina White to the silver. I would get Signature Red without hesitation if I had a Signature reservation. I might get black if it weren't such a PITA.�
Jul 9, 2012
NigelM We already had a color poll here: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/7291-What-s-your-color-production which excluded Sig colors, but was before anyone had seen the actual cars:
And compare to this poll:
Not a great deal of difference in the trending - although green seems to have fallen in relative popularity.�
Jul 9, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla Yup, the perf wheels on the silver car made it look rather out of sync or dull even.
I've got 5 other Greens with me (< 5%) - just a tad more than Silver that's sure to pickup once folks see it paired with Silver wheels. Green might be rather rare a Model S color, it appears. Saw one of these Jaguar XFs (in British Racing Green) the other day - it was striking and beautiful! As noted before, the Model S and XF do look like long-lost cousins.�
Jul 13, 2012
teslasguy Did my test drive today at the DC event. I was really hoping to see the Black and Blue models, but neither was there.
However, I did see the green, which I had figured I would have no interest in. But I must say that for me it was a knockout!!
Jaguar is the standard for elegant, rich and creamy paint colors and the green was pretty much the only color there today that was in that category.
Now if the Blue is the same as the green (except blue :/ ) I'm pretty sure I would go for the blue.
The Tesla reps assured me that the Blue looks just like the green, even though it sure didn't in their sample kit.
In the sample kit the blue looked very bright and shiny.�
Jul 13, 2012
MikeK In my experience, the blue is damned near black. In the shade, it's hard to tell that the car isn't simply black. In the sun, you can see the blue. In the sun, the green is, I think, still a sort of dilute or somewhat greyish green (does that match your experience?). But the blue is very saturated -- it just happens to be really really dark.
One of our fellow drivers got some nice photos in LA of both the blue and the green in very similar light. (Forgive me, I saved the link to the gallery, but I can't find any kind of attribution as to who took these...)
Also, Francis Lau got a couple of nice shots of the blue at the Seattle event:
Photo_2012_07_06_002 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Photo_2012_07_06_003 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!�
Jul 14, 2012
teslasguy Yesterday I was at the DC test drive event where they had the Green, but not the Blue.
The Green was (IMHO) drop dead knockout gorgeous!
It had the same deep, rich, creamy color that I see on Jaguars.
It did NOT have the shiny, metallic look.
I do not want the shiny, metallic look. I want the elegant deep creamy and rich look.
All the Tesla reps at the event that have seen the Blue say it looks just like the green, except obviously blue.
However, the sample box of the blue (to me) had more of a shiny metallic look than the green sample.
Also, it seems like pictures I've seen so far of the Blue (like those just posted from Francis) make it look more shiny and metallic in the sun than those I've seen of the green.
By the way it is obvious that the first picture posted is of the blue, but can't tell for certain on my screen if the second picture is of the blue in shade, or is the green?
I'm in a real dilemma as I'll probably have to place my order (P1117) before getting to see the blue for real.
I'd love to get some feedback on this issue from anyone that has seen both the blue and green in person.
Also, Francis Lau got a couple of nice shots of the blue at the Seattle event:�
Jul 14, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla I had Blue at the top of my list (ahead of Green) till my wife and I saw it in person in Fremont. Our complaint with the Blue was that it's too dark; practically black in the shade and didn't get much better in bright sunlight. Green had far more character.
The Blue's probably so not 'blue enough' that even the SF Chronicle put quotes around the "blue" in the caption for the first photo here:
Tesla test drive: Smooth, silent, fast - SFGate
Take my advice with a grain of salt though
-GG (aka champion of the Model S in Green!)�
Jul 14, 2012
MikeK The blue car was at the Palo Alto event today. Here's a shot of it in the sun. In the shade it was virtually indistinguishable from black.
In case it's at all helpful, here's a shot of the two colors on display.
�
Jul 14, 2012
brianman In Mike's second picture, on my monitor, the green is more chalk pastel while the blue is dark like a red wine. I'm speaking only in terms of darkness / richness of pigment. The (metallic) luster seems consistent (high) between the two.
For those that have compared the vehicles in person in direct sunlight, does the picture (and perhaps my description) of the relative look of the two colors line up?�
Jul 14, 2012
MikeK Brian, I think that's a good description. As I hinted at above, the blue is very saturated (but very dark), while the green is a bit more subdued (but a bit lighter -- while the blue looks black in the shade, the green definitely does not, although it's hard to identify that it's green).�
Jul 14, 2012
MikeK For those who wanted to see the silver with the silver wheels:
�
Jul 15, 2012
teslasguy As I said earlier, my experience with viewing the Green car at the DC test drive was that it was just beautiful.
Hard to describe other than it had what I would call a deep, rich creamy look.
I took a number of pictures of it so that I could show my wife, but when I brought them up on my screen it just looks like the same kind of washed out look that I've seen from the other pics posted.
On the other hand all the Blue pics I keep seeing look very Blue in the sun.
I used to have a C5 gen Corvette that was Electron Blue, and the S Blue pics I see posted here remind me of that color.
Looked almost black in the shade, but a dark, yet shiny "pop" blue in the sun.
On the other hand the Green just seems to be a much more muted color than the blue.
I'm attaching a couple of pics of the Green I took in DC. The first was in full sun and the second was partial shade.
You can see how it's darker (and closer to how it looks in person) in the second pic.
Trust me, it looked nothing like the first pic in person. My two passengers as well as most other people standing around said emphatically that it was the most "elegant" color there.
It just doesn't seem to photograph well at all.�
Jul 15, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla Wonderful shot of the Green by Norbert:
�
Jul 15, 2012
NigelM Which Car Color Offers Better Resale Value?
�
Jul 15, 2012
gg_got_a_tesla Ouch! Not a concern for me though; I'm driving this till it croaks�
Jul 15, 2012
jerry33 It's pretty obvious that white, black, grey, and silver don't change colour much over time--even if you aren't anal about caring for them. Many of the colours that are low on the graph look really horrid after three to five years. Brown and beige in particular don't hold up with time.�
Jul 15, 2012
MikeK teslasguy, on another thread, digitaltim posted a link to some nice photos including some shots of the green.
Model S First Drive Reviews�
Jul 15, 2012
brianman They're making a leap in logic that I don't understand.
From skimming the article, both the chart and the later list of (different) numbers talks about cars on the road.
It doesn't say anything about buyer preference, for new or used.
I'd be willing to bet that if every dealer was using a made-to-order (instead of dealer stock) model, we'd see a lot fewer of flavors of gray (black, silver, grey, white) colors. My point being that dealer stock is bent toward "safe" bets in terms of "will sell."
Example: There's no way I would have chosen silver on my latest vehicle. But the red in the model I wanted had only 3 vehicles in all of North America, and none of them were optioned anything close to what I wanted. And there was purchase time window that couldn't be ignored in that decision.�
Jul 15, 2012
NigelM ^ Good point. Chicken and egg.
I posted the chart just because I was surprised how low the green was on the list.�
Jul 15, 2012
Sousaphil I've been wanting "white" since the day I put down my deposit. Up until this weekend, I was unsure whether I'd get Catalina or upgrade to the Pearl. After seeing the physical samples at the Scottsdale showroom, I actually prefer the Catalina. The pearl coat is beautiful, but the non-pearl is a brighter white that just gleams.
Another factor in my decision: $1,500 for an upgrade that I don't get to appreciate while driving the car :smile:�
Jul 15, 2012
Bardlebee A lot of love for blue, I voted for it. I really like that it looks black in darker lighting and a rich blue in light.�
Jul 17, 2012
teslasguy Thanks. I've seen some people comment on here that the Blue has higher saturation than the green. I drove the green at the DC event and thought it was beautiful.
Very Elegant! But I really wanted to see the Blue. I've been asking people that have seen it in person to try and describe it for me.
Does it have the same rich, creamy look that the green does. In most pics the blue seems to be a much brighter, shiny color than the green.
But now after looking at nearly every test drive pic I can find and reading every description I can find, I'm now thinking that the people describing the blue as having high saturation are probably most accurately describing the difference between the two looks.
The green does have a somewhat lower saturation I think that tends to give it a more muted, "greytone" look, while the blue appears to have a higher saturation that gives it the 'brighter', or more blue look.
But in some of the pics of the blue I see what appears to be the same deep, 'creamy' aspect that I so loved about the green.
To me it is what really makes the look one of elegance.
Thoughts? Feedback?�
Jul 17, 2012
MikeK You're agreeing with me, so I'll agree right back at you!
I think the blue is gorgeous, but it is really dark especially in the shade. I've stood next to people at the events and heard, "Is that black? Oh! No, it's blue..." Many times I've heard this. Not saying it's a bad thing -- I'm really tempted by the blue except for worries about upkeep on really dark colors. I personally prefer the highly saturated look, but my friends loved the green (and the brown).
[Edit to add the below:]
Here's a great example of what I'm talking about. Pop quiz: what color is this car?
(Image from Keith Trauner's gallery on SmugMug: Tesla Test Drive Event s Photos)�
Jul 17, 2012
teslasguy Yeah, you were dead on in your original description I think. The biggest difference is the saturation level. The "Value" of the blue is also very high (dark).
I'm guessing the car in this shot is blue, but that's just a guess. I saw some shots of Elon's car that also had some blue tones and fooled me at first.�
Jul 17, 2012
jkirkebo I originally voted pearl white, but after seeing the (photoshopped) picture of the blue with the carbon grey performance wheels my opinion changed. The blue looks REALLY good with the dark wheels, unlike the pearl white which looks much better with regular wheels IMHO. I didn't like the performance wheels at first, didn't think they worked well on the colors I saw them on first. I'd say they work well on blue, sunset red and maybe brown&green. Not so good on white, black, silver or signature red.�
Jul 17, 2012
MikeK I believe it's the same blue car that I photographed in my post above: Color selection poll�
Jul 19, 2012
agdcons I feel deserted. All those bright, distinctive Roadster colors, but only choices for us non-Prestige folks are shades of grey and black -- unless you happen to be in bright sunlight. I lose my place in line if I wait for the new red (whenever that shows up). Sad to have the best vehicle on the road clothed in such ordinary colors!�
Jul 19, 2012
Robert.Boston @agdcons: The brown isn't ordinary! And the blue and green are very handsome, if dark.�
Jul 19, 2012
100thMonkey signature red is by far our favorite and we are sad it's not an option going forward but our second pick is the pacific blue for now, 3rd would be gray.�
Jul 21, 2012
MikeK This afternoon on my way home from work I paid a visit to a local Audi dealership. I've noticed that the A7 is similar in size and price to the Model S, and it is available in white, ultra-dark metallic blue, and several different silver/grey variations, so I thought this would be a nice opportunity to think a bit about colors even though the Tesla "rainbow" cars from the Fremont event are now touring the country. It turned out to be a very interesting visit.
First of all, I allowed the very eager salesman to give me a quick demo of the A7's features. It's quite a nice car, no question. It has a few features that I wish the Model S had, like the folding mirrors, the blind spot warning system and excellent interior storage (and what a nice cover over the cargo area! Wow!), but goodness me the very trick folding screen is teensy compared to the 17"!
Anyway, colors. I visited at a really good moment. It was late afternoon, and they have trees at this dealership, so there were opportunities to see the various colors in full shade, partial shade, full sun, and so forth, from multiple angles in some cases. Also, several of the cars were parked under tall conifers, and most of the cars had had at least a little bit of water get on them in the last week or so since they were washed. The dealership also has certified used cars, and several cars that they keep for extended test drives. So, there was also an opportunity to look at how the various colors handled a little wear.
My conclusions:
- Oh my GOD I will not be getting black. Of course I know the reputation of black cars as being hard to care for and so on and so on, but there wasn't a black car on the lot that didn't look terrible. They all had very visible water spotting, and some also had fine scratches from cleaning (generally in the certified used group).
- For much the same reason, I'm regretfully crossing Tesla's (Pacific) Blue off the list. The Audi that was most similar in color looked very elegant and classy, but it was one of the cars parked under the trees, and you could see every bit of dust and debris, as well as extensive water spotting.
- I certainly wish Tesla had an analog to Audi's "Daytona Grey" -- it's a very pretty dark graphite grey pearl metallic. Gorgeous, gorgeous gorgeous color, looks superb in the sun, and the pearl finish does a good job of hiding little dust grains and water spots. Extremely sexy color.
- I figured that Audi's "Quartz Gray" was probably the closest to Tesla's (Dolphin) Grey, although it's not a perfect match. The A7 looks really nice in this color, and the dealership had four of them available. In the sun, it's a stunner. I really like how the light makes the car gleam and the metallic finish accentuates the curves. In the shade, though, it was a bit... blah. Out of the direct sun, the color just loses its pop. Somewhat surprisingly, this color showed water spots more readily than the darker Daytona Grey. Huh. On the plus side, one of the pre-owned cars had a scrape on the lower air dam in the front. It was all the way through the paint and down to the black substrate. It was hardly noticeable, but on a white car, it would really have stood out.
- There were a couple of red cars, but I honestly didn't spend a lot of time on them because they weren't similar to either of Tesla's reds. I did notice two things, though. First, the red didn't show water spots very readily, which is nice. And second, an older red car that was parked in the service area was somewhat faded, which is consistent with the reputation of reds as being fade-prone.
- Audi's "Ibis White" is pretty similar to Tesla's (Catalina) White. The A7 looks beautiful in white, as I already knew from seeing more than a few of them on the road. The white looks very nice in the shade, where it reveals the car's curves well, and in dappled shade or sun, it gleams. The only downside is that in bright sun, it gleams so brightly that I found the car to actually lose a bit of its sexy curves because it was so bright. Perhaps this is where Tesla's pearl white will have an advantage over the regular white, since the pearl finish tends to highlight the curves. There were no Audis in a pearl white. Even the R8 Spyder was in a conventional white.
- Key, of course, is that the white absolutely hid all the little dust specks and so forth, and also completely hid water spots, finger prints and so on. You had to get into a position where the light was grazing the car to see these. If you want a car that looks beautiful without having to hire a butler or stow a detailer in the frunk, I can't imagine doing better than white, or possibly silver.
- More than a few of the Audis at the dealership had either glass sunroof or panoramic roofs, and I noticed something I hadn't expected. The glass roofs readily showed extensive water spots. And why wouldn't they? They're effectively black, and we already know how black behaves. So, this is a bit of a downside to the panoramic roof, but certainly not one that would dissuade me from getting one. At least with the pano roof, you can clean it with glass cleaner and not worry about swirl marks as you would have to with paint. It does make me really question the painted black roof option on the Model S.
So, that's a pretty long-winded missive on the subject of paint colors. Maybe some other folks will find it useful; I hope so. If you're on the fence about paint colors, I'd recommend visiting your local luxury car dealerships. They won't have perfect matches for some of Tesla's colors, but you can get some idea of how at least certain colors look.�
Jul 21, 2012
ddruz MikeK, As usual your post is very informative and useful. Thanks. One of the few things I am personally on the fence about is color--white or silver--and for exactly the kind of reasons you pointed out. These are the two Tesla colors that hide dirt and dust the best, at least the volcanic-soil dirt in my area. I honestly do not have the time to be washing my car all that often and am quite a drive from the nearest automatic car wash. I have owned 3 silver cars and one gold car where I now live. All hid dirt great. Some of the white cars I see around look fabulous, others awful but it's hard to tell how long since those have been washed.
I was planning all along on silver for Model S since not only does it hide dirt well I tend to like its usual touch of elegance. Unfortunately, the silver Model S at the test drives with the performance wheels looks very unappealing. They should never pair silver with performance wheels. And in pictures Model S silver looks gray, not very metallic, and doesn't seem to show off the lines of the car as well as white, at least in the photos.
However, silver hides dirt slightly better than white, even a grayish silver, so it's a tough call. The $750 savings is leaning me towards white but if the white is always dingy between washes I will have wished I spent it. The other Model S colors are lovely in their own regard but totally impractical for my situation. I am excited for everyone who has settled on their special color. I wish there were some real life photos of a silver Model S with pano roof and 19" wheels. I'm wondering how much difference in overall appearance the wheels will make. Any advice from folks about how to choose between silver and white would be very welcome.�
Jul 21, 2012
teslasguy Great review and some good tips MikeK.
I will be visiting my Audi dealer this weekend as the main colors I'm currently selected were not on the East Coast drive events.
I'm leaning toward Blue and my neighbor says he's leaning towards black, and neither were on the East Coast.
For those doing their drives in Denver this weekend, I think Blue and Dolphin Grey will be there.
I think the Black is in Portland this weekend.
Love to hear your feedback and descriptions of the Blue car. More pics would also be great!�
Jul 21, 2012
Robert.Boston On the streets of Boston, you see a lot of white and black cars: black is the overwhelming choice for luxury and premium cars, and all taxis are white. So, I don't want either of those colors. I'm on a bit of a one-man campaign to put colors back on the street; such a huge proportion of cars are on the white/silver/gray/black spectrum!�
Jul 21, 2012
jerry33 Well, white/silver/gray don't show the dirt and black looks great in the showroom. The main problem with dark colours is that you have to keep a cloth in the car to wipe the dust of them every time you get out because they show every dust particle. Also some colours, such as red and brown, fade after a few hundred hours in the sun. I'd rather have a light green or light blue rather than silver but they're not offered. Silver with colour flakes to give a rainbow effect in certain lights might be great as well.
What I'm wondering about is dolphin gray and how badly it shows the dirt.�
Jul 21, 2012
teslasguy Robert, here is a link to pics I took of the test drive cars at the DC and NY events. Several of Green as I know that's one on your short list.
Tesla S - PopPopJohns Photos
You can make any pic even larger by double clicking on the already larger pic displaying on the right side of screen.�
Jul 21, 2012
ElSupreme As someone that has a grey car, and my dad has a grey car also. I can tell you that they hardly show dirt at all. The only thing that dirt really does is make the paint dull versus bright/shiny.
2007 VW GTI United Grey (Metallic Paint). Me.
2001 Audi TT Nimbus Grey. (Flat Paint) My Dad.
We both live in Atlanta, so salt from the road is never a problem. I imagine that both cars would show salt very noticeably. Probably not a problem for you either Jerry33.�
Jul 21, 2012
MikeK I know exactly what you mean! I have to laugh to look at the Audi and Mercedes web sites. Audi has, I think, six or seven colors on that spectrum, and not much else. Hats part of why I was excited about the blue, and I was really hoping that it would be a nice compromise that wouldn't show dirt as badly as black, but if the Audi color is a fair analog, it's better but not that much better than black. :-(
The big question for me, as jerry33 said, is the Dolphin Grey, and whether it shows dirt like Quartz Grey, or hides it like Daytona...�
Jul 21, 2012
MikeK I posted a silver/silver photo earlier in this thread, here: Color selection poll
Definitely agree that it looks better this way than with the dark wheels. I also agree though that Tesla's silver isn't as sparkly as it might be. I've seen a Mercedes in a silver that was just jaw dropping.
I rarely see dingy white cars. I think they have to get pretty dirty, or be neglected so the clear coat is shot.�
Jul 21, 2012
jerry33 Thanks! The more I think about it, the more I don't want another silver car--I'd like something different (I've been driving a silver car since Oct 2003). And you're correct, salt isn't a problem; around here it's hailstones and wind-blown grit.�
Jul 21, 2012
MikeK One more silver picture. This is one I took at Santana Row, of one of the "Test mule" cars (#59), and I'm sorry it's not a great photo. But, it's the only example I've seen of silver with the 19" wheels.
�
Jul 21, 2012
Robert.Boston Thank you!�
Jul 21, 2012
ddruz Thank you MikeK! That is exactly what I was looking for! The silver looks better with 19" wheels than any others. I like it very much. Very helpful. (BTW I've seen that Mercedes silver you mentioned in the post above. You are right. It is jaw dropping.)�
Jul 21, 2012
MikeK Glad that was helpful! I've seen #59 on the road, and it really does look nice with those rims.�
Jul 21, 2012
MikeK Here's a question to folks: have you ever owned a dark blue car that's as as dark as the Tesla? How is it to maintain in attractive condition? I really do like the color, but I don't want to be looking at it with regret every day I walk out to my car.�
Jul 22, 2012
dsm363 I had one for a decade. It will show dirt fairly easily but pretty much any color shows it over time.�
Jul 22, 2012
teslasguy I owned a Black BMW 740IL for a number of years and loved it. I never really found it that hard to keep clean.
No question that dark colors like this do show dirt more easily than lighter colors, but I absolutely loved my Black 740.
I also owned a White Grand Cherokee and it was a really nice looking car and seemed to never look dirty (except when I took it thru the mud!).
I'm planning on getting the Blue S and really have no qualms about the clean/dirty look. I'll just wash it more often if necessary.
My cars also spend a lot of time in the garage. However, my biggest concern is the NE salt and wintertime grime on the roads.
I'm in a big tizzy over rather to take the 21" wheels on my MSP and then buy an extra set of 19" wheels/tires for the winter.
Just grates on me that Tesla gives NO credit back for downgrading to the 19" wheels!�
Jul 22, 2012
dsm363 This is discussed other places but I can see Tesla not giving credit for the wheels as they come part of a package. They could do it of course but wouldn't be outside what everyone else in the industry seems to do. Made even less since with the non-performance Signature. I think winter wheels are smart anyway so can enjoy the look of the 21" wheels during the summer and then use the winter wheels.�
Jul 24, 2012
teslasguy I saw a Hyundai Sonata today at a local dealer and the Blue made me do a double take.
It looked a lot to me like the Pacific Blue S pics I've seen so far.
It is called Indigo Night.
Here's a pic of it as well as the Model S Blue.�
Jul 24, 2012
Fivefingerslick I'm P5591 and am sold on the sunset red. Hope it doesn't delay my delivery too long, however I don't thing I'll be seeing my Model S until 1st or 2nd Q 2013 anyway.�
Jul 25, 2012
contaygious I'm torn between white, pearl, and silver. I see advantages to all 3 and obviously the white saves me some cash I'd not have to spend. Which do you think looks best with the carbon fiber from performance model? I'm leaning white for the best contrast.�
Jul 25, 2012
Kipernicus Has anyone managed to catch the Catalina White side by side with the Pearl White? Interested to hear impressions about whether Catalina is "good enough".�
Jul 25, 2012
onlinespending Obviously too many to list all permutations, but perhaps we can take the top 3 or 4 colors from this poll, and then see what exterior-interior color scheme is the most popular.�
Jul 25, 2012
Robert.Boston I've seen the Pearl in person, and the Pearl car next to the Catalina paint chip. The Pearl is the whitest version of pearl-white I've ever seen. From ten paces, I don't think I could have told the difference between them.�
Jul 25, 2012
MikeK I have seen both of them side by side, and I have to say, I prefer the Catalina. The pearl white, at certain angles to the sun, generates really bright highlight reflections that just bug me. This is not unique to Tesla at all -- it's a quality of all pearl whites that I've seen.
Here are some examples.
Multicoat White at Fremont:
Here's that highlight I was talking about (look beneath the headlight):
Catalina White at Palo Alto:
Both whites side by side in Palo Alto (Catalina on the left). Sorry this is not that helpful since the car in the sun is a bit over exposed and the other is in the shade...
For what it's worth, Catalina White versus Silver:
Regarding contaygious's question about the Performance models, I honestly think the CF spoiler looks a bit out of place on all the light colors. Really only seems in keeping with some of the darker colors. Here's an example from another TMC member's photos from LA:
(I think that whole photo set is well worth viewing, by the way: Test Drive LA)�
Jul 25, 2012
contaygious This is super helpful. Call me crazy, but the contrast reminds of the R8 with carbon blades so I like it, but I do wish there was more dark on the outside to go with it vs. the chrome window trim and door handles.
I do like the white better in those pics than the pearl surprisingly.
Much appreciated!�
Jul 25, 2012
Robert.Boston And saves you $1500! Which will more than cover the cost of some vinyl wrap to mute the chrome trim and add (faux) CF accents selectively.�
Jul 25, 2012
contaygious Yes, I am getting the body armor too! My friend just got a used M1 to mess around with for less than 1,500 haha.
I bet the pearl looks better at night though kinda like those Mercedes. But I'll live�
Jul 25, 2012
MikeK Glad they were helpful. Good point about night. I don't think many people have seen a Model S at night...
By the way, I think the one with the spoiler is the multicoat. I may be wrong...�
Jul 26, 2012
ddruz I ran across this article on a car detailing site which compares various aspects of car colors based on over 20 years of experience in caring for, maintaining and detailing cars. I found it helpful in organizing my thoughts and feelings about which color to order for Model S. I pass it along in case it might similarly be helpful to anyone else.
http://www.best-auto-detailing-tips.com/car-paint-colors.html�
Jul 26, 2012
MikeK That was really interesting, thanks! So, based upon that article, what colors did you choose?�
Jul 26, 2012
contaygious Just got my email to configure the car. Glad I talked to you guys first about the white. Ordered White performance with dark wheels and tan interior.�
Jul 26, 2012
ddruz MikeK, thanks for asking. I have to be honest with myself about maintenance so all Tesla colors except silver and white just aren't a consideration. The volcanic dirt in my area is pervasive, especially during rains which are common. The silver will be the easiest to maintain by a significant margin judging from my observations of cars on the road, talking to people, personal experience with my own cars and articles like this one by a professional detailer. IMO it is very unfortunate that the silver test car is paired with the dark performance wheels because they really don't go together and give a poor impression of silver. I actually love the way both white and silver look with the 19" wheels. But in my situation silver's lower maintenance trumps the extra $750 so I'll be going with silver and 19" wheels. If I lived where there were less dirt I'd buy the white and save the money. How about you, have you decided yet?�
Jul 26, 2012
MikeK Well, I've seen silver with the 19" wheels, and I'll wager you'll be very happy with it!
For me, I've had a silver car for the last 10 years, so I'm wanting something different.
I am waffling back and forth between (Catalina) White, and Blue. I think they both have their plusses and minuses. My parents both had white cars for awhile, and I think the Model S is pretty in white, especially from the front. I have noticed that white tends to really telegraph all of the door gaps and so forth, and I have to be honest and say that I think the way the trunk seam is built into the C pillar is not very attractive from most angles, and this is particularly visible on the white car. Meanwhile, the blue is elegant, rich looking, and will de-emphasize those gaps and seams. But it will get ferociously hot in the sun, and I would hesitate to park it in the shade because then it will get dripped on by the trees.
What would really help me decide would be to know where I could get the car washed near my house (or office) that really knows how to wash a dark car so that they don't scratch/swirl the finish, and who could periodically also do a good-quality wax job. If I knew where, and what it would cost, that would go a long way towards helping me decide whether I could live with the dark color.
On the other hand, in the traffic jam that masqueraded as my evening commute, I noticed that 90+% of the black/dark cars I saw had terrible swirl and scratch marks on them. Even really nice ones like a stunner of an AMG/Mercedes SL. So, perhaps that should be a hint.
In short, no, I haven't decided.�
Jul 27, 2012
ddruz MikeK, If Elon is good to his word from yesterday the gaps and seams will become negligible. Maybe they need not factor into your decision at the end of the day. If it weren't for that concern would you go with white? All the colors are actually very sharp and to each his/her own. Since you asked, I'll be getting the textile interior. It will go particularly well with a silver exterior.�
Jul 27, 2012
jerry33 Most likely there isn't such a place. Probably the best thing to do is to get aftermarket paint armour which covers the entire car. I understand this should cost about $4K. There will be swirls from washing (unless you do it yourself) but the paint armour can be removed without damage to the underlying paint. Unfortunately, the factory paint armour only covers a few places and in my opinion looks terrible when new (at least from the pictures posted--I've never seen a Model S in person).�
Jul 27, 2012
Robert.Boston I think, jerry33, that it's highly likely that somewhere in the SF Bay area there's a competent detailer, given the large number of wealthy people driving expensive cars. Demand attracts supply.
@MikeK: sounds like Angie's List would be a good reference, or our friends here on TMC.�
Jul 27, 2012
roblab Full body armor would be an expense. Here in Napa Valley, several entrepreneurs offer washing your exotic or regular car to perfection, drive to your home or business and do a professional job, probably better than I could do it (not saying much). They charge $20 plus per car per time. Usually once a week or two keeps it looking good. My sister in law has her stable of cars done every two weeks and her cars always look better and better the longer they are under the professional's care. Let me see, that would be only about twice the expense of paint armor, wouldn't it? But I don't know how well paint armor lasts, and you still have to wash it.�
Jul 27, 2012
contaygious I think silver looks great with the 21 silver wheels! At least you have a choice between dark and silver. I'm so happy not to have to go aftermarket for dark rims.�
Jul 27, 2012
MikeK Thanks, roblab, that's helpful info. My local crappy mass market car wash charges $14, so $20 for a service such as you describe would be easily worthwhile.�
Jul 27, 2012
ETM Elon said in the conference call that they sent out the first production emails. I'm assuming this includes you?
what sequence # are you?�
Jul 27, 2012
jerry33 A detailer, yes. I agree. A car wash, not so much. At least the detailers that I know about, and have used, charge something like $600 per time.�
Jul 27, 2012
SCW-Greg Nice choice Contaygious! Can hardly wait to hear about you receiving it.
I'm thinking either that exact combo, or black with silver wheels and tan interior. Third choice would be brown, silver, and tan. Pano roof is a must.�
Jul 27, 2012
ddruz I agree completely that the silver looks great with the 21" silver wheels... and the 19" silver wheels. My comment was regarding the dark performance wheels which, unlike with the white body and some other colors, do not complement the silver body well IMO. But that's just my opinion. What's great about these color choices and combinations is that everyone can pick what looks best to their eye and/or meets their needs.�
Jul 28, 2012
contaygious Agree. I love the options! I'm used to having chrome or no chrome only. I'm 427 non sig.
Only had black cars before which I thought were super sharp, but wanted to stand out a bit more now and feel sportier with white�
Jul 28, 2012
Gator Photos from DCs AMP'd test drive
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.444235605606977.103249.100000616237196&type=3
No Blue at the event. I think I want Blue.�
Jul 29, 2012
NigelM With orange trim? :biggrin:�
Jul 29, 2012
Super Gizmo We have received the email to configure our car. My wife and I were at first torn between Cat White and Pearl White. Now we have settled on Pearl with Black Performance interior. My reasoning for Black seats over Beige - the Alcantara suede would get soiled over time. I have had Beige seats in other cars and they show cracks in leather and get dirty and the suede would be very difficult to keep clean. Now we can't decide between the Dark Grey performance wheels vs the Silver ones. We are leaning towards the dark ones because with the panoramic roof and dark parcel shelf and Black leather seats it may match better with the interior and also provide a contrast against the Pear White exterior of the car. What do you guys think of this combination? Any suggestions would be appreciated.�
Jul 29, 2012
jerry33 Colour is such a personal choice that it's hard to say. Either one will work with white, so I don't think you can go wrong regardless of choice. The silver wheels give the car a lighter feeling while the dark ones are more authoritative.�
Jul 29, 2012
MikeK I've seen the Pearl White performance cars at the events with the Graphite Grey wheels. My personal opinion: I prefer the silver. But, I'm not buying the car!
One of our intrepid forum members got pictures of the white cars with the grey and silver wheels from almost the same angle in LA. Maybe these help. They are from this excellent photo set: Test Drive LA
Admittedly, the car with silver wheels here doesn't have the spoiler or the panoramic roof, so it's not a perfect comparison.
�
Jul 29, 2012
contaygious Nice pic! Love white with dark rims.�
Jul 29, 2012
MikeK Finally found the attribution of that gallery. It's from user "mdennick", who posts over on the Tesla forums.�
Aug 1, 2012
kevincwelch I'm developing gg_wants_a_tesla syndrome.
Here is what I am thinking about:
1. Blue with black leather or grey leather
2. Silver with black leather
3. Black with black leather
Those are the only three colors I am considering right now, so it really boils down to the best paint/leather matching. The tan leather is just too tan.
Opinions?�
Aug 1, 2012
Todd Burch I greatly prefer the grey wheels on the white car...looks meaner to my eye.�
Aug 1, 2012
jkirkebo I vote for 1, blue with grey leather, as that's what I'll be getting
I aslo share your optinion on the tan. Nothing brown or any shades thereof for me, thanks.
Black interiors tend to feel cramped and somewhat depressing to me, while a light greys feels "open" and airy. Also the two-tone door interiors look much better than black only�
Aug 1, 2012
contaygious Dark wheels rock! It makes me more willing to give up my dream car for a Tesla.
�
Aug 1, 2012
Robert.Boston I, too, would go with blue+gray. The blue is a really interesting color that changes character sharply depending on the lighting. And I agree with @jkirkebo, lighter interiors will complement the very dark paint.�
Aug 1, 2012
PattyChuck When I saw the grey wheels in person, my first reaction was, "Man, someone should really wash those wheels!". The dullness of the grey just makes them look like they're either covered in brake dust or really really dirty.�
Aug 1, 2012
Sousaphil I'm planning to have the standard 19" rims powder coated black. That, along with a good limo tint on the windows will make the Catalina White look amazing.�
Aug 1, 2012
contaygious Yeah sounds good! I'm just happy we all have options because most cars have chrome and no chrome.�
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