Car Poll

[neadods]

Long story as short as I can make it: there are two variables I'm considering when buying a car.

3 vs 5 door. (They're counting the hatchback as a door, the size is the same). The advantage of the 3-door is that it's cheaper and I can get everything I want in a cheaper add-on package. The disadvantage is that it's a 2-door body. I don't see it as that big a problem; 9 times out of 10 I'm just carrying me and maybe one other passenger. But my parents and a couple of my friends are pumping for 4-door. There are times when it would be undeniably convenient - but *enough* times to pay several thousand more? Especially when the add-on package for what I want is also about 3x as much on top of that and comes with a bunch of expensive features I don't want?

Color. I've been looking at white cars all along, because I think white cars are beautiful. However, they also make an electric banana yellow car. I don't think that is beautiful, but I'm also the person who owns a hot pink suitcase - which I think is HIDEOUS - but there are significant advantages to being able spot your property from 50 yards away. And a yellow car won't "disappear" in snow or fog (like white does), rain (silver) or dusk/dawn (dark colors).

Now the thing is... they only make the yellow in 3-door. White comes in both.

So one of those polls I'll feel free to ignore, but will help me narrow down what I'm thinking... which right now is "screw it. Get a little yellow one; the advantages outweigh the disadvantages."

[Poll #1360967]

Comments

[twistedchick]

I'm neutral re doors -- your choice -- but are you sure you want a white car -- when that's the choice of color for all cars owned by local municipalities? Maybe that's not as much of an issue over in College Park, but in Silver Spring sometimes there are county/DC/state cars all over the place, all nearly identical and all white. Maybe it's just me, but I have enough trouble finding a dark green 4-Runner in a parking lot with a bunch of other dark SUVs; I'd go nuts trying to find a white car around here.

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

The biggest issue I have with the Bright Banana Yellow? is that I was raised to avoid bright Yellow and/or Red cars, cause the Cops will fixate on them, even if they are standing still. You can't get away with ANYTHING, and getting tagged *Every time* for 2 miles over the limit gets tiring on the wallet pretty d*mn fast.
But then- Dad was a Cop- and that's where I learned it, because he learned it in the Academy...

[wshaffer.livejournal.com]

My current car is a three door, with a pretty cramped rear seat to boot. It generally means that I'm not anybody's first choice to ride with when friends and I are carpooling somewhere, but that's not entirely a bad thing.

[kefiraahava.livejournal.com]

If your parents and friends aren't paying for the additional doors, then that's not their decision to make, IMO. You know best what your routine is and what works for that routine. I'd go with what works for it.

Color--I'd have to see the yellow to judge. But if it's a custom color and it gets dinged, how much will the paint job cost? I had this happen when I owned a foresty green mini-SUV; somehow the bumper got scratched up and they told me it was going to cost near a grand to repaint just that because it was a custom color. I didn't pay that.*wry grin*

[swallowedbysky.livejournal.com]

When I was a little girl, my aunt had a bright yellow car that, when the doors were open, made a sound like a bell. We called it the 'ding dong car' and I've wanted a little yellow car ever since. I may be a bit biased. On the other hand, bodywork tends to be less expensive on neutral colors, IIRC.

[elasg.livejournal.com]

OK, I am an exhibitionist, so yellow is right up my alley. On the other hand, unless you want to keep it absolutely spotless, a white car often looks dirtier than a similarly soiled car of any other color. Not sure why that is, but it's the reason I've never bought white.

[shawan-7.livejournal.com]

5 doors. 5 doors. 5 doors. Why am I so emphatic?

Because for any of your friends who might have to get in the back seat, it's hard to deal with in a 2-door. None of us are getting younger and more lithe. Don't make a choice that's hard in the long run. And your dad says they are safer.

You can always get the darned thing painted Banana Yellow. Mine is gold and yeah - I can find it in virtually any parking lot.

[stoplookingup.livejournal.com]

If you'll be driving anyone who might have difficulty getting in and out of the back seat of a 3-door, or if you'll be taking longer trips with more than one other person, the 5-door is worth it. If not, save the money.

[wendymr.livejournal.com]

I would never, ever buy a white car. They show the dirt too easily, and since they're also usually cheaper than other colours that makes them less saleable.

That said, yellow?? Even worse than white, in my opinion. Stand-out colours like that don't sell well, and I also don't like yellow ;)

And I would always, always go for a five-door rather than three-door. Not just because the three-doors are very awkward should you have additional passengers, but (again) resale value.

But *shrugs* that's just my opinion :) Your priorities may differ!

[signeh.livejournal.com]

I can only say that I had a two door car for many years and cursed it at appallingly regular intervals. I missed those other two doors the entire time I owned the Metro; I was always wanting easy access space for passengers or cargo. Now I have a strange arrangement of two regular doors and two short doors, that do open fully and allow easy access to cargo or passengers, and it's a good thing. And as far as color goes, get what you love; white might disappear, but bright yellow has become a magnet for police of all areas. Also remember that you will, hopefully, have this car for a very long time indeed; what do you want to look at for the next fifteen years?

3 door white

[zinelady.livejournal.com]

One advantage white has over other cars is that if you need touch ups, it's easier to match and cheaper to paint. If you like white, definitely go for it. And I went with 3 door just because it's so much cheaper, you usually don't have more than 2 people riding in your car. 4 doors are definitely an advantage if you have kids to put in the back seat, but how often will you be having back seat passengers? If they want a ride, they'll just have to climb in. Otherwise, I figure they can drive their own cars.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

If your parents care enough about more doors to shell out, then by all means. I found that the times I've had a rear passenger have been infrequent enough that two doors is fine.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

I have owned a bright yellow three door, and, by choice, I would have a bright yellow car again. It is visible and you can always find it in a large car park (particularly when said car park is actually a field.) White cars are the devil to keep clean, and disappear in fog and snow. We currently have a silver car, but only because that was the only way we could get the extras we wanted in the time scale to take advantage of a particular offer.

Three or five door is a purely personal choice, unless you have children, or are likely to carry people who have mobility problems. (Three doors are safer for kids and more difficult for those with limited mobility.) However, it doesn't really make that much difference except in those circumstances.

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

IIRC, for the same make & model car, 3 doors is more expensive to insure than 5. I've never gotten a straight answer why; maybe because 3 doors tends to appeal to younger, less experienced drivers who are looking for the cheapest vehicle.

[jennetj.livejournal.com]

As the owner of a little silver car that got hit 4 times in the first 4 years I owned it, I'm all for brightly-colored cars. Mind, I'm also a fan of 4-doors (or as you put it, 5-doors), but given my past experience, I think I'd take the bright color over the extra convenience of the doors.

[gonzai55.livejournal.com]

Speaking as someone who finally ditched the white car (a year ago last week), white is boring, common and picks up every last bleedin' speck of dust or crud that ever considered coming into being. I was distressed for a time because even more important to me than exterior color is interior color (I despise gray/black interiors) and it was looking like to get a tan interior, I'd have to get another white car. Augh! (Lucked out and found a light blue one, though what I *really* wanted was purple.)

Problem is I hate yellow too, esp bright yellow. Visibility to other drivers is a moot point - none of them are paying any attention because they're on the phone.

[--kali--.livejournal.com]

The poll seems to be overwhelmingly leaning towards the yellow there.