Cost of Metallic Paint

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Fri 27 Feb 2009 17:17
Cost of Metallic Paint - Xtype
Does anyone know the true cost of Metalic paint and why car makers charge so much extra for it?
Im looking at possibly changing the Jag for a BMW 5 series and on the American BMW website the amount you get included at 'no cost' is quite surprising.
No cost options for automatic transmission and metalic paint are common.
I realise the USA is a differnt market and auto over there is pretty much standard but it still makes me think we get a a raw deal in the UK.

Edited by Pugugly on 28/02/2009 at 10:24

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 27 Feb 2009 17:30
Cost of Metalic Paint - rtj70
The cost of paint can be dependent on the colour as well I think. Due to the chemicals in it, yellow paint I am told is more expensive to use than most other colours - more care needed. I know that from someone who worked at a stapler factory though but the logic/principles must be the same.

I think autos in the USA are the defacto standard so opting for a manual should lead to a lower price. So I bet the reasoning behind this is the auto is not the same price (i.e. no increase) it's the manual that's made more expensive and so no saving to be had from going for a manual.

The paint process will cost more - there's more layers aren't there - so I'd expect an extra cost. Again in the USA they make the non-metallic paints the same as metallic instead of the other way around.

Edited by rtj70 on 27/02/2009 at 17:32

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 27 Feb 2009 17:40
Cost of Metalic Paint - Altea Ego
its just a way of bumping up the price. Offer really carpy solid colours at no charge and really gorgeous ones at 300 quid

you dont pay it anyway - tell them you want the metalic free



Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 27 Feb 2009 22:39
Cost of Metalic Paint - Hamsafar
It's called "adding value" and is applied to everything you buy from food to TVs. You always pay more for fancy packaging which is all metallic paint is. When you buy paint buy the litre, metallic is the same price as solid.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 09:01
Cost of Metalic Paint - L'escargot
It's not just the cost of the actual paint which is relevant. There may be any number of reasons why the price of a metallic paint option is higher . Why not take the matter up with the car manufacturer?

Edited by L'escargot on 28/02/2009 at 09:03

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 09:44
Cost of Metalic Paint - Andrew-T
Historically metallic paint may have been a more expensive process, if only to accommodate a small number of 'specials'. But now the position is reversed it is rather a con - about 80% or more colours in the range are metallic, and about half of those are boring old 'silver', or as some shade cards call it, aluminium - how boring is that?

But I really don't know why solid black costs more.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 14:55
Cost of Metallic Paint - Bagpuss
why car makers charge so much extra for it?


Because they can.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 15:03
Cost of Metallic Paint - AlanGowdy
I'd like to see the figures but I find it hard to believe that it could cost manufacturers more than about £50 extra to paint a car metallic rather than solid - even with an additional laquer coat on top
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 15:16
Cost of Metallic Paint - doctorchris
I agree with the opinion that the manufacturers use metallic finishes as a way to increase the cost of the car and hence their profits.
Over the past few years, we have seen UK cars go from expensive to cheap relative to the rest of Europe and the car makers want to recoup some of their profits. I know, the weak pound will see car prices creeping up.
If you look at the colours available for basic cars on mainland Europe, the range of non-metallics is much greater than here in the UK.
When I bought my Panda recently, I was disappointed that some nice, pastel, non-metallic colours had disappeared from the UK option list.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 15:22
Cost of Metallic Paint - L'escargot
You're all assuming that selling price is directly related to manufacturing cost. The selling price will be determined by a whole range of factors, not the least of which is what yearly income the manufacturer requires.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 15:27
Cost of Metallic Paint - Altea Ego
As i said - dont worry about it. They make very few cars with flat colours these days, so when you order a car just tell them you dont want a flat colour and you aint paying extra for metalic. They wont argue the point.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 28 Feb 2009 20:39
Cost of Metallic Paint - carl_a
As i said - dont worry about it. They make very few cars with flat
colours these days so when you order a car just tell them you dont want
a flat colour and you aint paying extra for metalic. They wont argue the point.


If you ever get a dealer to the bone on a deal they won't include metallic. If they do include it you're not getting the best deal yet. Same with getting flowers or "free gifts" and mats.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link