Steering You Right with Sharon Peters: Bad Color

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Q: My daughter is buying her first new car – a Ford Fiesta SE sedan. I think it’s an OK choice for a 22-year-old who will do almost entirely urban driving. My issue (concern) is that she’s pretty determined to get the one that’s an orange color. And that, I worry, is a mistake because it will reduce the trade-in price so much. What do you think?

A: The Ford Fiesta’s chief market is people your daughter’s age and a bit older. And that explains the hipster colors, like Bohai Bay Mint (a fun tropical color) and Blue Candy, a peppy, not navy, blue.

And that’s one reason why I wouldn’t worry much about the color she chooses. It’s a pretty defined-market car, and when it turns over, it will likely be heading for someone of similar age, and that group tends to embrace cars of a different color. Therefore, if she does a trade in, informed dealers will know it’s unlikely that the color will be much of a hindrance, (unlike, for example, an orange BMW).

And this might cheer you: I checked out the orange of the SE she’s buying and it’s actually quite a subdued orange – it’s called “chrome copper” and it’s not wild. The Fiesta ST, which she is not buying, comes in “orange spice.” Now THAT’s Tropicana all the way!

Q: I heard part of a newscast last fall that I thought said you can buy a car and return it if you take it home, drive it around and discover you really don’t like it. I think that’s a good idea (because, really, what can you tell in a 10-minute test drive) but as I’ve tried to track down what manufacturer made that offer, I’m finding nothing. Did I misunderstand?

A: You did not misunderstand. Hyundai announced in October that that’s its deal.

You can return the car you purchased any time within three days. This appears to be the first car manufacturer to make such an offer across all its dealerships (though random dealerships have, on their own, done it from time to time).

The Hyundai rules – there can’t be any damage to the vehicle, and you can’t have driven it more than 300 miles.

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Sharon Peters What’s your question? Sharon Peters would like to hear about what’s on your mind when it comes to caring for, driving and repairing your vehicle. Email Sharon@ctwfeatures.com.