Bright colors - good or bad?

For those of you with the more noticeable colored 911's (such as Speed Yellow or Guards Red), do you find that it attracts more attention? If so, a lot more or just a little? And is it mostly good (admirers) or bad (police, keyed/damage)?

Don't forget about the hidden cost of bright colors: insurance. That said, get what you like, but bright colors do get cops attention (well, so they tell me, never had a bright colored car, but I do have a few cop friends).

Huh? Care to elaborate?

Insurance rates, in some states anyways, vary based on not just the model of car and the driver but also on the color of the car...actually this is no longer true...nevermind.

Maybe what you're meaning to say is that your insurance will indirectly be higher because bright colors will attract more attention from all those police officers out there and you'll subsequently receive a higher percentage of speeding tickets. Hence, your insurance goes up. Then again, what we'd really need to investigate is if indeed red or yellow cars receive a disproportionate amount of speeding tickets. FWIW, I once had a red VW Corrado oh so many years ago. Got 3 speeding tickets pretty quickly. In the 6 years that I have had 2 silver Porsches, I've never gotten one (well, that stuck in a court of law )

No no, it used to be, according to an agent anyways, that the premium would be higher for a red car, but this isn't the case nowadays so I guess it got regulated out or something.

I had a Magma Red Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 a few years ago. I bought it on a Saturday and the very first Monday I drove it in to work I got pulled over for Reckless Driving on the freeway. I had a black BMW 328ic before the Benz that I drove a lot faster (I was still breaking in the Benz after all) and never got a ticket. I was pulled over 3 times in a year in the red Benz. Luckily I was assigned to our Italy office so I got rid of the car and picked up a silver SLK 320 in Stuttgart for my stay in Europe. I swore never to buy a red car again (unless it was a Ferrari.)

Interesting - so it sounds like from those who responded so far that the color *does* matter. My first 3 cars were all black sports cars (not counting my blue '69 Camaro) - lots of tickets. Then I had 2 red cars (Eclipse turbo & Civic) - not quite as many tickets. Then a black M3, green MINI Cooper S, and silver 996 - no tickets on any. So color hasn't mattered as much as driving style (still fast, but more mellow).

Urban myth.

Thought I'd chime in on this topic (first post, btw). In high-school I had a camero (silver) and a mustang (black), both very fast cars that I drove like an idiotic crazy person. I wrecked one and only got one (well deserved) ticket in the other. In college I got a red tercel - that's right, a TOYOTA TERCEL - that I drove very conservatively (because, let's face it, with that car, there isn't much of a choice). I got FOUR tickets in the first year of ownership, ALL of which were clocked at 15 mph over the limit or lower and two of which were written as 9 mph over the limit! It's like they were determined to give me a ticket, no matter how slow I might have been driving. Maybe it's coincedence or some other factor contributing to the abundance of tickets (I had just moved to another city where they might have been more strict), but I still believe the color just drew more attention from cops.

I've had my red car over a year now without seeing any police predjudice. Once I asked a state trooper for some directions and before I could get a word out he said "nice car" I get a lot of "nice car" from people and my wife thinks it's because it's such a bright red it stands out!!

Color has nothing to do with getting tickets, or attracting the police. I have owned several cars that were red and can honestly say that I did not receive a ticket for driving a red car. Only once in some 40 years of driving sports cars did I ever receive a ticket for the sole reason that the officer picked me out of a group of vehicles on the freeway, only because I was driving a yellow sports car. Wasn't so much the color, but the policeman was jealous of the car I was driving and he needed to give someone a ticket, might as well be me. In the short time that I spent working on a police department, never once did I handout a ticket for the color or type of car that person was driving. The people who received tickets were ******** that showed no respect for other drivers as well as the law. IMHO, people who forego purchasing a bright colored car that they really want, solely for the reason they are afraid of attracting attention or getting tickets, probably should go buy themselves a silver Kia, make sure they have plenty of white socks in their drawers, and be sure that all of their brown pants hanging in the closet have a perfect crease. Tom L 2002 C2

...and make sure their pocket protectors are completely loaded with pens and pencils, and that they have a fresh, clean (a.k.a. white) wrap of tape on the bridge of their eye-glasses!

I had a guards red 993 for over a year and did not get any tickets or vandals. Although I did get some interested observers while driving it, I didn't think it was really that much, perhaps because the 993 is perceived to be a "dated" design by casual observers. I have actually received more comments (favorable) and observers for my Lapis blue 996 4S possibly because it just looks like a much newer car. Although LB may be considered a bright color, it's still more conservative looking than guards red.

I have a SY 996 and I do get a lot of attendion. So far haven't 've a ticket yet.

Hi, folks I have a 02' speed yellow 996. It's a love and hate relationship with this color. Personally, I think it even stands out more than red ones. Overall, I wish my next car will be a silver or something blend into the crowd. Some good things: - Speed yellow actually hides all the dirt from a distance. Don't really need to wash it as frequent. - Cheaper color option when configured new (not much though) - Safer in the rain (just moved to Seattle and found it benefitial) - Looks pretty Something make me wish that I have a silver 996 (or some other color): - Always worry about my car when parked (draw unwanted attention from people); seen some people scratching cars with keys... - Draw unwanted attention from some kids who try to prove they are better on their M3 or modified Civic - Got some straight eye to eye attention from some police officers (maybe I look too young for this kind of car) Overall, my next car won't be a speed yellow or red. John

I have both colors...yes, they draw far more attention than the Arctic Silver Pcar I had. As far as police attention, I don't dare to comment for fear it may jinx me. Yellow is the best color in fog to be noticed btw.

Wow! Robyn I haven't seen you around here in a while. Great to see you chime in BTW, the aerokit TT is looing very hot! That is one gorgeous car. Nice avitar pic. Still as beautiful as ever. Oh yeah.....and the TT as well! You remind me of my wife.......Blonde, a beauty, and loves her Porsche, not to mention she can handle her own on the track as well! Consider myself lucky everyday.

I have an orange-red 996 and i do get a lot of positive attention in the streets. Cops here dont care about the color of your car - they care about the size of your wallet.

Robyn - Good to see you back here. Your TT looks AWESOME We have not neard anything from Kirby in months. Do you know what he is doing these days? Don't be a stranger!

Dell Tim Hi guys! Thanks for the compliments!! Been busy getting life back in order...Kirb's been doing much the same. You'll see me around a bit more now.

Robyn - love the car! What wheels are those and do you have any larger/closer pictures?

Doug - The wheels are HRE 540R 19"

I would not let police noticing your car more be a factor in choosing a color. Cops are trained to look for speeders, if your speeding and cop is in viewing distance, he is going to see wether you car is yellow or black. imo. Personally, my last car was yellow and I sorely miss it. Midnight blue is awesome but it just doesn't have the presence speed yellow dows. But a speed yellow C4S was not easy to find, so I got the one COLOR you can find somewhat easily.

I have my speed yellow for two years. My wife calls it higlighter yellow, the cops calls it speeding yellow (I have never been pulled over/no tickets/knock on wood) I'd say 8 of 10 stops when driving it, I get someone giving compliments. Just pumping gas, I'll get folks take effort to walk away from their pumps to say something nice about the car.

Robyn - WOW. Those are just gorgeous! Do I need to say how jealous I am?

Wow! Robyn is back! In my opinion she is the cutest member of the forum (sorry Dell and Tim.) Robyn, did you end up keeping the SY C2? I thought you were going to sell it after you got the Turbo.

Thank you! Yes, I decided after attempting to sell the C2 for a month to just keep it. I'm glad I did somewhat. It's nice to come home and see it in the garage, I just don't drive it enough.

Don't have a 996 yet, but had a Laguna Seca Blue (bright blue) BMW M3. Received a lot of negative attention. I'm 35 but look 25. Cops followed me everywhere, everytime I parked it people would look in the windows, etc. Six months after I got it it was stolen. Loved that color but wouldn't get it again. I now have a Nogaro Blue (eletric blue) Audi S4 that does stand out but does not get the negative attention the M3 got. Also have an eletron blue Z06 (darker blue) (I love blue cars) only gets positive attention