Color Conundrum

Q: Our daughter is graduating college in December and we are putting up half the down payment for a new RAV4. We like everything about the car. It makes sense for the life and job she’ll have, we’re satisfied with the price because we know she’ll be able to make the payments without enormous difficulty and we’re satisfied with the reliability numbers. The fly in the ointment is we just read a story about how at trade-in, cars that aren’t white, black or gray are worth less. She’s got her heart set on the color called hot lava, which is kind of a rusty orange. It’s actually kind of a neat color, but we don’t want her buying something that will wind up costing her a lot of money when she trades it in in a few years. What do you think? A: It is true that the standard black, gray and white, because they appeal to a wider number of people than some of the specialty colors do, will generally bring in more at trade-in. But it’s not a huge amount of money: Generally $500 at most, according to a handful of dealers and a study by Cars.com. If she keeps it only three to five years, that would factor out to only about $100 a year. I always believe it’s wise to have conversations with folks her age about financial realities. So I’d encourage you to do that. At the same time, I want a first car to be wonderful and loved, if at all possible. And the truth is, the condition of the car at trade-in influences its value in ways that can be far more significant than color. So have that conversation with her, too. No smoking in the vehicle, no gouges on the body, keep it clean and waxed so the finish looks good years from now and treat the interior with care, and the vehicle will be worth several hundred dollars more than a vehicle not well tended. For example, a 2011 RAV4 with 45,000 miles on it, in excellent condition, is, according to KBB.com, worth $13,988 at dealer trade-in. That same vehicle in fair condition is worth $12,790. Clearly, it pays to do the careful-care routine. 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.