You mean the ones that look like grey
primer with a gloss clear coat on it?

  These grey/green and other goofy colors are sickening!! i think they are just cheek finishes that the car companies are using to cut costs. They paint 'em those colors and ship them and you have no choice. I really have no taste in colors, no artistic ability, but these cars and trucks that are painted the same color as machine shop equipment just looks terrible!!  I can't believe someone would actually WANT and order a car that color, especially some sporty little coupe. Some of the others are what I might call pastel colors?? I haven't heard the term "chalk" before but that's probably correct also. No trim colors, no accents, what's become of the automotive industry!!  I remember seeing an old movie that was the promotional film for the 1952 or 53 Chevrolet line and had Dinah Shore singing the "See the USA in your Chevrolet" theme song. There was a shot of a large lot with almost 250 cars that showed the different colors and color combinations that you could get your new Chevy in back then. I think this is where the two tone paint job originated for production cars. In today's world, you just need a few parking spaces at the grocery store lot to show them off!!

 Type at you later
  Dan McEntee

Dan,

Post war early 50s was the era of change, the years prior you had three choices black, black and black. By the late 60s the muscle cars had gone back to single colors and later came the earth tones that have never really gone away. After the pandemic people were happy to find a car on the lot and were willing to accept any color available. As a result, I think many people today have changed their priorities (I may be wrong) especially in what they're car color is, I for one so long it's not lime green or bright orange.

Steve

      This didn't start just recently. I'll bet it started 20 years ago or so. Especially when the term SUV came about. The early ones all seemed to be the same color. First was "wine", then burgundy or brandy colored, then silver. Other cars the same way. I have a base 2006 Pontiac Vibe, with absolutely no extras on it, except for one. On the window sticker, it showed a $350 charge for "monotone paint" or something like that. I asked what that was, and the sales guy pointed out that almost all of the Vibes/Toyota Matrix on the road had the gray treatment or gravel guard around the wheel wells and on the rocker panels. I couldn't believe it!! Charge somebody $350 for NOT putting on an accessory!!  I didn't care. It was the kind of car I look for. Last years model and anything about it that make it like no one wants it. This one had no power anything and was a 5 speed stick. It had about 1800 miles on it from being used as a salesman hack. I really beat 'em down on it as it was coming to the end of the month and if I didn't buy the car no one else was going to, probably. It was black, which i wasn't crazy about, but it got good gas mileage and easily held my Shark.45. Yes, I took the model into the dealer ship to test fit the airplane in it. I did the same with the '96 Ford Escort wagon I had before that. I use it for my daily transportation to work car but also would use it to go to some contests with and also the local flying field. The Escort was sold with almost 200,000 miles on it, original clutch, still got 40 miles to the gallon (also a 5 speed stick ) and did not use any oil between changes. I sold it to a friend of mine to pay the sales tax on the Vibe, then got it back several years later after he had to leave town and he just gave it back to me. It had almost 250,000 miles on it by that time and still ran like a top. I then sold it to a guy from Southern Missouri for his daughter to drive to and from school. I still have the Vibe. it's pushing 220,000 miles now I think. Was using a little oil, but not smoking. Changed the PCV valve and I think that cured the oil consumption but was acceptable as it was. i just had it inspected, and licensed for 2 more years and will decide then if I want to replace it. Maybe by then they will be making something decent!!

  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee