There are accurately thousands of colors to prefer from when selecting the right color for your DIY auto painting task. Walking into your local auto body store and asking for a can of blue paint, for example, is no longer a particular enough request.

The times have changed and one needs to make a decision on what shade of blue is necessary. In addition, colors are now coded and having this code can greatly reduce the time you devote in the body shop to your DIY auto painting assignment.

Starting with magazines and auto shows can be an enjoyable and quick way to select a color. Also keep in mind to look at the paint you like under a variety of conditions as colors can often appear different when the lighting and environment change.

One outstanding way to do this before you enter the store is to look at the cars driving down the street or parked in lots. Figure out the model and make while noting the color. This is relatively easy given today’s smart phones with access to Google. Then go down to the paint shop and describe it to them and, more often than not, they will be able to make or find it for you right away.

Cost is an aspect for many of us and a consideration that must be made when choosing your project’s color. This is why it is a fine idea to get cost estimates before prepping the car to be painted. Colors with large amounts of red or pearl will naturally be more costly. Remember to ask how much the color, clear, hardener, reducer, and sealer are going to cost and add that into your pricing.

It is also a high-quality idea to pick a color that will not unfavorably affect resale value. It is a well known fact (and sometimes car lot joke) that cars with strange colors or paint schemes are harder to sell. One may also think about if the color is a good match for the body style, however, to each his own.