Is GM turning into BMW or what? I like the red color Malibu but they are charging an extra $250 for it. What's up with that?

Is GM turning into BMW or what? I like the red color Malibu but they are charging an extra $250 for it. What's up with that?
We loved that red and were willing to pay the $250 until we saw the one interior color choice for the red LTZ.
We saw some Buicks with $900 color options.

My dealer told me it`s not even an option anymore up here in Canada,I don`t know if that`s true or not though.I can`t say that I have seen any red ones,(could be true)

It's actually $295 for the option. Yikes.

It's actually $295 for the option. Yikes.
That's what we paid and we were happy to do it! We love the color and the only interior color that's available looks great with it.

I had my reservations about the interior, but the wife said, "Trust me". I'm glad I did. :)

That's what we paid and we were happy to do it! We love the color and the only interior color that's available looks great with it.

I had my reservations about the interior, but the wife said, "Trust me". I'm glad I did. :)

I suspect I will be happy with the red too. :)

It's actually $295 for the option. Yikes.
A friend of mine has a new Saturn Vue in the Red Jewel Tintcoat. He says it's a $600 option on his car!:eek:

I'm assuming the Tintcoat is an extra coat of paint, which I'll bet will be very difficult to match should there be any body damage repairs required.

Very possible. I believe it has to do with it being more metallic with greater depth to the finish than the standard no-extra-charge colors. It'll most likely cost more to match, rather than more difficult, to repair, meaning also more expensive. Then again, that's why I have insurance in the first place.

Then again, that's why I have insurance in the first place.
Same here, I don't ever consider the cost of a possible repair when deciding color or options.

Very possible. I believe it has to do with it being more metallic with greater depth to the finish than the standard no-extra-charge colors. It'll most likely cost more to match, rather than more difficult, to repair, meaning also more expensive. Then again, that's why I have insurance in the first place.

Some of these metallic paints are not only harder to put on but as you say harder to repair etc.

But a lot of the price is that the raw paint can cost hundreds of dollars per gallon. A friend of mind does some custom painting and some of these candy and heavy metallic paints are over 1000 dollars per gallon. Volvo used to have a color that looked like a new shiny copper penny and it costs 3000 per gallon. So Im guessing the cost is the reason or all the above.

Very possible. I believe it has to do with it being more metallic with greater depth to the finish than the standard no-extra-charge colors. It'll most likely cost more to match, rather than more difficult, to repair, meaning also more expensive. Then again, that's why I have insurance in the first place.

Some of these metallic paints are not only harder to put on but as you say harder to repair etc.

But a lot of the price is that the raw paing can cost hundreds of dollars per gallon. A friend of mind does some custom paining and some of these candy and heavy metallic paints are over 1000 dollars per gallon. Volvo used to have a color that looked like a new shiny copper penny and it costs 3000 per gallon. So Im guessing the cost is the reason or all the above.

Likely true. Welcome to the club!

Pizza Man - If you want to see what the colour looks like with out the metalic just put the back seats down and lift the trunk mat.

The reason you have to pay for this option is because the final coat that is put on before clear coat's is the metalic flex you see in the paint. Than they clear coat it. It is another "colour" and another step in the process. Thus the up charge.

My wife had a 2004 Caddy CTS with a special red color, cost an extra $1000 for that paint and it wasn't nearly as nice as the red Malibu.

It is my understanding that the Red Jewel Tintcoat paint consists of red metallic paint (Red Jewel) covered by a red tinted clearcoat (Tintcoat). I think the red tinted clearcoat is what you're paying extra for. I'm no paint expert so I could be wrong.