Japan Earthquake Causes Shortage of Black and Red Paint
A chemical plant that produced shiny pigment used in many car paints has been shut down as a result of the Japan quake.
Since this was the only plant in the world that makes this particular pigment, consumers will have limited color choices for at least a month.
Carmakers most affected by this are Chrysler and Ford.
Chrysler told dealers the company will restrict ordering vehicles in brilliant black, blackberry, deep cherry red, redline, inferno, bronze star, rugged brown, hunter green, ivory and billet metallic.
Ford has restricted paint orders for vehicles in "tuxedo" black and a few shades of red.
The pigment involved gives the paints their metallic look.
If your heart is set on one of these colors, you'll need to hold off purchasing for a couple of months.
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar, Edmunds, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
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About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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