Color = Ticket?

[dade280]

Although my car is still a ways away before i paint her, i was wondering what you guys thought about this. Right now i cant really decide between a bright orange or black. I would really like to go with orange but i am afraid of more police attention. Even tho here its full of ferraris, lambos, bentleys and the like I have only seen one other S30 on the road (Actually it was parked at a house). So that got me thinking of making the Z all black to blend in better. My only problem with that is that i live in miami where its 90 degrees in the middle of september, and my 280 has no A/C. At least i have plenty of time to decide.

[kcoke]

The color thing is a huge myth! Go with what color you really want! I use to drive a red car all the time and sped never got a ticket!

[CoastGuardZ]

So the question is does color = ticket? My personal experience is No. I get no more attention from law enforcement in my 918 Orange Z than I do in my Black crew cab long bed Frontier. In fact Silver seems to be the color for me to have been pulled over in the most, my previous vehicle was a Silver Pathfinder and my wife's current car is a Silver Sentra. Two very mundane everyday vehicles... and these two caught more flashing lights than my old Red MR2 and my Orange Z have totaled together.

Regardless of what color you choose you should consider adding A/C. This past weekend in Watkins Glen it got up around 95, more than convincing enough for me to decide to redo the A/C in mine!

My $.02

Nate

[Zak's Z]

From experience, I can say that color does not raise the antennas of the local law enforcement. What does get noticed, albeit nothing illegal, is how loud your muffler is, how loud the stereo is, how dark your tint is, if your tag is valid, and mostly how you are driving. Oh...and the classic 'reach over the shoulder really casually' to pull your seatbelt buckle down so it looks like you were always wearing your seatbelt.

[dade280]

Thanks guys you have subdued my fears. A/C kit is 800 dollars . I been livin down here for 15 years i can take the heat. And i always wear my seatbelt so dun have to worry about that.

[76Datsun280z]

I have to say though when my car was primer grey, the cops would not leave me alone and pull me over just to see if I had insurance and registration. It got so bad that my dad really incouraged me to drive down to the police station to introduce myself to them to talk to them about it. Now that's it painted, haven't had any problems with them.

[Z train]

nothing looks more bitchin' than a CLEAN black Z.And nothing looks worse than a dirty black Z.Black is a whore to take care of.

[240znz]

Yes, I second that. Black shows every little mark/scratch/dent like dogs bollocks. It is also shows up EVERY imperfection in your 35 year old "leaned over/shopping trolley hit/jeans rivet marked/car park door to door bashed" body panels, so expect large panel shaping charges if you go black.

I narrowed the colour for my car down to two colours. Orange and red. I chose red but not much in it.

So "colour = ticket?" I think you could rephrase it like this "pissed off cop = ticket". If anything, they should be pulling you over to ask you what it is and tell what a great job you have done.

[DeesZ]

Go with the color that you had your heart set on. Why have a car like this and want to "blend in". Just drive responsibly and legally as best as you can. I recently got pulled over in my white one for speeding, so perhaps I should take my own advice....... I was lucky that RADAR was not involved, he had to follow me to clock me; amazing how quickly an S30 will slow down without brakes when dropped into 3rd!

[zbane]

John's got it right-just watch what you are doing and all should be well.

It is my impression that the whole color/ticket thing started before technologies such as radar and laser speed detectors were in use.

Red is a very noticeable color, some say it is one of the most popular colors for cars, especially for sports cars.

As such, those involved with writing tickets would look for the red cars (since they did stick out, and were generally sports cars) and clock them.

Now that electronic measures are in use, the patrol car can sit by the road and hit every car, regardless of color.

Go with the color that you wish, and enjoy the ride.

[Exdamyankee]

amazing how quickly an S30 will slow down without brakes when dropped into 3rd!

I can't count how many cops over the years I've left scratching their heads after they've spotted me and pulled in behind me to pace--as I gently ease up on the handbrake and scrub off 15 mph or so.

Speaking of brakelights, I've also found that the best way to put some space between yourself and a tailgater is to hold the brake pedal down just enough to light off the brake lights as you lean into the accelerator. Works every time!

[Walter Moore]

...the patrol car can sit by the road and hit every car, regardless of color.

Sure... the radar gun reads every car, but how can you be sure that the police will really know which car gave the reading.

Twenty years ago I was passing an "arrest me red" Mustang on the interstate in my sky blue Volvo. I was running about 70 in a 55, passing the Mustang on the right when just at the crest of the hill I saw the rollers on top of a police car. I slammed on the brakes, and the Mustang, who was only running about 60 slipped ahead of me as we went through the officer's field of vision.

He immediately pulled onto the roadway with his lights and siren on fire, and gave my ticket to the poor fellow in the Mustang.

(There is no way that it was for 60 in a 55, they never give out tickets for only 5 over.)

So color, and vehicle model CAN play a role in who gets a ticket and who doesn't even with RADAR technology.

(By the way, passing on the right is not illegal in Indiana, so the only thing I was guilty of was speeding. Just thought I should clarify that for those of you who live in Ohio.)