Classic Metal Works Autos in Pairs of Two Different Colors

[up1950s]

I will take the unpopular position and state that I am a fan of two packs of the same color in some instances.  When Atlas released the Ford Taurus, I bought the white cars in ratios of four or five to one over the other colors.  Why, because white was the most common color for the prototype of that car, they were everywhere in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  I did the same thing with the Ford F-150, a lot of white ones, and generally only one set of the rarer colors.

But for some of the other less common colors, such as Medium Willow Green and Pacific Green, two different colors in the same package would have been fine.  But, since I wanted an example of each color, I wound up buying more sets than I would have had they mixed the colors in the package.

As for the Wiking example, I have found it quite frustrating to have to by three or four cars just to get the one I want.  I have purchased many examples of the Wiking 918 set because I wanted the New Beetle.  I have way more Porsche Boxters than I need, and I have no use for the Mercedes A Class that also comes in that set.  To make it even worse, until very recently, Busch only offered the civilian version of the Mercedes ML Class with a Mercedes A Class.  Add that one to the Mercedes A Class that Herpa packaged with their BMW 3 Series, I now have models of a car I don’t need from three different manufacturers.  Thankfully, Busch now offers a two pack of the Mercedes ML Class, without the A Class.

I hope Classic Metal Works is successful with their new endeavor, but I will be buying fewer Classic Metal Works sets than I have in the past.  Therefore, all of you who have not been buying them because both cars in the package were the same color will need to make up the difference.   

Carter

So the king of vehicles is the sole person who likes the same color . I wonder if you wrote them of that desire and made everyone's life miserable for so long  ? I have been only buying a very few because of the same color , now the desire to get them all once again is a must .

[peteski]

... When Atlas released the Ford Taurus, I bought the white cars in ratios of four or five to one over the other colors.  Why, because white was the most common color for the prototype of that car, they were everywhere in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  I did the same thing with the Ford F-150, a lot of white ones, and generally only one set of the rarer colors.

That's interesting Carter.  Is the overwhelming ratio of white Ford Tauruses and F-150 of that period actually scientifically researched or documented somewhere, or did you just happen to see more white ones in your neck of the woods?

[peteski]

Gee Richie, don't you think you being a bit harsh?  And a triplicate response? 

[elnscale]

From their website at http://www.classicmetalworks.com/gpEasy/index.php:

Let's lead-off with our new line-up of N scale vehicles.
 
For the first time in ready-to-display are the newly tooled 1950 DeSoto four-door AND the 1950 Plymouth four-sedans! And what's more we are now offering them TWO FACTORY PAINT COLORS PER CARD!
 
Yes, we listened N scalers. Your survey answers overwhelmingly convinced us, our distributors, and our retailers that this is what you demanded.

So somebody really does listen!

[Mark5]

This is fantastic! Finally the little one horse towns I model won't be stuck with unbelievable duplication of colors.

"Hey look, the Lees have the same color car as us"

[up1950s]

Gee Richie, don't you think you being a bit harsh?  And a triplicate response? 

Somehow my Spellcheck Anywhere created the triple post , don't know how or why .

Harshness , there was a razz face added so the harshness is a$$hat zinging without hatred , Spellcheck Anywhere removed that with my permission in error . I just put it back in .

[Chris333]

I'm not worried so much what 2 colors are in the package as I am that there are 2 different colors in the package.

Nome Sane?

[VGN50]

No problem making up the difference Carter, we got it.

Mark

[cfritschle]

Richie,

I was merely pointing out a circumstance where two of the same color vehicle in a package could be preferable to some people. 

As for CMW offering two different colored vehicles in the same package, I am all for it.  I model the modern era, so I generally buy the CMW vehicles just because I like N scale vehicle models, not because I have any real need for them on my layout.

And as I stated in the original post, I hope this strategy works well for CMW because I want all the manufacturers to be successful when they take the substantial financial risk and offer us new N scale vehicles. 

Peter,

It may have been that white was more common in Idaho than other parts of the country, but there are statisticians that track the numbers for the color of each car sold.  The results are often published in automobile magazines or even newspapers.  Working mainly from memory of the published info, white was the most common color in the latter part of the 1990s.  This was especially true for the Taurus in that Ford offered deeply discounted prices to fleet buyers.  The State of Idaho was one of those buyers, and almost every state agency had at least one white Taurus in its fleet.

Similarly, a lot of fleet operators of pickups were also choosing white at that time. 

A Google search of “most popular automobile color by year” returned no consistent answers, other than white and silver appear to be the most common colors in recent years.

Mark,

I am glad you and others are going to reward CMW by purchasing their new releases.

Carter

[LV LOU]

Paul,
I really think that this apprehension is unwarranted.  I think that when models of passenger cars are concerned, as long as each one is a different color, modelers will not be picky about the colors themselves.  After all, they are modeling a world where vehicle color variety is the norm.  After all, how often do you see bunch of cars painted the same color?  I think that CMW made a correct decision and it would be good to see other manufacturers follow that.  Wiking for example has been selling multi-color (even multi brand) cars packaged together since day one. I don't recall anybody complaining about "too much variety or colors".

But OTOH, I think that a multi-color packs for tractors might not sell too well as many people like to model fleets. Speaking of tractors and trailers, why doesn't Atlas sell complete tractor/trailer combos decorated for the same company?   That would be a nice addition to your lineup.   I would also like to see Atlas produce a model of a modern COE tractor with small day-cab.  There doesn't seem to be a model of one produced by anybody. I would love to get one and use it to model tractor/trailer set from companies such as UPS or FedEx (or many other companies who use fleets of short-distance tractor/trailers). I wouldn't expect Atlas to produce decorated versions of those companies but I'm more than willing to decorate them myself. 


Getting back to CMW, I'm a bit disappointed that the new Desoto and Plymouths are nothing more than rehash of the Dodge Meadowbrook.  I never liked that model (the side windows and pillars just don't look right to me).  It would be nice to have a truly new N scale model from them.

I gotta agree.I think modelers really don't care all that much about specific colors,and even a guy looking for "his" car only wants one.Really? I think actual modelers would like packs of two completely different cars available from the same era,I would.When I'm doing a highway scene,or a business parking lot,I don't want TWO 49 Fords,I'd rather a '49 Ford and a '53 Chevy.I think that would even make them more attractive for people who walk into a hobby shop just looking for something for their kids/grandkids..I think the same thing as PETESKI about trucks,two of the same truck in a pack kinda makes sense.For now,I'll certainly be buying more CMW vehicles,hope they make more 50's-70's stuff,especially trucks..

[up1950s]

Richie,

I was merely pointing out a circumstance where two of the same color vehicle in a package could be preferable to some people. 

As for CMW offering two different colored vehicles in the same package, I am all for it.  I model the modern era, so I generally buy the CMW vehicles just because I like N scale vehicle models, not because I have any real need for them on my layout.

And as I stated in the original post, I hope this strategy works well for CMW because I want all the manufacturers to be successful when they take the substantial financial risk and offer us new N scale vehicles. 

Carter

As far as 70's and later pickup's and many other trucks white doubles in a pack would be a selling plus . To cover the masses , if I had my way I would also offer a white with some other color as another option . Sorry if my prior comments upset you Carter , that wasn't my goal .

[peteski]

Carter,
thanks for the explanation about how you arrived at white being the most popular Ford Taurus and F-150 color in the 1990s.  As a person who currently owns a white car (and who owned another white car and had yet another one repainted from silver to white) I was curious about your research.    But I still applaud CMWs decision. Now if they would also start selling 12-packs (at a reasonable price), that would make many modelers happy!

[up1950s]

Or a set that has one of each color .

[cfritschle]

Peter,

I currently have two white Ford pickups from the 1990s that I use in my farming operation.  It was some time after I bought the first one in 1994 that I read that white was the most popular (or perhaps common is a better term) color for vehicles at that time.

Richie,

I was a bit surprised when I read your post, because I certainly don't consider myself the king of anything.  And while I have opportunities to talk to manufacturers at times, I don't feel I have any influence on the marketing decisions.  Besides, once they tell me something I am usually sworn to secrecy until the model is officially announced.

Carter

[Catt]

In my part of west Michigan white and silver are the dominant colours .It is normal to pull up to a traffic light and find myself almost surrounded by white cars.