Blue vs. Gray in one more day

[GDB]

Tomorrow I'm traveling across state and will be driving home a new Mazdaspeed if all goes as planned. I'm still going back and forth between blue and gray. I won't give you any overt hints on my preferences which could taint replies. I'm just curious about others preferences. A few bits of relevant information: I'm 37, married, and live in a location of eastern Washington state where there are none of these on the road as there are no Mazdaspeed dealers and this is not a car-conscious area in general (I've not seen a single Cooper S or Evo yet either although there are a ton of WRX's and a couple MP3s). Black was never an option because this is a desert and black cars here look bad just sitting outside for a few hours with a light coating of dust that's always in the air (I've owned one). I think both the blue and gray would be about equal as far as showing dirt, though not as good as lighter colors. Also, I don't have a type of job or image to maintain or whatever that would influence this decision. Finally, I'm sick of all the silver cars that manufacturers have on the road, but that doesn't mean I like titanium less than blue being closer to silver. The fact that WRX blue is all over the place kind of negates this distaste for silver. So between blue and gray, what say you??

Also, as an aside, you guys may know more than the dealers themselves so I'll ask here first: can a non-Mazdaspeed Mazda dealership do normal services and fixes on this vehicle? I'm assuming anything related to the turbo is something they can't touch (and I would probably be crazy for letting them try as this may be the only one they've ever seen).

Thanks,
Gary

 

[scott42]

If you are referring to Titanium...go with that. I've got a Blue MP3 and I love the titanium that much more...plus, it won't show dirt as badly. The blue is very sensitive to dirt

Good luck.

 

[GDB]

Yep, titanium. The only way I've even been able to see what it looks like other than in pictures is to see the RX-8 in that color at the local Mazda dealership. So actually seeing both side by side in person on the "right car", could certainly be a deciding factor.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Swerny]

IMO, Titanium is the best colour of all the MSP's, and i have Orange. BTW, I just turned 30.
I would/will never own a black car. I wil probably never own another white car. I love silver, I kile the MSP/MSP blue, but as you said, it's becoming too common.
As for the non-MSP dealer doing maintenance, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[servoeyes]

I don't think the color on the rx-8 is the same...I don't believe it's as iridescent as the MSP color. If I had to choose, though...I'd definately go Titanium...it's just so gorgeous in person. The blue is very nice as well, and the yellow doesn't look to bad...but of the new colors the Titanium is amazing. The paint can go from blue to silver to purple to dark gray depending on how the sunlight hits it. Just amazing...the Orange does that as well. I have black...but that's to make sure I'm not noticed.

 

[GDB]

I didn't want to divulge "leading" information, but I bought a very nice fully restored 1974 BMW 2002tii in bright (Inka) orange a few months ago. I just sold a gorgeous white '88 BMW M3 a couple weeks ago. These both being nice-weather drivers, I need something I can drive daily and over the winter (wife has an SUV for the really bad weather--may wait a year before buying snows for the MSP). Most years we have very little or even no snow. I appreciate white cars for their ability to hide dirt, although I'm ready for something different and I do have one attention-getting color already.

Thanks,
Gary

 

[Swerny]

I have to disagree with you GDB on the "white hiding dirt" part...I couldn't disagree with you more.

 

[AZDriftR]

personally i like the silver over the titanium, and the laser blue, and servoeyes the colors are diff i think too, the MSP has more of the mica flakes.

 

[GDB]

Well, it does a great job of hiding the kind of light colored "desert dirt" we get around here. Actual mud (we get little rain of course) is certainly a different story. Silver also hides dirt well and of course "blah" colors like tan and gold. Even bright red isn't too bad although I personally won't buy that color because it's everybody's idea of a sporty car. I've also owned a "root beer" brown metallic car before (a Subaru I had through college in the mid/late 80's). With the dirt/dust we have here it wouldn't hide it very well because the paint color was too much darker. I'm sure yellow would hide dirt well here too, but the wife also has her say here and she nixed that color right away.

Gary

 

[GDB]

I certainly wouldn't mind a slightly different shade of gray from the RX-8 as long as it was distinct enough from silver. The RX-8 was rather dark, but I just prefer it to not have too much "metallic" characteristic. One of my favorite hues was the completely flat "aviator grey" that Audi did on their TT--most people I'm sure would be repulsed and call it lilght battleship gray. But, the Audi pulls that off because the rest of the shape is so "dynamic" (note that doesn't mean I really like it--it's a squashed beetle after all) whereas the Mazda is more "traditional" looking. I'm really looking forward now to seeing the titanium and the blue in person (I've seen blue MP3s but not the MSP in blue). The Mazda6 also has a "steel gray" or something like that. Is that also different from the MSP?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[AZDriftR]

The Mazda6 also has a "steel gray" or something like that. Is that also different from the MSP?

yes

 

[mspdfreak]

GDB,
I have to post one for the blue. Yes, the titanium is very unique, with it's "rainbow" effect, but I can just imagine the nightmare of having to do any touch-up work down the road. (the inevitable chips on the front fascia) Plus, the titanium is just a bit too flashy. I'm about your age, and if I were 20 again, it would probably be my first choice, but I guess I've become a bit more conservative lately.
That blue does look great. It just seems to accent the curves and lines of the car more. If I had waited just two months, I could have gotten one. I couldn't, and got blazing yellow. (I love it, too)
But whichever you choose, you'll love it!

 

[Black Majik MSP]

TITANIUM!

 

[oldschool]

TITANIUM!!

mspdfreak- I haven't met a grey car that comes across as too flashy. Blue attracts more attention.

 

[orangezoom]

Spicy orange Spicy orange
Just kidding I have only seen one other MSP around me and it was the Titanium, I must say it was beautiful

 

[AZMSP]

Hmmmm... lemmie think.... blue or gray???????(thumb)

 

[oliver2000]

Blue !

 

[3.5titanuimSD]

blue!! Cuz i don't see alot of blues around so..........................................Blue!!!

 

[Jay]

i have a blue mp3 and love it ,however i'm considering getting a titanium mazdaspeed.

 

[Newf]

I own both. MP3-Blue and grey- msp

Blue for years was my favorite color, and I could never find the right shade of car until the MP3 came out in it, and tada... I fell in love

But

The Titanium has so much more depth to it, and the metallic is "just enough". If you think the titanium does not stand out as much as blue....your wrong. I was hoping I would get less attention in the grey, but when the sun is hitting it it reflects the light so damn much it stands out quite a bit. See my imagestation pics link in my sig for LOTS of pics of the blue and titanium. granted, blue is still a stand out color, but it's slowly disappearing into the rest of the other blue cars out there.

Between the two colors. Grey is twice as easy to take care of. Dust/mud doesn't show up on it as much. Blue is also very easy to take care of compared to other colors.

To me, blue is racer boy obvious type of car. Very nice, but has a younger appearance.

But Titanium is extremely rich looking, and more mature/classy, and the depth to the paint is unlike anything I've ever seen. You really have to see the paint in different types of light to appreciate it. Direct sunlight, you'll get the metallic sparkes, and it looks more silver with a hint of blue. Partial light, the metallic almost glows...really hard to explain but it looks like metal color. Rainy bad day....it's just grey. At night with lights on it.... OMFG. In the rain with some sun it WOW.

Color is a completely personal taste thing. Either way you can't loose....just pick one.