Paint Option Availability

revrnd · June 20, 2016

Can someone explain to me GM's rationale w/ their paint options/choices? Looking @ the 2016 Silverado HD brochure, certain colours are only available when you order certain trim levels or option packages.

Is this because certain trims/packages aren't being built in certain plants? You'd almost think Henry Ford was running the operation for crying out loud. My next truck will be an LT w/o any "convenience" packages & that pretty much limits the colour choices.

I used to have a '79 brochure:

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2MUAAOxyni9S~VKC/s-l400.jpg

And there were 17 different factory paint codes. In addition to SEO fleet colours. My first stint in the Oshawa Truck Plant was from '85 to '88 Bridging the C/K & GMT400 years. The paint shop painted all the colours. Our new modular paint shop was supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread. I do recall an uproar in the late 80s when a Canadian option package was offered w/ some "special" paint colours. A lot of us were ticked off to say the least when we found out that the pickups w/ this option were to be built in Ft. Wayne, Pontiac or Flint, because our paint shop wasn't "set up" to paint those colours (shaking my head).

However, IMO ever since then the number paint colours has dropped dramatically. Throw out the requisite "midnight" black, "arctic" white & "fire" red (plus the varying shades of silver/pewter) and there isn't much variety.

I know in the past certain paint/interior trim combinations weren't permitted, but when the vast majority of trucks have a black interior I can't see why a customer can't order any of the colours.

Next thing we'll see is colours restricted by model series. I'm sorry sir/ma'am, that colour is only available on 1500s, not the HD models." (Even though both trucks are built in the same plant)

Cosmic Charlie · June 21, 2016

"Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black." Henry Ford

Has to do with bean counters ($) and ease of manufacturing ... in theory it keeps the price down ...

In my book it limits sales ...

We should be able to chose and pay for it - and not be so limited - in a perfect world.

meh

DAY11 · June 21, 2016

Is it a reward for, or an incentive to get you to buy a more expensive package? If you want the fancy paint you have to upgrade...

I didn't do a complete build but it looks like all paint colors are available for WT-LTZ?? Yellow dot is standard and white dot is available.

newdude · June 22, 2016

Can someone explain to me GM's rationale w/ their paint options/choices? Looking @ the 2016 Silverado HD brochure, certain colours are only available when you order certain trim levels or option packages.

Is this because certain trims/packages aren't being built in certain plants? You'd almost think Henry Ford was running the operation for crying out loud. My next truck will be an LT w/o any "convenience" packages & that pretty much limits the colour choices.

What cab are you looking for and what color?

revrnd · June 22, 2016

Regular cab w/ the LT trim. I don't need/want an LTZ by any means. I'm dealing w/ a recurring transfer case issue si I don't need any more bells & whistles than possible.

I think our paint shop was set up so the "modules" were restricted to certain colours. Foe example Module 1 pianted just silver trucks, and so on. I think the paint shop had 8 modules and 1 module @ any given time was down for cleaning.

newdude · June 22, 2016

Regular cab w/ the LT trim. I don't need/want an LTZ by any means. I'm dealing w/ a recurring transfer case issue si I don't need any more bells & whistles than possible.

I think our paint shop was set up so the "modules" were restricted to certain colours. Foe example Module 1 pianted just silver trucks, and so on. I think the paint shop had 8 modules and 1 module @ any given time was down for cleaning.

Hmm.

On a regular cab LT...colors are as follows:

-Tungsten Metallic

-Silver Ice Metallic

-Summit White

-Black

-Red Hot

-Slate Grey Metallic

-Siren Red Tintcoat ($395 extra cost)

-Autumn Bronze Metallic ($395 extra cost)

-Deep Ocean Blue Metallic ($395 extra cost)

Only Butte Red Metallic is cab specific (crew only). Siren Red is not available on a WT trim. All the colors listed above are not package restricted, so you can get a bare LT trim regular cab and get any of the colors listed above.

revrnd · June 22, 2016

Hmm.

On a regular cab LT...colors are as follows:

-Tungsten Metallic

-Silver Ice Metallic

-Summit White

-Black

-Red Hot

-Slate Grey Metallic

-Siren Red Tintcoat ($395 extra cost)

-Autumn Bronze Metallic ($395 extra cost)

-Deep Ocean Blue Metallic ($395 extra cost)

Only Butte Red Metallic is cab specific (crew only). Siren Red is not available on a WT trim. All the colors listed above are not package restricted, so you can get a bare LT trim regular cab and get any of the colors listed above.

That's interesting.

I'll make sure to ask for the complete list of paint colours before I order the truck. Hopefully it's not a US/Canadian availability thing. I had printed off the 2011 info from the US Chevy site (fleet sale info which was more informative) before I ordered my truck. Turns out the stereo option that I was able to order was not available on LT models in the US & was better than what I was looking @ ordering, go figure.

newdude · June 23, 2016

That's interesting.

I'll make sure to ask for the complete list of paint colours before I order the truck. Hopefully it's not a US/Canadian availability thing. I had printed off the 2011 info from the US Chevy site (fleet sale info which was more informative) before I ordered my truck. Turns out the stereo option that I was able to order was not available on LT models in the US & was better than what I was looking @ ordering, go figure.

LOL, I guess if I read under your user name I'd have noticed it says Ontario. We've been getting used trucks out of Quebec lately (GMC's) and I have noticed they do option some things with the slightest of differences. I would hope the paint is the same though lol.

Cowpie · June 23, 2016

One thing I like about ordering semi trucks. My current one, I wanted blue. Dealer asked which one. I asked how many. He said if Dupont makes it, we can order it. I got Dupont Viper Blue Pearl Elite, the same blue on the Dodge Viper for 2012 when I ordered my 2013 semi in Mar 2012. Have gotten so spoiled how I can order anything I want on a commercial truck a la carte and not have to settle for packages like with autos and pickups.

revrnd · June 28, 2016

OK, I got things sort of mixed up. Talking to the salesman I've dealt w/ in the past & yes there are extra charge paint options in Canada. When I got home I rechecked the brochure. My mistake was in looking @ the seat trim footnotes when deciphering the paint code notes.

Dnt · April 10, 2017

Was told by my local dealer that GM has discontinued the Deep Ocean Blue Metallic on the HD's? I was just about ready to order one I hope it is not true and he was just mistaken? Anyone else heard this?

redwngr · April 10, 2017

Was told by my local dealer that GM has discontinued the Deep Ocean Blue Metallic on the HD's? I was just about ready to order one I hope it is not true and he was just mistaken? Anyone else heard this?

According to the order guide, Stone Blue Metallic only discontinued on Denali. Last date to order was mid Feb 15. (not sure of last production date)

Denali has a new paint code for Mineral Metallic (GJB) that is not available on any other truck.

(this is different from Pepperdust (GMU) which seems to be lighter than Mineral.)

Dnt · April 11, 2017

Puts me out of the market then. Maybe next year they will have a new dark blue color on the Denali 2500HD and we can try this again.

Bish · April 12, 2017

Guess I'm glad I got my Stone Blue when I did. Got it March 2. The color was the reason I ended up ordering, nobody had any.

NOVA99 · April 27, 2017

GM twins have the WORST paint selection of any vehicle. The trucks and SUV color palette is a joke. No black metallic, no charcoal gray, no dark blue and that is just a start. It is even worse when you go to Denali and even less colors. $70K rig with shit colors, no two tone. I left the brand for Ford a few years ago just because of the pitiful colors GM offered. The Onyx black scratches if you look at it. Glad I leased my '17 Denali for work and don't give a f*ck what the paint looks like when GMFinancial gets it back. Please...for the sake of humanity expand your color lineup. Charcoal gray, metallic black, dark blue metallic, and silver on a Denali!!! Iridium is purple and WTF is pepper dust, dark slate metallic, and mineral metallic!! God Dam.