Why are so many cars today painted black, white, silver, gray? Is it cheaper for the manufacturers?

[haele]

31. If you're leasing a car, you get the cheap color.

White and Silver/grey are pretty bulletproof when it comes to maintaining the paint job over the lease should you get a scratch and don't want to get dinged on the turn-in. Black can also be easily matched
All that being said, if you're buying a new car with a fancier color, even if it's off the lot, you're going to pay anywhere from $700 to $2k more. While a cool color or finish your skin generally starts about $500 more.
If you want that cool lavender rainbow mirror or pearlescent skin on your compact sedan, it's going to cost you $3k or 4k more, while trying to get the paint job will cost twice that much. But you can always remove the skin and have a pretty decent paint job remaining that will improve your sale price when it's time to sell or turn in.