Similar to the vinyl siding question, can gutters, downspouts and soffits be painted? We have the typical brown. I have seen these items for sale at the home improvement stores, and perhaps it would be just as cost effective to buy new. The prices seem so reasonable.

You can paint the gutters, but, you will end up having to do them all over again in a few years. As you said, it is more cost effective to just replace them and not have to worry about painting for a decade or two.