Any paint experts on here?

[-Ju-]

So this is probably in the wrong section but its bodywork related so here goes.
I've recently had my car repaired after a very light rear end bump.
Originally they were repairing the tailgate and bumper, but they had to be replaced.
The quality looks really good apart from one major point.......the colour!
To me it's slightly off at best and way off when the sun hits it
Where do you think I stand with this

 

[Raiden]

Not a great match. My VW California has had its bumpers painted a couple times I can just about tell it's not 100% but I can live with it. First time it had a knock I rejected it 3 times

If it's doing your head in get the paint shop to do it again. Whenever I need paint I always say don't be getting Ray Charles or Stevie wonder doing it otherwise you will be doing it again.

Was it a vag approved place who painted it?

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[-Ju-]

Not a great match. My VW California has had its bumpers painted a couple times I can just about tell it's not 100% but I can live with it. First time it had a knock I rejected it 3 times

If it's doing your head in get the paint shop to do it again. Whenever I need paint I always say don't be getting Ray Charles or Stevie wonder doing it otherwise you will be doing it again.

Was it a vag approved place who painted it?

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Yes it's an approved bodyshop right across the vag group. I saw a Bentley in there being done while mine was in.
I know paint does take differently on plastic as opposed to metal but it should generally match.
I blooming knew this would happen!

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[Alistair D]

Take it back m8, technology is there for a far better match than that.
It shouts that your car has had work done!

 

[Sandra]

Our site sponsor @Craig Cull is a paint expert

 

[-Ju-]

Take it back m8, technology is there for a far better match than that.
It shouts that your car has had work done!

Exactly!
It actually didn't look too bad when I picked it up. I got the usual "its plastic and will look different", which I know is true and it was sat in the shade, but I was so glad to get it back.
It wasn't until the sun caught the back corner then it looked totally different!

 

[-Ju-]

Our site sponsor @Craig Cull is a paint expert

And not too far from me I believe!

 

[Adam14]

To me that doesn't match, bumper colour looks a lot darker than the rest of the car! End of the day mate, it's an expensive car and shouldn't be settling for an "ok" job.

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[cuke2u]

Ford Focus's used to come new from the factory looking like that...

 

[T-800]

Andrew at volkswizard just had his Suzuka Grey bumper re-done
He even says in this video that the guy in the body shop re-did it because he wasn’t happy with the colour match.

 

[Craig Cull]

And not too far from me I believe!

Yes it is a touch off colour but It is quite common for silver not to be a direct match edge to edge. Usually to avoid this you find the closest shade and blend the next panel along for colour match. Thats what i would have done especially when replacing the 2 main parts of the rear.
That said,
I would have looked for a closer match prior to painting.
We had a Merlin Purple SQ5 in recently and its off colour but in this case there are no colour variants so we are removing the petrol flap and sending it to the paint company so they can create a new formula so we can repaint the bumper without touching any other panels. Its a tricky job sometimes but theres always a solution if the bodyshop are willing to please the customer. Personally i wouldnt have let that go out like that in the first place.

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[-Ju-]

Yes it is a touch off colour but It is quite common for silver not to be a direct match edge to edge. Usually to avoid this you find the closest shade and blend the next panel along for colour match. Thats what i would have done especially when replacing the 2 main parts of the rear.
That said,
I would have looked for a closer match prior to painting.
We had a Merlin Purple SQ5 in recently and its off colour but in this case there are no colour variants so we are removing the petrol flap and sending it to the paint company so they can create a new formula so we can repaint the bumper without touching any other panels. Its a tricky job sometimes but theres always a solution if the bodyshop are willing to please the customer. Personally i wouldnt have let that go out like that in the first place.

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Thanks for your input its appreciated.
I'm surprised they built it back up tbh without ensuring a good match, but then they had it for almost 2 weeks without working on it and I guess they rushed it through.
I've seen the bodyshop prep pictures and they sprayed the bare tailgate and bumper off the car and masked off the 2 rear quarter panels for blending, the tailgate spoiler is untouched.
What would be the solution now to make it right?

 

[Craig Cull]

Thanks for your input its appreciated.
I'm surprised they built it back up tbh without ensuring a good match, but then they had it for almost 2 weeks without working on it and I guess they rushed it through.
I've seen the bodyshop prep pictures and they sprayed the bare tailgate and bumper off the car and masked off the 2 rear quarter panels for blending, the tailgate spoiler is untouched.
What would be the solution now to make it right?

Do you have the pictures of it masked up for blend? If they have blended them quarters they have missed out a valuable stage in the process, like the paint its self. Sometimes bodyshops mask up panels and take images of it masked up to claim more time from insurance companys. In some cases they dont actually blend anything but charge for it anyway. A paint depth gauge would be the best way to see for sure

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[-Ju-]

Do you have the pictures of it masked up for blend? If they have blended them quarters they have missed out a valuable stage in the process, like the paint its self. Sometimes bodyshops mask up panels and take images of it masked up to claim more time from insurance companys. In some cases they dont actually blend anything but charge for it anyway. A paint depth gauge would be the best way to see for sure

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I dont have the pictures but they showed me them, they were masked right up to the door shuts. Like you say they take them for insurance purposes, he told me that and the bill came to just over £4k
I dont have any qualms about stating the bodyshop, it was JCT600 bodyclinic in bradford.
If they put this right and at this point I dont see why they won't then it's all good.
If they blend the panels again, will that sort the issue or would you recommend a complete repaint?


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[Craig Cull]

I dont have the pictures but they showed me them, they were masked right up to the door shuts. Like you say they take them for insurance purposes, he told me that and the bill came to just over £4k
I dont have any qualms about stating the bodyshop, it was JCT600 bodyclinic in bradford.
If they put this right and at this point I dont see why they won't then it's all good.
If they blend the panels again, will that sort the issue or would you recommend a complete repaint?


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It could be blended realistically as the spoiler is the original colour so the roof isnt an issue. I think if they blended it as claimed, you wouldnt have seen any discrepancy at all and probably would have been happy with the job overall, assuming the finish is upto scratch etc.

Some would say find a better match and paint it all again including blends, but to me thats just adding more product to the new panels which as it stands with the new panels as they are, they will have a similar paint depth to factory, so your limiting the chance of any adhesion issues further down the line.

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[-Ju-]

Thanks for the insight and advice.
I'll update what the outcome is

 

[Craig Cull]

Thanks for the insight and advice.
I'll update what the outcome is

No problem, if theres anything else i can help with, just give me a shout

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[-Ju-]

Out of curiosity, would the colour on the plastic bumper normally sit slightly darker than the rest, as that's what my observations have been as I've been looking at every silver car for the last 2 days lol

 

[Craig Cull]

Out of curiosity, would the colour on the plastic bumper normally sit slightly darker than the rest, as that's what my observations have been as I've been looking at every silver car for the last 2 days lol

Ever so slightly yes due to the fact that plastic absorbs light so can make it look a shade out. But usually when painted at the same time you can match them closer than just painting and hoping for a match. Silvers tricky as even on a blend panel over application of the clearcoat can make the panel appear darker to the next panel even though they are both the same colour. Abit like putting a stick into water, to look at the stick it appears to bend. This is the exact same thing that happens in the clear, giving off a darker shade.

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[-Ju-]

Very nicely put!
Thanks again for the detailed explanation, you are the man!

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[Craig Cull]

Very nicely put!
Thanks again for the detailed explanation, you are the man!

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No problem

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[OCDaveS4]

That would drive me nuts every time I looked at it - needs to be fixed! Very nice SQ5 - looks immaculately prepared !!

(I love the wheel-arch trims/stone protectors they put on them and was wondering whether I could adapt them for my S3 !!)

 

[S32B]

Ford Focus's used to come new from the factory looking like that...

Cars still come from the factory like that, I work in one and see it everyday

White and black are the best colours not to notice it, all other colours to me stick out like a sore thumb. I think ford have a major problem with 'Fox silver' on the ST's.

The problem is: 1) paint takes to plastic in a different way than it does to metal and 2) The bumpers are sprayed up in a different country to the car and then imported to us.

I was talking about colour match with a member on here a few weeks back, this was the example I used...look at those bumpers

Found a Fox Silver, that would drive me mad:

 

[Adam14]

Cars still come from the factory like that, I work in one and see it everyday

White and black are the best colours not to notice it, all other colours to me stick out like a sore thumb. I think ford have a major problem with 'Fox silver' on the ST's.

The problem is: 1) paint takes to plastic in a different way than it does to metal and 2) The bumpers are sprayed up in a different country to the car and then imported to us.

I was talking about colour match with a member on here a few weeks back, this was the example I used...look at those bumpers

Found a Fox Silver, that would drive me mad:

Wonder who that was haha

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[Retroman]

If you speak to any paint sprayer he/she will tell you that silver is one of the trickiest colours to match. I had some work done on mine by a friend and I can still spot a very slight difference (in bright light) where it was blended. I have found from experience that it you get too much extensive blending done across the car, for what started as a small area, you end up regretting it with other non-OE paint blemishes occurring, if not immediately, over time.

 

[Jonnie]

Cars still come from the factory like that, I work in one and see it everyday

White and black are the best colours not to notice it, all other colours to me stick out like a sore thumb. I think ford have a major problem with 'Fox silver' on the ST's.

The problem is: 1) paint takes to plastic in a different way than it does to metal and 2) The bumpers are sprayed up in a different country to the car and then imported to us.

I was talking about colour match with a member on here a few weeks back, this was the example I used...look at those bumpers

Found a Fox Silver, that would drive me mad:

If I took delivery of a new car with paint that badly matched I’d be sending it back.

That’s unbelievable

 

[OCDaveS4]

Totally agree - the slight problem if you are a bit OCD like me, once you see a slight colour variation bumper-to-body, it just drives you nuts every time you see the car. Then you start looking at all the cars in the car park too !! Lol

 

[S32B]

If I took delivery of a new car with paint that badly matched I’d be sending it back.

That’s unbelievable

Totally agree - the slight problem if you are a bit OCD like me, once you see a slight colour variation bumper-to-body, it just drives you nuts every time you see the car. Then you start looking at all the cars in the car park too !! Lol

How do you think I get on?!?! Part of my job is to spot the slightest defect I've had friends, family and neighbors over the years buy new cars and I've seen small dents, scratches or paint blemishes that they haven't, I tend not to say anything now, as once they see it they can't unsee it lol.

When I first starting looking at the A5's I went into the dealership and they had 2 brand new ones parked next to each other, as we all know the bumpers are different between a sport and an s-line! The guy came over and I mentioned this, he said "Yeah that's right", so I said now look at the side of the car!!! He looked but didn't know what I was on about They had put the wrong badge on the sport, both had s-line badges on He went and got his boss, he just looked at me and said "Nobody had noticed".

Another lad that does the same job as me was on holiday, he noticed something on a new car that we build as he was walking past it, he walked to the otherside of the car to check, the owner saw him and asked him what he was doing! He said look at your door handles, one side had all black handles and the otherside had black with chrome strips in them...oops wrong handles had been fitted