Recently, I had a slight accident on the right front fender on my '95-T. I decided to purchase a bran new fender from the Acura dealership. I then brought the fender to a local bodyshop and they quoted me $250 to paint it. Now comes the big problem, they suggested that I repaint the entire car in order to blend in the color with the new fender. This will cost $4,500 to repaint the car. Otherwise, the new paint on the fender will be off with the existing paint on the entire car. This is the stupidest thing I ever heard! What ever happened to computer color matching? The existing paint on my car is flawless and I certainly do not want to repaint. Furthormore, repainting the car will only depreciate the value. Surely, everybody gets in a fender bender now and then, but how many of us actually repaint the entire car? Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Paint Question
- Thread starter codered
- Start date
I'm going through the exact same thing with after-market parts on my car right now...
here are the things to consider:
1) the year of the car. the older the car, the more the paint is exposed to the elements...regardless of the mileage. So there will be some minor sun fading etc.
2) the color of the car. Mine is formula red and I was told that in order to paint it correctly, it needs to be painted using the 3 stage method. Thus very hard to color match.
3) Computer color matching is an excellent start, but some blending will always be needed to match a freshly painted fender to the rest of the car. but the entire car is definitely out of the question. They should be able to blend the fender into the hood and door, but that should be it.
good luck.
Allen
here are the things to consider:
1) the year of the car. the older the car, the more the paint is exposed to the elements...regardless of the mileage. So there will be some minor sun fading etc.
2) the color of the car. Mine is formula red and I was told that in order to paint it correctly, it needs to be painted using the 3 stage method. Thus very hard to color match.
3) Computer color matching is an excellent start, but some blending will always be needed to match a freshly painted fender to the rest of the car. but the entire car is definitely out of the question. They should be able to blend the fender into the hood and door, but that should be it.
good luck.
Allen
I have (and have had) the same problem with my car. It's also a Formula Red one. Last year, after an accident the right front fender was repainted. There is a distinct color difference which is easily spotted depending on the ambient light. Noone suggested to paint the whole car though.
Right now, the car is again in repair for a very minor dent on the left front fender. I complained about the color difference on the last repair. They told me the color red is very difficult to match.
I asked if they were a professionals or not (I know they are) and was told they will do their best. I'm still waiting for their call.....
Right now, the car is again in repair for a very minor dent on the left front fender. I complained about the color difference on the last repair. They told me the color red is very difficult to match.
I asked if they were a professionals or not (I know they are) and was told they will do their best. I'm still waiting for their call.....
Here comes a gas bag full of opinions and observations. 
Computer matching witha spectrophotometer is about 75% accurate and is meant to give a "shadeable" or "blendable" color not a dead on match. Getting a 75 is a passing grade but certainly not an "A".
I have a spectrophotometer (they cost several thousand dollars)and as useful tool and they really impress customers and instill confidence but I think it's lame to use it that way.
Car paints are photochemically reactive, that is, they are effected by the sun and changes color depending on how it has been exposed to it. If your car has been in service for a while, different parts of the car may be slightly different shades from one and other. (the bottom of your fender may be a shade different then the top but so is the bottom of the door so you don't percieve it)
There's the word..."perception".
Color perception, as we all know, is effected by the spectrum of light present and is interpreted, by varying degrees, differenty from person to person.
I have seen cars that the owners say have never been refinished or, have been, and claimed that they were not blended and they were, though it was unknown to them.
They don't see it so they don't believe it and who can blame a person for being hesistant when they can not see something with their own eyes.
I think it is neccessary to blend most colors into the adjacent panels so there a tolerable transformation of old into new color area.
Painting your entire vehicle to replace a fender should not normally be needed if the overall condition of the paint is good.
MvM, I think it's sad if you are having a service provided by someone and have to challenge their ability or conduct just to hopefully get them to rise to the occasion. Hope things work out.
Codered, $250.00 to paint a fender is a fair price but I wouldn't paint a loose panel and let the customer install it unless it was for a very old lawnmower. Doing your car right should not require a total refinish but bolting on your painted fender is not likely to look like it did before the damage occurred.
I personally think Formula Red and most 3 stage paints are no harder and are maybe easier to achieve good color match with them. You have more to work with so you can dial it in.
Gas bag signing off.
Computer matching witha spectrophotometer is about 75% accurate and is meant to give a "shadeable" or "blendable" color not a dead on match. Getting a 75 is a passing grade but certainly not an "A".
I have a spectrophotometer (they cost several thousand dollars)and as useful tool and they really impress customers and instill confidence but I think it's lame to use it that way.
Car paints are photochemically reactive, that is, they are effected by the sun and changes color depending on how it has been exposed to it. If your car has been in service for a while, different parts of the car may be slightly different shades from one and other. (the bottom of your fender may be a shade different then the top but so is the bottom of the door so you don't percieve it)
There's the word..."perception".
Color perception, as we all know, is effected by the spectrum of light present and is interpreted, by varying degrees, differenty from person to person.
I have seen cars that the owners say have never been refinished or, have been, and claimed that they were not blended and they were, though it was unknown to them.
They don't see it so they don't believe it and who can blame a person for being hesistant when they can not see something with their own eyes.I think it is neccessary to blend most colors into the adjacent panels so there a tolerable transformation of old into new color area.
Painting your entire vehicle to replace a fender should not normally be needed if the overall condition of the paint is good.
MvM, I think it's sad if you are having a service provided by someone and have to challenge their ability or conduct just to hopefully get them to rise to the occasion. Hope things work out.
Codered, $250.00 to paint a fender is a fair price but I wouldn't paint a loose panel and let the customer install it unless it was for a very old lawnmower.
Doing your car right should not require a total refinish but bolting on your painted fender is not likely to look like it did before the damage occurred.I personally think Formula Red and most 3 stage paints are no harder and are maybe easier to achieve good color match with them. You have more to work with so you can dial it in.
Gas bag signing off.
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It will cost more but they can spray a 3 stage test pannel and check the color match at night under artificial light (a gas station works great). If he is good at color matching he can make slight adjustments to the color. To paint the whole car will create more problems than it's worth. Dan
Gas stations lights can be peculiar .
Some may be gas/halogen, some flourescent. some incandescent or a mixture of all three.
What if one of the tints in the color is such that the spectrum of light in a particular gas station does not give it the presence it would have in natural light yet this color is key to it's impression?
It's like trying to season food when you have a cold.
You may be eliminating one of the prime ingredients just because of the spectrum or chroma of the light source and, like the cold, makes you "not smell" or in this case "see".
Ever look at the ladies that have makeup on under gas station lights? Now imagine them adjusting to look good while at the pump what do you think it will look like when they leave?
It may work for one color and be disasterous for another.
If you have a "virgin" car go to a station when the sun is gone and study the different panels of your car as it sits.
It is very likely several panels will look different depending on the cars position to the light source and type of light in that station, yet the car is "virgin".
Some may be gas/halogen, some flourescent. some incandescent or a mixture of all three.
What if one of the tints in the color is such that the spectrum of light in a particular gas station does not give it the presence it would have in natural light yet this color is key to it's impression?
It's like trying to season food when you have a cold.
You may be eliminating one of the prime ingredients just because of the spectrum or chroma of the light source and, like the cold, makes you "not smell" or in this case "see".
Ever look at the ladies that have makeup on under gas station lights? Now imagine them adjusting to look good while at the pump what do you think it will look like when they leave?
It may work for one color and be disasterous for another.
If you have a "virgin" car go to a station when the sun is gone and study the different panels of your car as it sits.
It is very likely several panels will look different depending on the cars position to the light source and type of light in that station, yet the car is "virgin".
