boo123

Hi everyone,

So I got a new bumper after a freak accident... I've been looking at it for two days and it doesn't seem to quite match imo... Knowing that I might be a bit bias since I study it from every angle I though I'd post some photos for others to judge whether or not I should try to ask for a repaint or not. My car is a metallic steel gray ( hard color to match ..)

I took these like 30 minutes before it got dark so the lighting might not be the best...

wnunez89

looks like a match to me

sagar350z

The first picture looks a little off to me, but that could be because of the lighting like you said other than that it looks fine to me.

boo123

The first two photos are pretty much what I see on a sunny day. It's not as noticeable in the front but the difference between the fender and bumper is what's striking to me... Sometimes it looks ok at a certain angle.

I'm going to try posting some photos tomorrow or the day after when I can get more sunlight.

sagar350z

Yup it was actually the second picture i meant but yup they are slightly off, if the dealership painted them for you just ask them to do it for you again.

AkaSigFreak

Looks off in every picture to me. Damn! That sucks. Hope they take care of that for you.

alexlev

Two things to take into consideration:

a. If the bumper has been repainted, then the paint is fresher than that on your fender - which results in a noticeable color difference.

b. IIRC, the bumper and the fender are two different materials and so the color is off to a certain extent. I am pretty sure a search within the forum will bring you more answers on the topic.

AkaSigFreak

A good body shop can compensate for wear and fading. Hhughes C63 just received a new CF hood and bumper that was custom painted to flow with the Mars Red original color. Red is one of the worst colors for fading and his car is almost 3 years old. It is PERFECT. It can be done.

mr inkredibul

Ditto bumpers are a different material and metallic colors are often different colors (go look at brand new cars on the lot) White pearls are the WORST!

Derspeed

Like inkredibul said, most bumpers don't match from the factory either. Many are usually not painted at the same time or location as the cars. Also, the metal flake may have laid down differently on the repaint. That's the reason I did not get metallic paint this time.

It looks fine. I'd be willing to bet that nobody notices it but you. If it bothers you that much, put the shop on notice and have them paint it again later.

mac911

It's hard to tell in pictures. It does look perhaps a bit off. THe bumpers are plastic, whereas the hood and fender next to it are metal. However, some of the pictures make it look like a bigger difference than that.

I suppose you should have it done again just to help put your mind at ease.

Sportstick

Many good comments in this thread. But, keep in mind, even though fascias are originally painted by the supplier and shipped to the assembly plant, and the Body-In-White is painted at the assembly plant, color matching harmony is the rule, not the exception. Most do match, and a good body shop can replicate that match. Photos will be very difficult for us to use to reach a conclusion. If in sunlight the fascia does not match the body, the body shop should repaint.

JoeVal

+1, there is no reason for any mismatch for any reason: different materials, different paint age..., as long as the Paint Shop is professional and well equipped.

masterstudent

Try to get a picture further away. Would be easier to judge. But like everyone said, some mismatch is common due to the difference in material. Also let your paint cure a week or two.

Sportstick

Everyone did not say that!! Some of us disagree and know matching is not only possible, but most common regardless of variation in the substrate. Fascia paint also is different than sheetmetal paint, due to the addition of materials to allow it to flex, so difference in material, whether substrate or coating, does not inherently mean mismatched color harmony.

moparrbust

The bumper to fender and bumper to 1/4 panel doesn't match from the factory. Go take a look at your rear bumper and you'll see it is off as well. I point it out to M-B(and almost every other high end car) owners all the time before I even start repairing their cars. If you want a true undetectable paint match on a light metallic colored car such as yours it is best to just blend into the fenders. Then you will have a matching front bumper and a off-colored rear bumper.

jinsu

It will be very difficult to match to the originial colour of a dark colour paint.
That's the reason I will not buy a dark colour paint vechcle any more.

boo123

Thanks for everyone's replies.... Here are some photos in the sun. I've let the body shop know the color difference. I let them see it and they've acknowledged that at a certain angle there is a difference. I didn't ask them to repaint it but they said if I had a problem selling/trading it they would repaint it or w/e. I'm still tempted to ask them to repaint it now but I'm going to the a Benz dealership to look at some of the cars.


BTW, my back bumper is mismatched cause it's from a different accident where I was hit at a red light

boo123

Sigh.... I think I might just live with it... I lived with the back bumper for a year already so what's another mismatched bumper :/.


All my cars from henceforth will be BLACK.