slykmr

OK so we determined the fit of the body panels is not exactly perfect, but has anyone else noticed that the color between the different materials is slightly off. Like my front fender versus the hood. Or Rear fender versus the rear bumper. Is this just the angle I am looking at them or is it due to the difference in body material (Alumnium versus CF reinforced panels?) Another reason I ask is cause I am on my 2nd set of Color matched reflectors from EVO and the passenger side still does NOT match. Thought...? TIA.

jrcart

My silver color is pretty dead on from panel to panel, very little if no variances, which is suprising because metallics and pearls will always have more variances than a non-metallic paint. Also as you stated going from a steel or aluminum panel to a plastic or composite panels opens the door to more varience. Are you sure you are not just seeing different lighting reflecting off of body panels recieving different amounts of light at different angles? Pull the car into a gargage during the day, keep the door open but make sure there is no direct light coming in, only ambient lighting, turn off the lights in the garage and look again, are you still seeing a variance in color? Another way to do this is find a body shop with a good, well lit spray booth. A good booth will have even flourescent lighting all the way around so the painter can see these variances and not have any shadows (I used to paint cars for a living in my late teens and early 20's) pull into the booth and take another look, still seing a variance? If it is a major variance that you can not live with you need to determine if the car has been re-painted since it left the factory. Cars get dinged, dented, damaged and crashed before people buy them and dealerships sell them sometimes without disclosing that. I hope this is not the case for you. They make a paint meter that can scan the surface of the paint and determine how many mils think it is. If it is thicker or inconstant from a left side panel vs. the same right side it's a pretty good indicator of paint work that has been done. There are some other ways to tell, but only a very well trained eye is gonna pick up on them.

If this is a concern of yours I would suggest finding a reputable body shop that specializes in high-end and custom show cars not affiliated in any way with the dealership you bought your car at and bring the car to them and ask their profesional opinion. I hightly doubt this is the case, but if the car was damaged and re-painted and it was not disclosed to you at the time of sale you are probably entitled to some sort of legal recourse.

Can you post up some pics of the variances you are seeing? Maybe some others whith Arctic white can chime in on this subject as well.

Eitan1

I checked my car in pretty good lighting and cant seem to see much of a variance. Of course I would have to agree with J cart about the fact that paint on aluminum is going to be a bit different than paint on reinforced Corbon fiber. If it is that noticeable, then you may have to check into it a bit deeper. Dealers have been known to do much worse than NON DISCLOSURE.

group5

Can't find any differences in my white paint. Still too stupid to post a picture.

amdeutsch

Link

slykmr

The problem is capturing the differences on a camera is a not an easy task. Will see what I can do.

jrcart

Are you seeing the variance on only on panel or does it seem to be the same amount of variance from drivers side to passenger side on like body panels? If it is only off on one side or one panel that is a good indicator that the car has paintwork...post factory. Does the texture of the paint look any different? Meaning more or less orange peel or a possibly a deeper sheen on one panel vs. another?

White is one of the easiest colors to match, especially at the factory because they have put in less pigments and colors to get the correct code, As i stated earlier metallics and pearls are the most difficult because you need a consistant and even flow of the metallic or pearl base becasue a heavy concentration will exagerate the inconsitancy due to greater light reflection/refraction. In the non-metallic family blacks and reds are amongst the most difficult to match. Significant variance on white should be a red flag. If you are seeing a significant and noticable variance on white and it is bothering you I would just suggest drivng to a high-end body shop as I recomended and get their opinion, this is something that will take them less than 5 minutes to determine and they should not charge you anything to do so.

jl88

Artic White is one of the colors that will look differently when applied to different surfaces. You have a good eye though; most people wouldn't notice it.

It should be very obvious under mid-day sun.

Brilliant silver doesn't have the same kind of attribute.

edit: didn't want to come off as critical. From my experience, the Mercedes Arctic white has almost a pearl effect to it, most likely due to the clear coat. The color does reflect differently under the sun and also under fluorescent lighting. The brilliant silver doesn't have the same kind of effect, even though it's considered a metallic.

If the OP is looking at the corners of the car, where the hood, front fender, bumper and the fender flares all meet, he would most likely notice a change in the color. His comments are valid. I've only seen brilliant silver and 040 black Black series unfortunately.

slykmr

Well at first when I was cleaning the car it seemed like the hood and front quarters were just "off." The variances seem consistent throughout the car and really I think it might just be due to the difference in body material. The paint color seems the same on both sides but really hard to tell unless I start remvoing body panels. I agree white is one of the easiest colors to match but this white does seem a bit trickier. Simon at EVO said that he has had many problems matching the paint match reflectors (hence why I am on my 3rd trial and really the root to all this color dilema.) I will check out a local high end paint shop and see what they have to say jrcart. Will let you guys know. Maybe my damn eyes are just too picky! Too many years of detailing my cars I guess. Thanks for the input guys!!