E46 Fanatics Forum banner

Paint Colour Matching

242 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Alondonboy
Rear wheel arch had some blistered paint which needed attention when I bought the car last year, just finished dealing with it and must say it's come out pretty good. Problem is the colour match is pretty poor, which I guess can be expected between new and old. Brought rattle can from reputable company in Germany which I believe makes the paint for BMW so not cheap rubbish. I actually think it's the lacquer that has faded as there is a tiny bit lifted by the rear roof and it looks slightly off colour as opposed to clear.

What I was thinking was rather than go for the specified colour, was to buy a pico or colour muse and take a reading from a cut area of the original paintwork. Then having a can made up to the RGB reading, just wondered if anyone had tried this and how well it worked.?
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
All body shops take a resding of the current color on the car to match if they are doing patchwork. After 10 years the paint will be faded and never match brand new paint. Having had paint work done on my car - the good ones can match it VERY well.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
All body shops take a resding of the current color on the car to match if they are doing patchwork. After 10 years the paint will be faded and never match brand new paint. Having had paint work done on my car - the good ones can match it VERY well.
That's the last option, getting the panel sprayed. To me though it kinda defeats the purpose of completing the job yourself. I've not lacquered what I've done yet but by the time I've finished if it was the correct colour match I'd be very happy with the job and walk away proud. To give up because somebody can just get a better colour match seems defeatist so was just thinking to try and do the same.
It's the top of the rear wing that really shows it as it had been keyed and had to deal with those as well as the arch. Where it sits right next to the boot lid it really winks at you. Sounds like it's be worth a try then.
Rear wheel arch had some blistered paint which needed attention when I bought the car last year, just finished dealing with it and must say it's come out pretty good. Problem is the colour match is pretty poor, which I guess can be expected between new and old. Brought rattle can from reputable company in Germany which I believe makes the paint for BMW so not cheap rubbish. I actually think it's the lacquer that has faded as there is a tiny bit lifted by the rear roof and it looks slightly off colour as opposed to clear.

What I was thinking was rather than go for the specified colour, was to buy a pico or colour muse and take a reading from a cut area of the original paintwork. Then having a can made up to the RGB reading, just wondered if anyone had tried this and how well it worked.?
I've had a local paint supplier scan my car with their magic tool and mix up a can for me. Was way off.

I've heard it suggested that BASF Glasurit 90 line was the original paint. They have the mixing ratios for 9 different shades of my colour's paint code in their system. But also any good painter ought to be able to get a reasonable match whatever paint system they use by first painting spray out cards and adjusting the ratios themselves until they get a match. Trouble is that takes time as well as experience, and time is money in an industry where lowest quote gets the business. So most often they'll just go by the paint code and try to blend that in. I hate getting paintwork done.
9.5 times out of 10 the paint never completely matches. You have to blend it out, usually into the next panel.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
9.5 times out of 10 the paint never completely matches. You have to blend it out, usually into the next panel.
On the panel itself it's not to bad as dealt with area, stopped at a break and then done a mist coat over the top drifting into old paint. So basically rim and wheel arch and on top edge down to contour. It's that top edge right next to the boot that really shows up.
4
This is a close up of where the lacquer is flaking and to me it looks like it has a slight brown tinge which would explain the colour difference.

This is the difference between rear boot lid and right wing. Almost makes me think it's close to the colour under the lacquer but not much I can do. Have aggressively cut boot as was cover in scratches so probably best it's going to get.

Wheel arch leeks a bit better where blended.

See less See more
1 - 7 of 7 Posts
Top