Road Rage

I had to have my rear bumber cover repainted because of an encounter in my own d*mned driveway. Anyway, took it to my usual paint boys, who know I am a picky SOB and write for an auto mag so they treat me wello.

Just got it back yesterday, and it is amazing. Perfect job. And it looks like glass, with tremendous clarity and depth.

Now, here is the Hyde part - the shop used Sikkens paint system with lots of nasty volatile solvents. They said it will take 3 months to leech out, so no Zaino'ing for that long. But the finish really is perfect, and I just wonder how the entire car would look. Mr. Hyde is right that the new paint systems are at fault for problems with our paint finish.

MY Acura dealer said they would try to deal with my previous problem, the acid rain damage I got when they had to keep my car overnight to replace the leaking front oil cover gasket. They said Acura certifies them to take about .5 mil off the clear coat, either with abrasive cutting compounfds, or by 1200 grit wet sand and then 3, 2, 1 compounding. But I am hesitant to do that.

TL4Mo

So are you saying your private shop used a better grade paint system? Therefore, ignoring the EPA regulations? I'm a bit confused as to what you are stating. Sorry for being slow

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Hey Road Rage, what did you pay to have your bumper repainted?

Did it require any body putty to fill any scratches?

NighthawkBlack

I am also confused about what you say Hyde said and the difference between the paint jobs

ChucksCL-S

Tl4mo, the factory uses a water based system as they paint zillions of cars and this cuts pollution big time. Think of the water as the "carrier" -- it just gets the paint to the vehicle and then evaporates away. Local shops are doing repairs and are in a different world. For them the old solvents are still used and they have regulations too that apply to the type of gun used (now called HVLP high volume low pressure) that reduces the wasted paint clouding the air that never hit the car, and disposal of waste and so on. I don't think a body shop can use or even has available to it the water based systems. Maybe another member can fill you in better.

8ball

Rage,
I'd be hesitant too. The resident guru over at the Autopia forums (a guy with about a billion years of professional painting/detailing experience) has said that removal of anything more than .3 mil of the clear will lead to long-term problems. I can't explain all the details, but just thought I'd pass it along.

Road Rage

Guys:
1) It was $430, and yes they did have to fill a small indentation. If the cover is cut alol the way through, they generally expect you to buy a new cover, so the repair could be double the cost.
2) Chuckstl: Great answer. Small shops do not have to meet the same standards as Honda
3) 8Ball: very good to know! What I willo do based on your info is use medium, loight, and fine cutting compounds, then polish, and then just lay on the Zaino!

All: Another interesting point was my paint man said that they match the bumper paint to the body based on "natural light" spectrum bulbs in the shop. So they guarantee a good color match oin natural light, but said they might no match as welol under man-made light. Maybe Honda does it backward in some of the cars that poeople have said do not match well.

bricot

Well RR I had a similar experience, I have to take mine in to have the right rear bumper repainted, hopefully it will have the same outcome. I'll have to ask to see what a compete repaint would cost...tempting... but I'm sure its more than I want to spend right now.

3 months no zaino will be hard...

lawman

Must be something in the air. Some SOB scratched the right side of my rear bumber cover today while my car sat in the parking lot of a funeral home. Don't know who did it, but maybe the crime I feel like committing would be justifiable.

TL4Mo

Yep, it's moron/jerk season out there! Saturday I went to Home Depot, took the 4Runner and when I got out there were 2 dings on the back hatch, up high. From the dings and markings, my wife speculated that some nimrod must have put some 2x4 in the bed of his truck or thru the window of their car, backed up & hit the truck with the 2x4....knew they hit my 4Runner and then drove off. I'm HOPING the dings can be removed at this dent repair place...at a cost of $80...........what an @ss!

TommiGSR

iTrader: (1)

haha, not as bad as me. i took the car out of the dealership with a couple of scratches on the front and near the driver side door. sucked...i'll have to ask the dealer if they can take those out for free...i don't want to pay for something i didn't do and it was on the car when i bought it!

TL4Mo

You are definitely right TommiGSR. It would have been best if you made a "punch list" of what needs to be taken care of on your car (we did this with all our cars upon delivery). It's not too late now (I hope). Just call your salesperson, make a list, and fax it to him. If he gives you trouble or has a sudden lapse of memory, talk to the sales manager.

Good luck with that.