UM Canes

Let me start this out by saying I am fully aware of the color mismatch on the bumpers of the TL and that is not why I am posting. I have an 07 Carbon Gray Pearl TL and recently had a fender bender in the rear. The bumper needed repair. I picked the car up today (in the sun) and the car looked great. Tonight after the sun had set I was looking at the car in the drive way and it appeared plain as day that the bumper was a diff color than the quarter. It appeared quite a bit lighter in color on the driver side. I called the painter at the body shop to tell him I was bringing it back and he said that they did no paint coloring on the Driver side, only the pass side where the bump took place but that he clearcoated the whole bumper. I have never ever noticed any type of color mismatch before and fully trust the body shop working on the car as they have done alot of work for me. If he only clearcoated that side of the bumper is it possible that it gives off a different tint of color in different lighting? I went ahead and took the car back but I just want to get all the information I can on people who have had previous experience with this. My expectations are for the car to be 100% and they are aware of this. Any insight would be helpful.
Thanks
Scott

Crissy78

This is my opinion only...but after dealing with the WDP mismatch and repair lasting 5 weeks, I started looking very closely to other TL's in different colors. I had a silver loaner, we inspected it and found that the mismatch on it was terrible. I even saw one that was the same color as yours that was mismatched. And for me, I've only noticed the rear bumper mismatch, however the service manager told me they also deal with front mismatch as well.

Are you sure that it wasn't mismatched before any paint work was done?
Best of luck, I would want it perfect too, I know how you feel!

painter

When manufactured, the bumper cover on your car was painted at a different time and place than the rest of the car, which means that there is likely some difference, large or small, between the cover and the rear quarter. Even if the match looks perfect in one light, it can look different in another. So what you are describing could well have been like that since new. The fresh clearcoat might have a slightly different gloss level which could make this more evident.

Your bodyshop has offered a plausible defense, provided thare was no damage to the cover on that side. How does the other side look under the exact same lighting conditions (you would have to turn the car around to face the other direction to check.)

The issue you have described is really very common. Look around and you'll see a lot of cases where two adjacent panels look identical under one light, and different under another. I guess you'll have to decide for yourself whether you can live with it, but if the quality of the job is otherwise good I would try to avoid looking at your car in the evening. The only other thing you might consider is to ask them to compound and polish the cover and the adjacent panel, to get the gloss on the two areas identical, and then check it once more in different lights.

UM Canes

Ok so here is the update...I went to the body shop to talk to the guys and received another kick in the face....The painter showed me places on the driver side of the car where he the car has had paint work before....there are a couple spots spread out on the car where there is dirt in the paint and then under the hood where there were to runs and looked like they had been removed w/ a razor blade....Whats the next step guys??? I bought the car w/ 6 miles on it...
Scott

Bearcat94

When colors match in one lighting condition, but don't match in another, it's called Metamerism. And it is a common problem wth Paints, Coatings, Inks and Dyes.

It is usually caused by different pigment selections in the color matching process. It can also be caused by having two (or more) paint batches made with the "same" pigment (i.e CI#) from different suppliers or produciton runs.

Crissy78

I would take it to the service MANAGER (not an advisor) at the dealership which you purchased the car. I would be very upset about this, but try to stay calm and hopefully you can get an explanation. I love my TL, but the paint is the one major downfall. The paint quality is the one complaint I have about the car. Good luck!

UM Canes

I totally agree w/ you but the problem is there is only one acura dealership around me and i traveled about 5 hours to buy the car to save a couple thousand dollars ....im going to have another body shop look at the car to get another opinion, but if in fact the car has had paint work...i beleive in the state of va you do have to disclose it. thanks for the help so far.
Scott