To me, the TL badge on the trunklid looks crooked. The "ACURA" and the "A" one looks fine. Maybe either the previous owner debadged it or the trunk was repainted? Other than comparing the trunklid to the rest of the body, how else can you tell if the trunk was repainted or not? Is there any Genuine Acura Logo underneath somewhere to see if the trunk is OEM or aftermarket?

 

Do the colours match?, assuming that the car has some milelage on it, paint will slowly fade, so a fresh coat of paint on JUST the trunk will make it a different (possibly darker) colour. I believe there is a VIN sticker on the trunk lid, next to the locking mechanism. As a matter in fact, there should be a VIN sticker on all body parts (hood, front bumper, doors etc...) not the lights though of course...

 

orange peel is the best way to tell. minor differnce in paint. u really need a high resolution camera picture or i need to see in person to tell

 

the TL badge looks fine from here, you got a better picture?

 

Sometimes they put the decals on incorrectly at the assembly plant...

 

computers are just as smart as the person programming them.

 

honestly, if it was repainted and the painter did a good job. You wont be able to tell.

 

VIN plate/sticker inside the trunk will be different (or missing) if the deck lid was replaced.

 

As mentioned here are the ways to tell.

-First off not sure where you came up with the badges looking misaligned because to me (and im VERY picky, they look perfect).

-Second, look at the texture of the clearcoat and compare it to that of the rear quarter panels next to it. If the clear coat is perfectly identical to the fenders they either the painter is very good or its original.

-Also, take a look at the color of the paint in different sunlight angles and compare it to the painted panels next to it such as rear bumper and rear quarter panels.

-There is a VIN label located on the passenger side that you will see when you pop the trunk. If the label is there that means the trunk lid itself is original, but it still could have been repainted if the vin label was covered or masked over.

Hope this helps,
James

Oh and P.S., I say screw the TL get that C6 vette parked in the background ;-)

 

For that color, AM, a shop would most likely blend the quarter panels. That means they also paint the quarters to color blend the panels, so they match perfect.

The easiest way to tell is to look for tape lines in the jams. You should be able to find example pictures if you google around. But there is also masking/painting techniques that minimize or eliminate tape lines, making them tough to spot if your not a painter, ect.

Sometimes you can check the quarter jams and it's plain as day the quarters were re-painted at some point.

 

There is a factory sticker on all? parts of the car. I know there is one on the bumper when you open the trunk. It would be on the backside of the trunk, which probably wouldnt have been painted anyway.

 

+1. I don't think they would have debadged the trunk to paint it if that were the case...they usually just tape the emblems don't they?

 

Your acura sign looks higher than normal

 

not good body shops. my body shop took mine off and put new ones when i had to have my trunk repainted, and the body shop wasnt even that good.

 

Yep shops remove the emblems and replace the double sided tape, or replace the emblem.

 

Humm, if you think those are misplaced and located too high then the emblems on your car must be all screwed up. The above pictured car has correctly located emblems.

 

100% sure way to do it is go to a body shop that has a paint meter. Its a tool and electronic gauge that measures paint thickness in mils. They will scan various parts of the car and compare it to the trunk. Obviously if it was repainted, the thickness will never be exactly dead on to the rest of the car with factory paint, and so that's how you tell. There is no other sure way to do this.

 

take a look at the A in the middle it is to close to trunk lid at top, then the TL on the side is drooping to the right. my emblems are not even there i sold them to buy a condom and fuck your mom.

 

Sucks for you ;-) I didnt even look at the middle Acura symbol which you are right does infact look to high. I was only looking at the side Acura and TL emblems.

James