DanDan81

Hi All:

I'm new to AcuraZine and wanted to get some suggestions from all of you! I have an '05 WDP Acura TL. I recently took my car to the body shop to get some work done and when I got the car back, the paint on the areas where they fixed the car is off. Initially when I took the car in, they said it would take 5 days to fix. I waited for about 8 days before I called to ask if my car was ready. When I called, they said there was a problem and that the color didn't match. So I asked if they can fix it and he said yes. I waited about another week and called again. They said my car was ready and wanted me to go take a look at it. When I got there, I noticed the car was a little off, but thought it wasn't a big deal. As the days go by (I've only had the car back for a week now), the color mismatch gets more and more noticeable to me. My question is: Is this just something I will have to live with or can they find a better match for my car? I called the body shop a little while ago and they said they will try again, but I'm worried it still won't be the same and I'm damaging my car from all the repaints. Am I better off with what is already done or take it in again to have them try? The newly sprayed paint is whiter than the original paint. Please advise. Thanks.

mike1988

Mine to, its something you have to live with my trunk and right quarter panel were painte it is discolored their nothign you can do, factory paint will never come baq : [ ... i know it very dissapointing me and and im sure to u as well.

DanDan81

yes...i'm very disappointed. i didn't spend all this money to have a discolored car. i've been stressing about it all last week and this past weekend. it's like i look at it and think it's not that bad and at least it's just the exterior, but then realize that it's not okay. it's not just noticeable at an angle, it's noticeable when u stare at it. Should I take it back to the body shop for another try? Also, do you have some pictures you (mike1988) can post up so that i can see how much of a difference your car color is? Thanks

ding069

our color is the worse to match. the flake in the paint can create nightmares, and the key is to have the shop blend the panels. i have never had the TL painted, but i can tell you form the factory, all the bumpers are diff colors, along with a diff color for each piece of the a-spec kit. i have gotten over it, because it is a small sacrifice to have one of the best colors (IMO)

DanDan81

I am going to wait and think it out for a week before I decided if i want the body shop to try again. i just don't like the idea of them removing the paint again and again. i'm not that bothered with the bumper not being the same color as the car (i didn't get the bumper painted). I am however bothered by the doors not being the same color. I had my right quarter panel the right back door painted. I also had the left quarter panel painted. You can't really tell the difference on the left side because it's just the quarter panel. But when you look at the right side of my car, it's noticeable becaues the two doors are right next to each other and it seems the original paint is darker. The new paint is brighter and it has more sprinkles/pearl in it. I know it is hard to get an exact match..especially for the doors. I'm just really bummed! The thing that scares me most is that the body shop i went to said they went to the Honda dealer to get the paint. If this is how it is going to be, i think there's really nothing I can do.

brettallica

When you say "body shop" are you talking about an independent "Joe's Body Shop" or are you talking about the one that's at your Acura dealership? There's really only so much you can do (blending seems to be the best option, like ding069 said) and all paint will mismatch to a certain extent. If possible, and you're still not satisfied, I would say take it back until you are. I took mine back (I also have a WDP) and had them fix it because I felt the mismatch was unacceptable. I now have a better match, but no, it's still not perfect. If it's any consolation, all WDP (and to be honest, most of the other TL colors) have paint mismatch.

DanDan81

When I say "body shop," i'm talking about an independent Body Shop. As for blending, do i just go and tell the body shop to do that? I don't really quite understand what that means or entails. Thanks for all the insights.

dkid23

I had the left quater replaced and the paint is matched very well



These were the day after I got it back form the shop.

brettallica

For starters, I personally would take it to Acura and have them repaint it until it's right. They sold you the car that way; they should fix it for you per warranty.

If that fails, then perhaps you could take it back to the body shop, or possibly back to Acura, and tell them to blend it.

DanDan81

dkid 23...your car color does match good. Sad to say mine doesn't look like that. As for brettallica, i am not stressing over the mismatch from my car's body to the bumper. I can accept that not being the same color. I am stressing because i had my car fixed from damage to the body of the car. I think you have mistaken that the mismatch I am talking about is the bumper and the body of the car.

dkid23

They also replaced the rear bumper the trunk is still factory.

ayethetiense

I know that your issue is not with the color of the bumper but it is fact that WDP is a hard color to match. Especially the bumper itself.

After I had my accident, a lady hit my front passenger fender and front bumper, the color match of those 2 panels is bad from stock because of the flex agent placed on the bumper. After they fixed it, it came out better then stock. It took them awhile to get the paint right but they wanted to make sure it was a good match before they gave it back. They forgot to paint the plastic cover for the tow hook and the covers for the front license plate holes. It was so obvious that the color was different, they took back those parts and painted them right away. They could not understand how acura could not match the colors.

At any rate, it should be taken back to a shop for repair. As far as getting it fixed by the same body shop, you gave them a few tries to get it right and they couldnt. I would get it to another shop if possible. Was this covered under insurance?

ayethetiense

you dont have the clearest pics but the color on your trunk looks off from the rear fender and rear bumper. That may just be from the pic quality and the angles as well.

geronimomoe

I'm surprised that there are such issues to match the WDP. I thought that white was one of the easiest (if not easiest, with silver) colors to match.. I understand the Pearl pigment (?) may throw a slight curve ball in the match but didn't think it was that hard...

I'll be in the market in the next year or so and have (had?) WDP as my first choice if I was to go with the TL/TL-S. I guess I may have to go with a silver car, again.....

My wife likes the white pearl color, a lot...

Like brettallica said, I'd bring it to an Acura dealer.. Personal opinion..

brettallica

Sorry for misunderstanding. The way I read it was that it had always beeen like that. doh!

jvette

You need to find a better body shop. Look for someone who does show car work and you will find a expert paint guy. I have one in my town that can match anything to where you can't tell. The only problem is he is very expensive but he is an artist.

DanDan81

I did not go through insurance for this fix. I paid out of pocket and it was already expensive. As for taking it somewhere else, i don't want to have to spend more money if the color will still not match (I don't need it to match exactly, but at lease it shouldn't be that noticeable). But then again, maybe some would say the color now is acceptable. It all depends on the person. I never thought it would bother me so much, but i guess after spending all that money (on the car itself and on fixing it), it has affected me. I'm just bummed this all happened. I feel like I have spent money fixing it, but shouldn't have now. I most likely will take the car back to the body shop and have them try again (they tried the first time and it didn't match, but i didn't see it...so this is actually their second try). I figure it can't be worse than it is now and if it is, they will just have to paint it back to how it is now. I don't think i will have them redo the left quarter panel because although the color is whiter, it's not that noticeable on that side. I do want them to fix the right side (quarter panel and back door). What do you guys think? It just bugs because the area on the right side is larger so the mismatch is more noticeable. I also am not understanding why they sell cars with colors that are hard to match. It's like saying to people who buy or own cars that are WDP, don't ever get into an accident of any sort because your car will never be painted to a like color. Thanks again for all of your suggestions. Much appreciated