Im guessing akzo/sikkens would = dupont etc? Not only do you have to get the proper paint code, which can be found in your vehicle. You also have to make sure its the paint from the same company. The paint on my sports car uses dupont I think, but most independant shops use ppg and although the paint code is the same, the color is slighty different. Codell is right to an extent. I rather take my vehicle who specializes and work on that particular brand/vehicle than a independant body shop and get questionable quality. I've seen alot of "reputable" shops paint peoples car and most people wouldn't be able to see any flaws. Im able to see them and I point them out. It really is hard to find a "good" body shop. I've always had good luck with dealerships and thats where my business will go. Most bmws have metallic paint, thats why their paint looks nicer and will cost more $$$. If you (yan yao) want to half ass it, go to Maaco or whatever and get cheap paint put on your vehicle. When your unsatisfied with the results (thats if you really care about your vehicle) your going to end up paying more just to get it done right.
Akzo Noble/Sikkens and Dupont (out of the "big 3", Dupont is #3 IMO, after Sikkens and PPG) are not affiliated to the best of my knowledge. Separate companies. Few shops use Dupont to the best of my knowledge. Getting paint from the same company doesn't make one bit of difference. Almost all vehicle paint is either a urethan based two stage paint or urethan based three stage paint (if your vehicle is white and a domestic, it might be a single stage paint, but its pretty uncommon). The color will be slightly different even if you use the same paint product that the factory used. They have whats called "variances", and unless the vehicle is a base black, almost every shop will always want to blend adjacent panels to match (with lighter colors being the most difficult). In my experience, there is absolutely no advantage having a vehicle repaired/refinished at a dealer (but thats not to say some dealers are better than independents). Even the best dealers have flaws in their finishes, just like the independents do (in 12 years, in looking at over 10,000 vehicles, I've seen a perfect paint job maybe a couple of dozen times). I have found the better painters in the industry (and they are artists btw...) are found more at independent shops than at dealers. Dealers focus on production (i.e. getting vehicle in and out quickly as to achieve good monthly revenue) where independents focus more on quality. But again, some are better than others, with regards to dealers v. independents. This is not true at all. 1) Metallic has been a common finish since the early 90s and most vehicles nowadays have it. 2) Unless the finish is a three-stage paint, it doesn't cost any more to paint a metallic than it does a flat white, blue, green, etc. I agree here. Maaco is one of the few shops out there that still uses laquer in some cases. You get what you pay for. The most important things to look for when choosing a shop: 1) Ask specifically about their body men and painter. Ask about their certifications (most shops have them hanging on the wall in the office). 2) Ask them if they tape up or roll their paint lines (rolling is better). 3) Ask them if they R&I all trim before they paint (as to avoid overspray; cheaper shops will try and tape up, which leaves overlap/overspray and makes for a poor quality finish). 4) Ask them about their warranty. If a shop only warranties for a year or so, then avoid them. Most good shops offer a lifetime warranty (there is no excuse for paint to deteriorate these days). 5) Ask them for references.
Yan-Yao, If you are in the Houston area, here are a couple of recommendations on body shops: Westside Lexus (off I-10 W near Katy) Messaro's Paint & Body (on Upland off of I-10) Intercontinental Body Shop (on Spring Cypress, W of 45) Brocks Collision (NW Houston; Jones/1960 area)
mmm nice. i was going to ask for some references since you have more experience in this then me. ppg for my color code = sunburst yellow, while dupont = phoenix yellow (my color). my main concern wasn't with the body work, its with the paint. its hard finding a good shop who can paint match 100%. I even purchased paint from the companies that sell them to dealerships/body shops. Its all up to the guy mixing the paint. He'll mix a sample, but when he mixes the batch, it could still end up being slighly off.
The painter at the shop is the one who will mix the paint. And again, unless its black, it will almost always have a variance to it that will require blending of adjacent panels. The art is in the blending, not really in the mixing (although some are much better than others at this) The paint code doesn't go by the name, it goes by an alpha-numeric code that is usually on the option sticker or VIN plate on the car.
Like I said before, it's only a bit of of peel up or scratch, so nothing big of a deal. I just read a bit more about how the touch up paint, I think it fits my need perfectly, however, the only thing I'm worry about is how to get the job done in order to get the best result it can get. How do I apply the touch up paints in order to get the best result?
