Blending Paintwork

[nilejackson]

Recently picked up the mini, i was aware the car had had two new doors.

Both have been sprayed to the exact colour but obviously with the paintwork having a 19 year age gap there was going to be a slight difference.

I dont want to tarnish the great new paint job. But is there a way possible of dulling down or buffing up either or of the paint works to get them to match. Are there any tips or products people can suggest that have had this problem before :-)

[asahartz]

I'll be surprised if you can get that to match without a complete repaint. That's a colour that needs lots of coats to get the true shade, and it looks as though the doors have not been given enough.

Your best alternative is to cut back the rest of the car to get rid of any oxidisation - it's also a colur that does tend to oxidise badly, as do all reds and browns. Use a good quality cutting compound such as Farecla G3 (from your local auto factor), and if possible do it with a low-speed electric polishing mop. Use plenty of water - keep it wet! It's a messy job too, so do it wearing old clothes, and away from anything else (unless you want to wash everyone else's cars etc!) Suggest also removing grille and covering wheels. That will bring your paintwork to its best shine ever and remove any dirt or road film - if it doesn't match then, it never will. Apply a coat of polish then.

[nilejackson]

Thank you very much ill give it a little go over this weekend. I dont think i have the guts to start cutting it though! i may take it to a professional place at some point.

thank you though!

[Pink-Shifty]

Yup, totally agree with asahartz, I don't think theres any way that will ever match without a repaint.

It may be worth trying chips away or a similar company as they be able to help blend in the paint without repainting the car.

It will never look perfect though and the best you can hope for is just making it less noticeable.

[miniac91]

I realize I'm coming in a bit late on this, but for the sake of those out there who may also encounter this very problem, I'd like to add the following.

No amount of polish, compound, wax, or Armor All will adjust the color of paint. Only paint will do that.

When I purchased my Mini, it was this very color and the door on the left side was repainted and did not match. It was off by a mile.

Being in the paint and body repair business for the last 32 years made me wonder why, as small as the Mini is, would a shop be so low budget as to not blend the color in to the A-pillar panel and the quarter panel. It would take roughly a half an hours more effort, and the job would be so much better, and the owner would be so much happier with the results.

Is paint work so expensive in the UK that this is a common practice, or is this just some low budget shop that does this type of work?

So for those of you out there who may be considering some spot paint repair, if the shop tries to up sale you on blending color into the next panel, consider it. Or your Mini may end up looking like this too.

P.S. be sure the shop doesn't try to blend a color as far off as this example however, as it would still look awful.

[76antiquegold]

I agree, i recently fitted 2 new wings and painted them in electric blue, it looked great `till i put the doors and bonnet back on then i realised it was a different shade. I tried compound, t-cut and even flatting down the old paint with 1500 wet and dry and then shining it up again, it still looks different unless you squint! I wish i`d done the full car now.