After an accident, you want your car back in good-as-new condition. For an auto body shop, one of the most challenging aspects of that repair is paint matching.
The truth is that you should feel great about what your car looks like when you get it back from the shop. But perfect paint matching does more than make your car look good. It also adds to resale value and allows drivers to return leased vehicles to the dealership with no charge.
Poor paint matching is painfully obvious. A car that has one panel that is a different color from the rest of the vehicle stands out from the crowd—and not in a good way! The mismatched paint can actually make the vehicle look worse than the accident – not the outcome you wanted after paying for insurance and deductibles.
Why Is It So Hard To Match Paint?
There’s a reason that matching the color of your paint is so challenging. When your car was at the factory, the entire body was painted at the same time from the same batch of paint. Though that paint color has a code, there are thousands of variations and shades. Even basic colors such as black and red have dozens, if not hundreds of shades to choose from.
Making it even more difficult, your car’s paint is like skin. Although you don’t notice it until you see it from a new angle or perspective, paint ages a little bit each day. Over times, this adds up and the older your vehicle is, the harder it is to match the paint.
This is where the art comes in. Even if a new batch of paint is mixed to factory specifications, there may still be a noticeable difference. A good technician can change that shade just enough to match the paint as it is, not as it was.
The artistry doesn’t stop there. If, say, a door panel on an older car needs repair, a shop can use blending techniques like lightly overspraying new paint onto old paint to create an unnoticeable transition. In some cases, though, weathering and fading may make it necessary to paint the entire side of the car. Some insurance companies refuse to pay for this. You may have to make a case with your adjuster, or work with your repair shop to include this next step as part of making a quality repair.
What Can You Do To Make Your Car Look Good-As-New?
Of course, even the best shop can’t bring a car that has seen better days back into good-as-new condition without taking some extra steps. You may want to consider getting your car buffed, which will brighten the paint up. This will cost extra but may be worth the money if you want that new car feeling without that new car price.
Accidents are often, at best, unpleasant experiences. It can feel good to put it behind you with a properly repaired car from a professional, reputable shop. When you want to work with an auto body repair shop that stands behind their work, bring your vehicle to Cline Collision Center. We are ASE-certified, have OEM certification from Infiniti, Nissan, Fiat/Chrysler (FCA), Honda/Acura, Ford, Hyundai, and Kia, and have earned Gold Class status from I-CAR. For top-quality workmanship and customer service, including help with navigating insurance challenges, call 707-591-9909 or contact us online today!
