Can anyone explain the Mercury Metallic color phenomenon?
08-29-14, 06:31 AM
#16
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If you guys have a good detailer in your area that does paint corrections, odds are, they have a tool called a "paint thickness gauge" PTG for short. If you can find someone that has this, they can easily tell if some panels were repainted.
On average, OEM paintjobs on regular production cars (excluding exotics) read between 4-7mils, with 7 being on the really THICK side. If it's a repaint, odds are that panel will read a much higher number like 11-12 or something completely abnormal like 15-30 if filler was used. Likewise, if the panel was completely replaced, it often ends up reading a lower number than factory paint from what I have seen.
You can buy a cheap, good PTG for about 200-300 dollars but it will only read metal surfaces so it would be useless for measusing those lower plastic panels on the LS. A PTG that reads plastic and metal and has the ability to break down the paint layers into separate readings can costs several thousand dollars.
On average, OEM paintjobs on regular production cars (excluding exotics) read between 4-7mils, with 7 being on the really THICK side. If it's a repaint, odds are that panel will read a much higher number like 11-12 or something completely abnormal like 15-30 if filler was used. Likewise, if the panel was completely replaced, it often ends up reading a lower number than factory paint from what I have seen.
You can buy a cheap, good PTG for about 200-300 dollars but it will only read metal surfaces so it would be useless for measusing those lower plastic panels on the LS. A PTG that reads plastic and metal and has the ability to break down the paint layers into separate readings can costs several thousand dollars.
Good call, I saw one one Craigslist for a buck and wondered why I'd want one.....now I have a reason!
08-29-14, 06:59 AM
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Thanks Gooshter - I did see that a few months ago and that's why I've ignored this car (also, it's the most obvious case I've seen since I started searching), but one of the other two are "clean" (obviously not everything is reported).
I was really thinking that it was a camera angle/filter issue, but after all the feedback, I'm ready to accept these are probably resprays, new panels, etc. Sucks, but good to know...
Chock another one up to Club Lex.
Thanks everyone
08-29-14, 07:13 AM
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Two other ways this happens...
Many times the dealer selling the used car will do a quick and dirty paint job on the front part of the car to get rid of rock chips on the hood and bumper, etc.
Secondarily, it could be from accident damage, but fixed by replacing the entire door from another car painted the same color (from a salvage yard) which has weathered differently (parked inside vs out, etc). My wife's track car got hit in the rear door and we did exactly that. Same color OEM paint but same sort of color mismatch.
Might check if there is a VIN tag on that door to see if it matches the rest of the car.
Many times the dealer selling the used car will do a quick and dirty paint job on the front part of the car to get rid of rock chips on the hood and bumper, etc.
Secondarily, it could be from accident damage, but fixed by replacing the entire door from another car painted the same color (from a salvage yard) which has weathered differently (parked inside vs out, etc). My wife's track car got hit in the rear door and we did exactly that. Same color OEM paint but same sort of color mismatch.
Might check if there is a VIN tag on that door to see if it matches the rest of the car.
08-29-14, 06:50 PM
#20
Its most likely due to a repaint. Silver is a tough color to match and that is why good body shops blend the color in over a wide area with the edges feathered into the old paint. Then all the panels that were painted with the color are clear coated.
The situation you see is the door was the only panel painted. While you see this all the time, its not the correct way to repaint corrected panels. Sorry, but someone took a short cut and saved $$$...
The situation you see is the door was the only panel painted. While you see this all the time, its not the correct way to repaint corrected panels. Sorry, but someone took a short cut and saved $$$...
Last edited by DaveGS4; 09-03-14 at 09:23 AM.
09-01-14, 07:14 AM
#21
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Talked to a passer-by (well, at a gas station) that had a Merc Metallic yesterday and he said he notices his "looks" like it does not match at some angles in the bright sun. He is the original owner and has had no work done. When I looked at his car, I swear I saw the slightest mismatch, but It could be me looking too hard.
Definitely appreciate everyone's reply on their take.
Thanks again
Definitely appreciate everyone's reply on their take.
Thanks again
Last edited by DaveGS4; 09-03-14 at 09:23 AM. Reason: let's leave out personal commentary please
09-03-14, 10:28 AM
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09-03-14, 12:45 PM
#25
My dad painted cars years ago and this is what I was told. I had an '05 IS300 a few years ago and it was Millennium Silver Metallic with similar issues. "Any metallic paint job that was not completely painted on the same day, at the same temp and dust booth conditions, will have variations because the metal in the paint reacts to the temp and environmental changes surrounding it." We already know your bumpers will always be slightly different colors than the metal body parts of your car because the paint has to have additives to make it adhere differently to the polyurethane/fiberglass that they're made from. Just what I was told by a 20+year professional.
09-03-14, 04:47 PM
#26
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This mean that factory painted cars should not have any color variation. I am assuming that the Lexus factory is smart enough to maintain proper paint conditions and don't stop the line half way through painting a car. Consequently, I don't believe there is a factoy paint phenomenon.
09-04-14, 01:35 PM
#27
This mean that factory painted cars should not have any color variation. I am assuming that the Lexus factory is smart enough to maintain proper paint conditions and don't stop the line half way through painting a car. Consequently, I don't believe there is a factoy paint phenomenon.
