if home depot can match a color, why the heck can't a body shop do it right?

 

its not only a body shop that cant get pearl white right
it is impossible
everytime they mix the colors to get pearl white, a different color comes out, sometimes it is more white and sometimes it is more pearl
even if you use the same bucket of paint to color different parts, they might differ in color

that is part of the reason why it is more expensive to paint pearl white body kits, hard to do a nice job,,...

 

it's not that the color itself is really really hard to match...granted, pearl white is one of the most difficult color to match, but it's been done and can be done..just cost alot of money and time...
it's because paint change or fade against the sun, dust, tars, and other enviornmental factors...especially on white cars...if you took a look at a white car, you'll notice that the lower bumper and around your window and roof is in different tones after you had your car for a while. the paint gets stained by these unpleasant 'things' and becomes different from how the OEM color should look like.
so when a bodyshop get the paint from the dealer or whoever...it's not like they're getting the wrong paint. that's why they have to blend in the paint...also 'where' you paint is another story...on different materials, the paint will stick differently...and this may cause color to appear slightly off...like the factory bumpers...they are plastic and the bumper color is almost always off from the fenders and other metal pieces of your car...

color matching your bumpers cost alot of money. it's not an easy thing or economical thing. the car prices went up partly due to this 'color matching bumpers and moldings'...if the car manufacturers didn't paint the bumpers and moldings, the car prices would be somewhat lower than what they are right now...

 

Why does everyone try and match the paint? Just get the same paint from Nissan. I had a 98 Black Maxima that was hit ($10,000 worth of damage) and when it was re-painted it looked brand new, everything matched completely. My parents have had paint work done at the same place (a good family friend owns the shop) and it came perfect. What they do is get the paint from the dealer. That is where I am getting my body kit painted. I always here people say "the shop did not match my kit to my car!" why not just get the paint from Nissan?

 

Even if they get the paint from Nissan, whoever manufactures the paint probably has to manufacture more than one batch. Like they were trying to say above, Batch 1 is going to be different from Batch 2, and both of those different from Batch 3. The manufacturers of the paint may mix in slightly different proportions of the two paints which causes it to be a different color, or the white color itself could be different. For example, the white could have too much black in it or some color. Just like baking a cake. Granted the two will come out very similar in taste, but they may look different. Keyword is may. Take an angel food cake for example, no two are exactly the same hue when they are done baking. There could be many batches of paint that look the same, but there are also a lot of cars painted and a lot of paint used. If they made one big batch then it would match, but they can't just make one big batch and use it for all the thousands of white cars that they paint. Sorry if this didn't make too much sense, but I tried to explain it as best as possble. I hope you can pull the jist of it out.

 

of course they get the paint from the dealer...but it's really really different painting a black car vs. painting a pearl white or white cars...black car is relatively easier to match the paint because it's so dark, you can't really tell how much you're off unless the bodyshop really screws it up(even this, i can't really imagine..).
but pearl white...man...it's just hard...let's just leave it at that..

 

Very true, I guess it is easier to do with black, every batch is different.

 

hmmm cake

Doesn't a pearl coat have an additional layer between the paint and clearcoat? When I was looking into having a car painted they said they could put a pearl coat between my paint and clearcoat to give the hint of another color in certain lights/angles.

 

Yes the pearl coat is separate.

 

It's because we have Icelandic Pearl. Translation = not white, not cream therefore difficult to match.

 

I know on the TL-S (yes, that's my current car, please don't bash me I'm not a fire-starter) the Pearl White has the same problem. If you look very, very closely, you'll see that the bumpers and the car itself are different shades of white. I've read that this has something to do with the way that the paint bonds to the metal of the car vs. the plastic of the bumpers. I also agree that every batch is mixed different, so it's very tough to get the exact match.....

 

Interesting thread. I have a grey lustre car and the same is true. The paint on the plastic bumper covers are much duller than on the metal bits as there appears to be much less metal flake on the plastic. Also the ulra thin (one coat?) clear coats don't help much either. The plastic just looks dull compared to the metal parts of the car.