Do auto body shops use their own paint?

Question

Or do they get the exact color for make and model?

Due to an accident, I had a new bumper put on and then painted. When I picked up the car, I noticed that the bumper is lighter than the rest of the car. My car is jet black, so it's very obvious.

When I mentioned this, the guy said that all auto body shops get the same black paint and that there is no specific color

Someone told me that the guy should have ordered specific paint, and that he didn't because he didn't want to spend the money. Is this true? By the way, my car is only two years old.

Answer 1

You have a right to expect it to match. No excuses accepted. Matching paint is a big part of quality body work. It's unfortunate that some of these shops are unprofessional and shouldn't be in business. Don't pay them until it is done right.

Answer 2

Good body shops always order paint from the dealer for the brand of car that you have, so that you have an exact match (or as close as possible due to fading of paint over time) of the original color.

BTW - There are several shades of black (glossy, metallic etc)

Answer 3

Since the body shop you went to was required to match paint colors with that of the car, the guy should have matched the paint on your car to that of the factory paint codes. It is never mixed by that guy but rather purchased through the car maker. However, many times even with the correct the identical paint codes, the colors may deviate~may be lighter or darker. Note: having your car painted through the dealer is a waste of money because many car dealers give the task up to a 3rd party.

Answer 4

We can not say why he used the paint he had maybe to save money,maybe that's what he was sold.

But paint matching is a science,Paint can be matched "PERFECTLY"!

SO if you paid him,you have the right to not be satisfied. You are supposed to be satisfied.

                               "BRILLIANT"!!!!

Answer 5

some mix their own colours, other go to an auto paint stockist, ie store.

most paint manufacturers have a basic black colour that is pre-mixed.  it will match some car manufacturer's black or not.

look under your hood or door for a sticker that has your paint code on it.

go to a auto paint store and have them look up the colour code.  if it is a special mix or a stock blck they can tell you.

it may be due to not using a base coat/clear coat system or not.

sometimes the car will fade and the paint will not match that well.

talk to the paint guy, tke him a six pack and get his opinion.

the bottom line is, the paint should match.

Answer 6

Over time the paint on a vehicle does change due to UV light and the elements (weather). Body shops buy their paint from wholesale supply stores that sell name brands such as Dupont and PPG. The paint is mixed to match the color of your car, usually by scanning a small part of the car with a machine. The machine then tells the person what materials to mix to get a good match, or, at the really good suppliers, everything is done by computer. If your paint doesn't match, it obviously was not mixed correctly. I would take it back and make them do the job over and do it right. There's really nothing that looks worse than a black car that has mismatched paint, I know cause I have 4 black trucks. Black paint is not all the same! Don't let anybody tell you different.

Answer 7

The hardest colors to match are black and white.  If your body shop guy didn't bother to get the right shade of black, he took a gamble and lost.  You need to hold his feet to the fire and get him to do what you paid him to do.  

And to answer your question, no.  Not even the big chains like Earle Scheib use their own brand of paint.  

Small shops get their paint from the local automotive paint store.  Each can they buy is either made up from the color code on your car's tag, or color matched to a sample the shop brings in for matching.  Color matching used to be an art and a good color matcher was a body shop's pride and joy.  But today, it's done by optical machines and they do a darn good job.

Large shops have a very elaborate paint tinting system that costs beau coup bucks and is serviced by the paint manufacturer.  There are a number of paint manufactureres including PPG, Dupont, Nason etc.  I personally like PPG best because it still smells like the auto paint made by Ditzler back in the day, a company PPG bought out a couple decades ago.  I've always gotten good results using it.

Answer 8

That guy who painted your car SHOULD have ordered specific paint for the model and year of your car. He's lying (or is ignorant!) when he says that all black paint is the same. If you had your insurance pay for that work, you may be eligible for a re-paint. Call your agent and explain the problem. You are supposed to receive bodywork that returns your car to it's original condition and you didn't. Argue for your rights, and good luck!