Red (and also colors that require a good portion of red, like brown) tends to be a more expensive color. Car colors can cost from a few hundred to thousands of dollars extra. Two Subaru design and color gurus, Peter Tenn and Michael Gobin, say that it's important to get that car out of the showroom to see what it looks like in natural light.Īsk the paint/finish price. That's the tongue-twisting term for a car color appearing to change under different lighting conditions. These pieces are generally made of plastic, and the automotive paint may not adhere as well in these areas. Inspect the paint finish on bumpers and mirrors. Make sure you don't see paint drips on the side of the car.
Or it was repaired.Ĭheck car doors (including doorjams). Look at the hood of the car, not just under it. The hood is the easiest part of the car to paint, so if the paint isn't smooth and even there, it's a sign that the car doesn't have the best paint job. The orange peel effect happens during the automotive paint application if droplets prematurely dry and harden. Czornij advises that you want the car surface to look smooth like an apple's surface, not textured and mottled like an orange peel. Think apple-not orange-to avoid a lemon of a finish. To check the quality of a finish, follow these expert tips:
In talking with paint companies, there is the clear message that paint science is constantly improving, yet there continues to be reports of clear coat and paint finishes bubbling and peeling a few years after purchase on some vehicles.Īlthough the automakers, and their suppliers, put much effort into ensuring a top-notch finish on new cars, the quality on individual cars can vary. Automotive paint samples are also put through their paces in a "gravelometer," where they are pelted with gravel and evaluated for durability.
The farm is the "New York, New York" of the auto world-if the automotive paint can make it there, it'll make it anywhere. To ensure that a finish will retain its appearance for at least a decade, it is put to the test against natural and man-made abuse.īefore a paint premieres on the showroom floor, it goes to the farm-a panel farm, that is-where it endures South Florida's heat, humidity, and sun for up to five years to prove that it has the staying power to coat your car. New hues are designed to last for at least 10 years, according to Jane Harrington-Durst, manager of color styling for the auto-paint manufacturer PPG. About seven years of color research and testing go into making a car color and finish showroom ready.
0 kommentar(er)
