Metalic v's solid colours for servicability

[Cloth-Ears]

Metallic paint is nice of course.

I'm just wondering though if a solid colur is easier to deal with in the event of scratches and marks. I don't know what I'm talking about at all, so I ask those who do.

Bodyshop work is hugely expensive. Small dents I don't really care about. Deeps scratches you kind of have to, otherwise it's rust time. But if all you want is to seal the thing up to prevent rust, then surely there is a cheap option to do that, thinking for example Halfods sell super polishes and repair kits, plus there was this magic pen thingy I saw on tv direct sale. But does metallic paint complicate things ? Would it have to be a solid colour for these polishes, kits and magic pens to work well ? Or are they fine for metallic paint too ?

I'd really like to say goodbye to the bodyshop in all but cases of serious denting damage. As I say, small dents don't cause a functional problem. Rust does, so I'd want to avoid that.

In your answers, bear in mind that residual value as it might be affected by dents and repaired scratches being identifiably D.I.Y. , is not an issue for me.

Thanks.

[meninblack]

The original metallic paints used to be a PITA to repair or touch up, but I think technology has moved on a bit.

Your ZiL was originally finished in a cheap Soviet copy of black Hammerite, which is easy to source and to use.

[Cloth-Ears]

Thanks.

Another question about metallic v's solid

- Would a solid colour dazzle me less when the wrong angle of sun hits it. The matallic blue car I've got at the moment has occasionally been downright dangerous in winter sun at certain angles, with a terrible glare coming up off the bonnet. Would a solid colur avoid this at all ?

[meninblack]

My mate has a matt black car (honestly!) which is great for avoiding dazzle. It's also dead easy to touch up. It's his third matt black car in a row...

[Brown Bottle]

My local Chips Away guy sorted out my last contract hire vehicle no problem, it was metallic.


Cheers BB

[Cloth-Ears]

Matt black - yuk ! At least I might avoid glare but on the other hand people might bang into me at night ( after all I don't use lights, in order to cut down my energy usage and help save the planet ).

How much does ChipsAway cost ? Can you buy a sort of cover I wonder ?

Are body shops an utter racket nowadays, given the polish/kit/magic pen alternatives ?

[Brown Bottle]

From memory I think the last car I had done by Chips Away was about £125.00 + VAT. Guy was here best part of a day and the inspector passed the car without question on return.

Cheers BB

[Cloth-Ears]

Another thing I have against black cars is that they actually show the dirt terribly. You might think not because it's such a dark colour, but actually they do.

[gthang]

Yes black cars are a swine to keep looking clean, my last 5 cars have been black (4 of which metallic). I prefer a good solid flat black (esp when polished) over metallic. My current car is a dark sliver / steel grey it never seems to need a wash.

[earlofsodbury]

You want an orange car with vermillion wheels.


You want this BECAUSE I FUCKING SAY SO

[freefallrob]

You want an orange car with vermillion wheels.


You want this BECAUSE I F******* SAY SO

Here you go, well it's vermillion orange anyway....

[Mr Cat]

Another thing I have against black cars is that they actually show the dirt terribly. You might think not because it's such a dark colour, but actually they do.

yeah, that's why my car's a lovely shade of beige

[rockmeister]

yup. Dirt is brown. very dark and very light colours show this up nicely. Brown doesn't show up brown much.
Id go mat, dog shit brown from army surplus stores.
Then touch up can be done with a domestic roller.

[tones]

Metallic paint is nice of course.

I'm just wondering though if a solid colur is easier to deal with in the event of scratches and marks. I don't know what I'm talking about at all, so I ask those who do.

Bodyshop work is hugely expensive. Small dents I don't really care about. Deeps scratches you kind of have to, otherwise it's rust time. But if all you want is to seal the thing up to prevent rust, then surely there is a cheap option to do that, thinking for example Halfods sell super polishes and repair kits, plus there was this magic pen thingy I saw on tv direct sale. But does metallic paint complicate things ? Would it have to be a solid colour for these polishes, kits and magic pens to work well ? Or are they fine for metallic paint too ?

I'd really like to say goodbye to the bodyshop in all but cases of serious denting damage. As I say, small dents don't cause a functional problem. Rust does, so I'd want to avoid that.

In your answers, bear in mind that residual value as it might be affected by dents and repaired scratches being identifiably D.I.Y. , is not an issue for me.

Thanks.

Generally minor touch-up of a metallic is no more unsightly than for a solid colour. The problems come when a larger area needs to be refinished. Many metallics these days are so-called "basecoat-clearcoat", that is, the metallic coat is sprayed on to the body, and while this is still wet, an unpigmented clear coat is sprayed on top. What this generally means is that, for a good-looking job, an entire panel should be sprayed. This then introduces a further problem, known to the industry as "flip". Aluminium flake pigment (the metal in "metallic") never orients itself the same way twice, so a newly-refinished panel will be perfect, but then abruptly change its colour at a different viewing angle. They've got better at overcoming this, I believe. Another factor is that many so-called "metallics" have no metal at all, but coated mica flake. This is the basis of many of the vivid "candy apple" colours. Mica flake is translucent, so, as well as getting rid of the "milky" appearance given by aluminium flake, it is also less susceptible to flip.

So, in essence, small touch-ups, no problem, but larger jobs professional job, otherwise unsightly mess may result.

[meninblack]

Good call. Matt dogshit would be ideal for the clothmobile. As luck would have it, the Skoda Superb is available in a fetching shade of dogshit, which they call Magnetic Brown. (Magnetic to flies and dung beetles, presumably.) I suggest lime green wheels to set it off.

[ADPully]

Cloffo I think you are meowing up the wrong tree.

[julian2002]

Have it vinyl wrapped in ads and make money...

[Sir_Franc]

Clothy, I spotted your car at Scalford. I really don't think you need to worry about touching the paint work up