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Question for the Pure White GTIs (bumper/body paint mismatch)

shortyb

Autocross Newbie
Location
Upstate SC
Car(s)
Felon Taxi,Dad Wagon
Give it some more time to cure and gas-off, then recheck it. Likely the painter (applicator) just thumb-nailed his prime tint from factory code and didn't scan it. Also depends on paint supplier as each can "lay" differently. Then you have the issue with flex additives, reducers etc., hard to match factory 100%.

If it really bugs you then have them spray the bumper cover or blend it. Or give it a few months and you won't care much about it anymore. Overall, it looks like a pretty good repair IMHO. I have a PW car and have always seen a very slight difference between the covers and the sheet metal on mine depending on lighting. No biggie, it's white all over. Except now it's PY (pollen yellow) ?.
 
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Golfs everyday

Autocross Newbie
Location
USA
I remembered this thread while I was in my garage yesterday and stared at my Golf-R's parting line. I suppose there is a slight difference even while not repaired (bumper and body are painted in different booths/supplier at different times usually at the factory anyway) so not sure, it might not bother you after a while.

I know for certain my used FiST's fender was repaired before taking ownership and it's a white pearl color. There is a definite difference in color between the bumper and fender, they did a good job blending within the front door. Since this is my daily driver aka beater, I see it everyday but don't care. I mean it's like your repair, not obvious to everyone, but to sensitive eyes, noticeable.
 

FROSTYmk7.5

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Denver Colorado
Car(s)
mk7.5 golf gti 6MT
Especially 7.5s.

I bought my Mk7.5 in January. A few weeks later, I pulled a bonehead move and failed to notice a low wall as I was pulling out of a parking space. Result?







I just got it back from the paint shop and I feel like there's a paint mismatch between the bumper and quarter panel. It's driving me insane. Some people think they see it when I point it out, some don't. It seems to show up in some lighting conditions but not others, for me at least. The car had 800 miles on it at the time of the incident and the quarter and door were painted, the bumper was not touched.

So, here's the question: Do all Pure Whites have a slight paint mismatch between bumpers/body at some angles/lighting conditions? I know flex agents in bumper paint may cause some mismatch, but I hadn't noticed this in 800 miles of driving and can't tell if this is excessive. Here's what it looks like post-repair:



Sorta visible here:












Terrible pic of what it looks like now (apologies, not driving the car due to the current "stay at home" order).

Body shops paint, and they paint match... Seems like they missed the second step on your car. Id check your invoice as paint matching and painting are 2 separate charges. I got into an accident at just over 1,000 miles in my 2019 gti. The car looks the same color all around. And yes my car is pure white.
 

GTIMaryland

New member
Location
Baltimore
Is it solid white or pearl 3 stage white? 3 stage whites one of the most difficult colors to match. Also keep in mind that paint lays different on plastic and metal and it may look like color mismatch
 

VDubberinDE

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Delaware
Car(s)
2018 VW Golf R
There is a slight difference, but honestly I would leave it, no one is ever going to notice. I learned my OCD usually makes things worse when I try to fix them. I see cars brand new from the factory where the bumper is slightly different shade than body. Depending on lighting and angle. You are looking for it so of course you are going to see it. But now if you want them to sand your car again and add yet another layer? There is even a chance they wouldn't even do it right and probably scuff it and just add another layer on top so as not to lose money. Picking the right body shop is the hardest step. You should of asked about the bumper body match and how good they would get it. Different shops have different paint systems and some are much better than others. No matter the car that I have at any one time, I take it to a shop that does nothing but high end cars. Their paint system is amazing. Costs more for sure, but perfect job every time. Let us know what the shop says after they look at it since we know you won't be able to stand it every time you look at it. Good luck.
 

VadGTI

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Los Angeles, CA
An update of sorts. Over the last two weeks, due to the stay at home order, I've had a lot of time to go over the car with a fine-tooth comb. Went back to the body shop at the insistence of the shop owner to drop the car off a couple of days ago. Pre-drop-off, I met up with a friend (with social distancing + mask + gloves) and had him look at all the issues I spotted, to confirm that I wasn't insane and that they existed. These included:

* the mismatched bumper/quarter panel
* a paint line that I could feel along the roof rail
* the interior of the door jamb that remained unpainted
* several runs, bumps, and splotches
* failure to remove the 3M door handle cup with paint all around it
* fat, thick paint over many of the surfaces, making them look less "crisp"

Show up at the shop. Start pointing out the issues, get a lot of "What you're asking for can't be done," "bumpers never match!," "there are no bumps! Factory paint is worse!," etc. We have a polite stand-off, and then he walks back to the shop and brings out a check for $500 (what I had paid him so far, the agreement was $900). Says that he admittedly failed to finish because he returned the car to me the day the mayor's order to shelter in place took place and he thought the car would be locked down for a month (this is before he realized auto services were "essential"). Says he'd fix some of the things (finish painting jambs, polish the car, etc.), but that he simply did not see the bubbles and that the paint would never match. Said that, given my complaints, he's essentially done with the car. Basically threw his hands up, telling me because he did not want it to ruin a family friendship...

Oh, did I mention that he's my mom's best friend's husband? Yeah, now you can see just how shitty/awkward this is. I was originally going to pay him $900, which wasn't even a "hook-up" price, as my prior estimates at several other shops ranged from $900 to $11XX. I decided that it made sense to go with someone who I knew, who had owned a body shop for three decades, and whose work I had previously seen (he did my sister's Tiguan and it came out excellent). After all, why pay a stranger when you can pay a family friend?

This is why, people. This is why:





Yep, that last one is a 3" run/bump that he simply could not see (or refused to see).

I took it to a high-end shop after leaving his place and they nearly lost their shit. Violated social distancing norms to all come out and look. Said that it would not be a simple job to redo this.

Now I'm stuck trying to figure out if I should cash this check or just eat the $500 and start from scratch. On the one hand, he did do the metal work and cashing it may ruin my mom's friendship with his wife. On the other hand, this will now cost me way more than I would have otherwise paid.

Don't do business with friends and family.
 

shortyb

Autocross Newbie
Location
Upstate SC
Car(s)
Felon Taxi,Dad Wagon
Wow. Can't see all of that in the pictures. But with this level of shitty work, you'd better cash that check.
 

FROSTYmk7.5

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Denver Colorado
Car(s)
mk7.5 golf gti 6MT
An update of sorts. Over the last two weeks, due to the stay at home order, I've had a lot of time to go over the car with a fine-tooth comb. Went back to the body shop at the insistence of the shop owner to drop the car off a couple of days ago. Pre-drop-off, I met up with a friend (with social distancing + mask + gloves) and had him look at all the issues I spotted, to confirm that I wasn't insane and that they existed. These included:

* the mismatched bumper/quarter panel
* a paint line that I could feel along the roof rail
* the interior of the door jamb that remained unpainted
* several runs, bumps, and splotches
* failure to remove the 3M door handle cup with paint all around it
* fat, thick paint over many of the surfaces, making them look less "crisp"

Show up at the shop. Start pointing out the issues, get a lot of "What you're asking for can't be done," "bumpers never match!," "there are no bumps! Factory paint is worse!," etc. We have a polite stand-off, and then he walks back to the shop and brings out a check for $500 (what I had paid him so far, the agreement was $900). Says that he admittedly failed to finish because he returned the car to me the day the mayor's order to shelter in place took place and he thought the car would be locked down for a month (this is before he realized auto services were "essential"). Says he'd fix some of the things (finish painting jambs, polish the car, etc.), but that he simply did not see the bubbles and that the paint would never match. Said that, given my complaints, he's essentially done with the car. Basically threw his hands up, telling me because he did not want it to ruin a family friendship...

Oh, did I mention that he's my mom's best friend's husband? Yeah, now you can see just how shitty/awkward this is. I was originally going to pay him $900, which wasn't even a "hook-up" price, as my prior estimates at several other shops ranged from $900 to $11XX. I decided that it made sense to go with someone who I knew, who had owned a body shop for three decades, and whose work I had previously seen (he did my sister's Tiguan and it came out excellent). After all, why pay a stranger when you can pay a family friend?

This is why, people. This is why:





Yep, that last one is a 3" run/bump that he simply could not see (or refused to see).

I took it to a high-end shop after leaving his place and they nearly lost their shit. Violated social distancing norms to all come out and look. Said that it would not be a simple job to redo this.

Now I'm stuck trying to figure out if I should cash this check or just eat the $500 and start from scratch. On the one hand, he did do the metal work and cashing it may ruin my mom's friendship with his wife. On the other hand, this will now cost me way more than I would have otherwise paid.

Don't do business with friends and family.
I'd cash the check. what a 1/2 assed job.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
I think that you should get all your money back. You're going to pay extra to get it done correctly and you shouldn't have to. He didn't give a damn about family relationships.
 

Golfs everyday

Autocross Newbie
Location
USA
If my wife recommended me to someone she knew personally and they sucked, my wife would pay for the entire repair on my behalf. At this point it's not about money, it's more like who the hell is this guy your wife's best friend married?
 

dequardo

Autocross Newbie
Location
America’s Dairyland
Car(s)
‘21 GLI Autobahn GLI
Don’t overthink it. Take and cash the check and chalk up the difference to a family write off.
 
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