Paint Problem

[Alan Jackson]

My Avensis is the colour Silver Steel. There are other silver colours (for example, Silver Fern).

I bought a spray can of touch-up paint by giving the dealers my car registration rather than the name of the colour (Silver Steel). The name on the can is "Silver Met." and having used it, it has proved to be too dark. I queried it with the dealers who checked the long code number on the can against my car registration and they have assured me that it is correct. Are they right? Do Toyota really not sell paint which matches the colours of the cars they sell?

[edwardio]

If the dealer used the car number then it's the right paint. If you went into a Halfords for the paint, they'd use the same number.

This may sound daft but it's true. New paint will always appear slightly darker as it hasn't be bleached by the sun. As a possible solution, you could use a colour restorer around the body work, which will gradually help to hide the colour difference.

[Penfold]

If the dealer used the car number then it's the right paint. If you went into a Halfords for the paint, they'd use the same number.

This may sound daft but it's true. New paint will always appear slightly darker as it hasn't be bleached by the sun. As a possible solution, you could use a colour restorer around the body work, which will gradually help to hide the colour difference.

Whoa there folks - metallic paints consist of the base coat and a clear laquer coat - at least they do on my '98 Avensis and the wife's '01 Corolla.

Do NOT go near laquer coat with colour restorer (T-CUT) as it ruins it. If you need to buff out light scratches in the lacquer coat then use Brasso, Duraglit or Toothpaste (sounds funny but that's what the RAF used to polish the plexiglas canopies on their fighters)

A normal paste wax such as Simoniz will lift the dirt out of the clear coat nicely but it's hard work. Most liquid polishes these days just put a shine on top of the dirt and as they say - you can't polish a t*rd.

Have you applied the laquer coat? This will change the depth and shade of the colour.

What colour undercoat did you use? For silver you should be looking at either light grey or possibly white primer.

If the laquer coat is good and the primer is correct then it does indeed sound like the original paintwork has faded badly. Silver, Gold, Light Blue and Light Green are absolute s*ds to colour match.

When I had the N/S/R wing replaced on mine the paint shop blew in the new paint across the rear door and feathered it halfway acroos the front door to blend it in successfully. (it's metallic turquoise btw)

Hope this helps.

[Alan Jackson]

Many thanks to Penfold and Edwardio for the advice.