Is the touch-up paint for a new car the same as the original?
2 Answers
Touch-up paint for a new car is not the same as the original. No matter where the touch-up is done, there will be some color difference. If the car is newly purchased and hasn't been used for long, the color difference will be very minimal. Below is an introduction to the touch-up process: Touch-up process: Determine the repair area, assess the extent of damage, apply protective measures, perform base layer treatment, mask and degrease, apply color paint - apply clear coat, perform blending treatment, bake, and polish. Quick repair precautions: Base coat. Before applying the clear coat, the base must be completely dry; otherwise, the paint surface may lose its gloss. Color paint - quick repairs must use single-component color paint. Clear coat - the spraying pressure should not be too high (2 to 2.5 KPa). Each layer should rest for 1-2 minutes, depending on the surrounding temperature. The lower the temperature, the longer the resting time, and vice versa. The spraying thickness should be 1.5-2 layers, not too thick, otherwise, it may not dry easily. After applying the clear coat, it must rest for 5 minutes before baking. Baking, sanding - use P1500 to P2000 beauty sandpaper to sand away dust spots and sand the entire area to a matte finish (dry sanding equipment is recommended; if wet sanding, use plenty of water to prevent scratches from embedded grit). Lightly sand the blending area. Polishing compound.
I bought a new car a few months ago and accidentally scraped the body in the garage, leaving quite noticeable scratches. After getting it repainted, I noticed the color wasn't a perfect match. The original factory paint was applied using a high-temperature baking process, resulting in high gloss and uniform color, but the touch-up paint is applied at lower temperatures and is more susceptible to environmental influences on color. Additionally, variations in paint batches and the precision of the technician's color mixing can affect the outcome—even a slight error in the mixing ratio can make a big difference. So, I recommend testing a small patch with a professional repair shop before fully repainting a new car. After touch-up, pay attention to daily maintenance, like waxing regularly to prevent corrosion, which can extend the paint's lifespan. Though it won't be as good as the factory finish, it can get close. Driving more carefully can help avoid such hassles.
