What is the difference between paint repair at a 4S shop and outside?
2 Answers
The differences between paint repair at a 4S shop and outside are as follows: 1. Quality of paint: 4S shops are equipped with more advanced facilities, giving them an advantage in paint mixing and color matching. 2. Workmanship: Paint repair at a 4S shop is more refined compared to that at external repair shops. 3. Price: Paint repair at a 4S shop is more expensive and refined than at external repair shops. 4. Equipment: The paint repair equipment at 4S shops is more professional than that at external repair shops. Standard paint is the most common type of automotive paint, characterized by low cost and simple process, but its gloss is not very good, and the surface hardness is not high, making it particularly prone to scratches. Metallic paint, also known as metallic flake paint, is a popular type of automotive topcoat that contains fine aluminum particles in its paint base. When light hits these aluminum particles, it is reflected back through the paint film.
Last time I opted for a cheap paint touch-up at a small shop, but the color started fading within six months. The 4S dealership uses genuine factory paint cans, strictly following the automaker's standards for formulation and baking temperature—even details like color deviation are controlled within 0.5 degrees using specialized instruments. Independent repair shops often rely on technicians' experience for paint mixing, which can result in patchy appearances across different batches. A key advantage of 4S shops is their full-process video recording and archiving, with touch-up records traceable for three years. However, small shops are 30-40% cheaper—for example, a single bumper repaint costs 800-1,200 RMB at a 4S shop versus 500 RMB at a regular shop. For minor scratch repairs or small-area touch-ups, choosing an independent shop to save money is perfectly acceptable.
