Body Work and Paint

I am getting the front bumper of my 996 replaced. Is there any particular brand of paint that I should insist upon at the body shop? Also the insurance company only wants to pay for a refurbished bumper, does that make a difference? Thanks for your input.

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Porsche approved collision centers must use Standox, Spies-Hecker or Glasurit paint and paint systems. These are the only paints and paint systems recognized by Porsche. The 1st two used at the factory. The 3rd one I believe a Mercedes paint/paint system but has been accepted by Porsche, added to its list recently (within a year maybe 2). If you have to tell the shop what paint to use you're using the wrong shop. Your insurance or other driver's? My experience is insurance company will "insist" on refurbished bumper cover. The shop goes through the motions: A cover is found, if one can be found, and it is crap. Poor fit, finish. Body shop -- if it is any good -- calls out adjuster and gets adjuster to agree to ok new one. New (factory) cover received, prep'd, painted, installed. Done. If the body shop believes the refurbished bumper cover acceptable cosmetically and mechanically -- its proper fit and shape is important for correct air flow under the car, into the radiators, and over the front cover surface and on to the hood (or the car'll will make noises (at best) as you drive it down the road -- so don't think it all comes down to paint color matching. A proper fitted bumper cover is important in several ways. I'd urge to find a way to insist a new OEM cover be fitted. Read fine print of insurance policy. You want car fixed to its pre-collision condition. Did it have a refurbished bumper cover? Sincerely, Macster.

Thanks for help.

I was told that the body shop uses Sherwinn-Williams paint. They say that most paints these days are the same, and that they are all polly Euruthene based. Is that good?

Where are you located? Your insurance or other driver? What year of vehicle, and what color?

All of the current paints used on these cars is a variation of poly urethane and is a base coat/clear coat system. The major brands have their own names. And have different quality lines in their own products. I have used R&M, Glasurit, PPG, DuPont, etc. I had problems getting a good color match. Ive ended up with DuPont ChromaBase giving me the best and most accurate color match. Using the vin to find the variation. All of these paints are good stuff. but it doesnt matter if the colors dont match.

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My source is some Porsche paperwork that covers what a collision repair center is required to have, use and provide it customers (even down to the waiting area) in order to be classified by Porsche as a Porsche approved collision repair center. Standox and Spies-Hecker and Glasurit paints and paint systems are the only ones listed. The 1st two I believe are DuPont. What they are that is if they are polyurethane based or some other formulation I don't know. I do know I would not use a body shop that doesn't use one of the above paints and paint systems. As for color matching even the best paint and paint system can deliver less than satisfactory results if the paint is mis-mixed, the painted surfaces are not properly prepped, the paint is mis-applied, or the paint system mis-used, etc. To ensure paint matching undetectable by the eye what I was told was done was the new panels were prepped, painted and adjacent body panels prepped and painted from where they lay next to the new panels and then back a ways. The few examples of this type of paint work I've seen the new and original paint matches. The only clue any paint work has been done -- if one looks close enough -- is the new panels and the old panels that have been sprayed to blend with each other have less orange peel than the factory paint finish. Call around to various Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, etc. car dealers and ask where they have their body/paint work done. New cars get damaged and dealers have a shop they rely upon to fix cars. This is the shop you want to use. You do not -- my opinion -- you do not want to use a shop that uses Sherman Williams paints. Not unless you're having a storage shed painted. Sincerely, Macster.

Glasurit is BASF, I like it , clear is hard

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this is a little off base, but i used a product called quixx, suppose to be one of the top scratch removers, but i used the #1 & #2 creams & it left a very dull (hazy) spot on my car that i can't get it to come back to a gloss color like the rest of car, i've tried waxing, buffing, & even clayed it, but it's still a dull hazy color, any ideas?

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yes you've marred the clearcoat, basically like using a heavy rubbing compound or a scouring pad on the paint. you'll need a good medium polish and a polisher. I recommend Menzerna Super Intensive Polish for its ability to remove pretty heavy marring while also being able to finish down to a nice shine depending on which pad you use. I would get a porter cable based random orbital polisher with a heavy and a lighter "finishing" pad to do the job in two slow, safe passes (or more if necessary). I don't recommend doing it by hand. too easy for a novice to burn the paint when going after one spot of already marred and thinned clear by hand. There are a ton of DIYs all over autopia and detailer's domain which will give you all the information you need on how to use polish and polishers.

my car uses glasurit.... its a 2000 car.

Ahem... http://www.porschecollisioncenter.com/ Read the PACC Collision Center Standards 2009 document for more detail on approved paints, processes & procedures, and standards. Click on collision center locator to find one near you. The majority are in CA w/ a few on the East Coast. Us North Texas guys are screwed. /m

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thanks, i'll let you know how it turns out!

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I thought your car was chromaflair? (thats JDSU/Flex Products) I guess they probably make the shifting part Glasurit color change paint too (I think it's called "glasurit fantasy color")

I appreciate your advice. I think I will just go to the shop that my local Porsche dealer suggested. They use Standox paint and I felt comfortable since there were several Porsches in their shop. FYI its a Black car.