WTF, is the head panel of the FR-S a different color than the rest?!?!?!
 

After 6 months of owning my FR-S whiteout, I noticed that the head panel seems to be a SLIGHTLY different shade than the rest of the car.

I'm hoping it's just the lighting, my poor eyesight, and/or the different contours of the front panel that creates the illusion.

But now I can't shake it. From some angles it clearly looks different, and other times it looks seemless.

:slap:

EDIT: By head panel, I mean the front bumper piece of the exterior.

What is a head panel?

Hmmm... You mean Dashboard maybe?

I'm assuming you are talking about the front bumper? If so, yes it will be slightly off color because it's plastic vs sheet metal.

I'm thinking he means the headlights aka head panel

Oh boy

Head panel. You know...the head panel.

This threads title should be "WTF is a head panel?"

Cause I think OP is only one that knows or has a special name for
"Something"....

Looks like this guy isn't having the best of days. http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59678

sounds to me like he is talking about the difference in color between the metal hood and plastic front bumper.

op are you from britanland or something? do you call parking lots "car parks" too?

Yes, that's what I mean. I'm sorry sometimes I don't use proper terms when describing things.

Yes, that's what I mean. Is there a color difference? I can't really tell because if it is there, it's an incredibly small difference that you wouldn't notice if you're just casually going about your day.

And no, I'm American and I live in Seattle. I must have had a brain fart or something when typing "head panel".

You better edit your title before more people mistaken!

I tried doing that, but it only let me edit the body.

there actually is a subtle difference. it's so hard to paint match metal and plastic. I don't notice it on my asphalt, but I can see it on @jLoBRZ 's SWP

Well I guess that's the part that I'm confused about.

Isn't car paint opaque? If so, then why does it matter what the material underneath is?

Paint sits on surfaces and bond to materials differently...(and the very thin paint doesn't help the matter either) Very noticeable if you have a lighter colour.

P.S. I like how you made up a name for the front bumper skin. :thumbsup:

Because they have to add flex agents into the paint that goes on the plastic parts. This will cause a very slight, but more noticeable difference, in color on the lighter colored cars.

Hey guys, this user's FR-S photo is probably a good example of what I'm talking about. I was seriously unaware that there could be paint color differences on cars. I was not familiar with the chemistry behind it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...028121129a.jpg

I'm sorry that you've noticed it, now it may bug you .. hate things like that...

you may or may not be manually breathing now

Yeah, it sucks.

Previously I had created a similar panic thread regarding the car's asymmetrical side mirrors. I literally freaked and got on the forums as fast as possible to see if other people could confirm what I was seeing, or if it was a manufacturing defect.

It's normal. The paint on these cars is pretty low quality anyway.

That's pretty noticeable actually

My BRZ is white like the picture you posted but the difference in color from the front bumper to the body is not as noticeable as that Frs that you posted.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I'm too drunk for this. :cheers:

To be honest, unless you're about to spend serious money on a car all paint is more of less the same because the EPA mandates water based paint. In general, water based chemicals like paints and sealers are darlings for the environment (which is important) but can't hold a candle to anything solvent based (which suck$).


Not much you can do to circumvent this unless you partially disassemble your car/mask/strip the paint/prime/repaint with a lacquer/polyurethane/enamel paint (http://www.paintforcars.com/) /paint the plastic pieces separately then reassemble the car.




Question: why were they able to send a man to the moon 66 years after Kittyhawk but they can't come up with a thick durable, chip/element resistant water based paint??

So then this brings me to a followup question:

Why IS the bumper plastic?

What is the engineering (or perhaps business) thinking behind it?

its cheaper to make. its lighter than metal bumpers. coulda done carbonfiber but did i mention that platic bumpers are cheaper.

It can absorb impact better.

I learned something new today :)

Also, if you hit a pedestrian you'll be less likely to make them legless.

Head panel..Milk?

Same.

You can see the same type of paint issues on the backwards lolly tray and inner-frontward solid fascia beam tunnel.

:laughabove::laughabove::laughabove::lol:

It gives the Whiteout a unique 2 tone look. J/K. Weight savings ... I imagine.

But is it really that noticeable?

Moving on...

Unfortunately its going to be there on a white vehicle regardless of make.

My wifes Lexus and my FR-S both white have slightly different tinted bumpers than the rest of the car.

Heck even my damn red Toyota Tacoma (my she rest in peace) after a couple of years had a different shade of red on the ABS plastic bumper than the rest of the vehicle.

Its the damn plastic.

This