Problems color matching WRB (02C) BRZ

[Vmax911]

So I repaired a couple of rock chips this weekend. I stopped by the dealer and got some touchup paint. I used the toothpick method of applying the paint, and the paint appears to be too dark. Anyone have any experience matching WRB for chips? Maybe there is a non-subaru paint option that matched better?

[qoncept]

Your paint is probably thicker where you touched it up. You really need to sand to have any hope.

I bought WRB in a rattle can from Grimmspeed twice. It matched when I painted the hood scoop on my 8 year old, faded WRX. The FRS fender vents I painted are noticeably lighter than my BRZ. I don't recommend.

[OrbitalEllipses]

The touchup paint from the dealer for WRB is garbage. Detailer's Domain seemed to think it was a solvent based tint, which could make sense. The cars are waterborne painted, so the solvent based stuff will never match properly.

[spitfire481]

dont expect miracles out of touch up paint. its hard enough to get a good color match when actually spraying a legit basecoat, let alone dabbing it on and zero blending

[zinzan]

Originally Posted by Vmax911

So I repaired a couple of rock chips this weekend. I stopped by the dealer and got some touchup paint. I used the toothpick method of applying the paint, and the paint appears to be too dark. Anyone have any experience matching WRB for chips? Maybe there is a non-subaru paint option that matched better?

I know this is an old thread, but would a non-subaru paint work better, like maybe from automotivetouchup.com? Can/should we find water-based touchup paint for WRB?

-Z

[OrbitalEllipses]

A water based touch-up is hard since waterborne paint needs an adhesion promoter or that's what my understanding was from the paintshop guys. They gave me a little bottle of the paint they used on my wing with instructions that I would *really* need to shake it and let it dry for a while if used.

[spitfire481]

Waterborne should not be shaken, it needs to be stirred to properly mix the toners. Shaking it will make a ton of foam and make the pigments suspend weird. Probably not a big deal if your just touching up but spraying it causes issues. Waterborne also needs a clear coat over top. It will gradually wear/wash away in a somewhat short period of time. No touch up paint will be unnoticeable. Even if I painted a part and gave you the extra base coat. It will still look different when touching up. It's the application method and the damage you are covering which makes it look off

[DSOmegaX]

Also keep in mind that theres differences in the world rally blue color over different gens and models while still using the 02C code. Either way, it will never be a perfect match.

[zinzan]

I've just got a couple small chips on the hood, probably from the sand/gravel spread on our roads her in Atlanta the past three weeks. One is just a dot, and the other maybe a third the size of a grain of rice, neither below the primer. Neither are terribly visible until you're right on top of the car, so a half decent touch up job should be fine.

Bummer though, as I have only had the car a month. The paint appears much more fragile than any car I've previously owned, but my last car was a 96 SC400 that I bought in 2000. My wife's 2009 Honda Odyssey seems pretty chip resistant, too.

[BadMoon]

Originally Posted by zinzan

I've just got a couple small chips on the hood, probably from the sand/gravel spread on our roads her in Atlanta the past three weeks. One is just a dot, and the other maybe a third the size of a grain of rice, neither below the primer. Neither are terribly visible until you're right on top of the car, so a half decent touch up job should be fine.

Bummer though, as I have only had the car a month. The paint appears much more fragile than any car I've previously owned, but my last car was a 96 SC400 that I bought in 2000. My wife's 2009 Honda Odyssey seems pretty chip resistant, too.

Dr. Colorchip will fix that right up. I'm just waiting for winter to end. It worked wonders on my firestorm frs. I have no doubt it will be the same with my BRZ.