Does Vehicle Paint Matching Work?

Maybe you’ve been unlucky and gotten into a vehicle accident, or maybe one day you notice a ding or scratch that wasn’t there before. Regardless of how it got there, paint damage is unsightly, and if you want a replacement, you want an accurate one. If your replacement bumper, fender, or hood doesn’t match the rest of your body, then a sloppy fix can look worse than a damaged part. Fortunately, fixing damaged paint is easier than you might think. If you have questions on how to replace a damaged auto body part, we’ll provide you with answers.

Can I order prepainted autobody parts online?

If you have paint damage, you might be tempted to have your vehicle sent to the body shop for paint touchups, but you have another option: ordering prepainted body parts online. You can pick up an “aftermarket” part –parts designed to be replicas of your original part. Aftermarket parts have fitment and appearance comparable to the original, and if you order from Paint A Part, you’ll get this part painted for you as well.

If you’ve never ordered a replacement part before, buying prepainted autobody parts online is easy. At Paint A Part, we sell replacement parts factory matched to their original paint colors. You can shop for makes from the last 30 years and have them shipped directly to you.

How do you match the factory color of my vehicle?

If you want to make sure you’re getting the right paint color, then using a paint code is the most accurate way to do so. A paint code is a unique number that lets your vehicle’s manufacturer know what color paint your vehicle uses. Paint codes are not universal; they refer to a unique paint color within a collection of colors. The black on your Ford and your neighbor’s Dodge might look the same, but the code for the two colors is completely different.

Technicians at body shops might use cameras with built-in paint formula detection to match your paint code. You don’t need a special camera to find your paint code, you can easily find that information by yourself.

Where do I find my paint color code?

You can find your paint code in one of several ways. The easiest way is by looking for the manufacturer sticker on your vehicle. This tag can be in several different places on your vehicle, often in the door jamb. If it’s not there, check under your hood, on the dashboard, or inside your glove box. If you want an idea of where to look, refer to your owner’s manual for help.

If you want to save yourself the trouble of looking for your manufacturer sticker, try calling up your dealership. They can look up the paint code for you.

Once Paint A Part has your paint code, we personally mix and apply all our paints in-house. All painting is done in a controlled environment that will match, or even exceed, the quality of your original factory paint job.

Will the parts match my current paint exactly?

You might have some reservations about how factory color matching works on replacement parts. What does it mean to have an “accurate” color? Creating a matching paint is more difficult than you might expect it to be. When repainting damaged areas, an auto body shop will quickly mix a paint spec that’s similar to your car’s existing paint. This process tricks your eye into thinking you’ve gotten an accurate paint job. Up close the paint might match, but when you look at your car or truck from a distance, or in different lighting, the touchups will become more obvious.

Instead of getting a hasty touchup, you can pick up a replacement bumper, fender, or other body parts that have already been painted and treated with factory coloring. Paint A Part’s process creates factory-matched replacement parts that look like they just rolled off the assembly line.

Why would I choose to have a part painted and shipped online over a local shop?

Why choose Paint A Part over your local body shop? Paint A Part understands you have a budget and is dedicated to giving you the least expensive solution possible. With the cost of a replacement bumper, fender, or other painted auto body parts, you get the necessary replacement part, a paint job resembling your original factory color, and shipment directly to you. This makes Paint A Part the more cost-effective solution and super high-quality replacement auto body parts.