Why do bumpers fade?
- Thread starter jcclark
- Start date
S
Senile Old Fart
I have wondered the same thing
B
Bob Hollinshead
I haven't had that problem, seriously never any difference for me.
jcclark
Oldtimer
Well most NEW cars do.
I had a Camery that matched when I bought it and stayed
that way for almost 5 years, then it lightened up a bit.
Most every car I've worked on has had a different shade on the bumper.
I've learned the hard way, never ever match to the bumper when
comparing the color chips.
I had a Camery that matched when I bought it and stayed
that way for almost 5 years, then it lightened up a bit.
Most every car I've worked on has had a different shade on the bumper.
I've learned the hard way, never ever match to the bumper when
comparing the color chips.
Guys, just my 2 cents worth but I disagree, there is no chemical reason a bumper will fade faster then metal if all undercoats are equal.
YES different substrates will make paint look different and it is the same principal that a base will lay different over a sanded primer vs a sand clear or an intercoat, metallics especially.
I have never seen a bumper from a new car that matched the factory paint unless it was a non metallic as the bumpers are painted separately and most of the times at a different plant.
A coat of epoxy over a bumper and the paint will not know what substrate is under it, be it wood, plastic, metal or fiberglass.
YES different substrates will make paint look different and it is the same principal that a base will lay different over a sanded primer vs a sand clear or an intercoat, metallics especially.
I have never seen a bumper from a new car that matched the factory paint unless it was a non metallic as the bumpers are painted separately and most of the times at a different plant.
A coat of epoxy over a bumper and the paint will not know what substrate is under it, be it wood, plastic, metal or fiberglass.
R
RodMan
In the 5 years I painted on-site, factory bumpers especially on pearls and light metallics rarely matched. This was as Barry pointed out because they are generally painted at another plant or even by a subcontracted manufacturer. Variations in application techniques, paint brands, and quality of prep and materials can also cause these differences. Even if the bumper matched when new, if the clear coat used on the bumper was different from what was used on the body or even under-applied (not enough coats) the uv protection could be significantly different; ie early fade or premature failure. Just my two cents ...
D
Deleted member 7
RodMan;5341 said:
I agree
A
ADTKART
I don't know what the deal is with bumpers, and do not claim to be an expert painter, but will say what I have seen.
Bumper covers rarely match the vehicles. When I was an estimator at a Chevy dealership I used to point out to the customers the color differences on the new vehicles that were parked in a line on the lot. That definately helped with any problems about color match on bumper jobs.
When I was an insurance adjuster there was a shop that always wanted something more on every job. On one job they told the customer that they could not guarantee the color match on a bumper job because the insurance company would not pay for blending the front of the vehicle. The customer called me all upset that her vehicle was not going to be right and it was because of me. I had pointed out the color difference when I wrote the estimate, but they had forgotten about that. I had seen several cases like that where the bumper matched when painted, but within a couple of months it was a different color. Since that customer was a claimant, and the shop was a thorne in my side, I approved the blending. I also told the customer that it was not common practice to blend onto the rest of the car, but to make her feel more comfortable I would approve it. I also told her that any problems with color match at a later time was between her and the shop. A couple of months later the customer called to tell me that she was having the bumper repainted again as it doesn't match anymore.
I have also seen cases where the bumper was painted at the same time as the whole car. The bumpers again did not match after a few months.
I will suggest one thing that I have thought of, and someone can correct me on this. Many people still feel that they have to use a "flex agent" when painting bumper covers. This "flex agent", when added, will reduce the paint mixture to some extent. I understand that the "flex agent" only stays in the paint for a relatively short period. Is it possible that when the "flex agent" leaves the paint, it is actually changing the color?
I am only posting this as an observation from my experience, and not to cause any type of arguements.
Aaron
Bumper covers rarely match the vehicles. When I was an estimator at a Chevy dealership I used to point out to the customers the color differences on the new vehicles that were parked in a line on the lot. That definately helped with any problems about color match on bumper jobs.
When I was an insurance adjuster there was a shop that always wanted something more on every job. On one job they told the customer that they could not guarantee the color match on a bumper job because the insurance company would not pay for blending the front of the vehicle. The customer called me all upset that her vehicle was not going to be right and it was because of me. I had pointed out the color difference when I wrote the estimate, but they had forgotten about that. I had seen several cases like that where the bumper matched when painted, but within a couple of months it was a different color. Since that customer was a claimant, and the shop was a thorne in my side, I approved the blending. I also told the customer that it was not common practice to blend onto the rest of the car, but to make her feel more comfortable I would approve it. I also told her that any problems with color match at a later time was between her and the shop. A couple of months later the customer called to tell me that she was having the bumper repainted again as it doesn't match anymore.
I have also seen cases where the bumper was painted at the same time as the whole car. The bumpers again did not match after a few months.
I will suggest one thing that I have thought of, and someone can correct me on this. Many people still feel that they have to use a "flex agent" when painting bumper covers. This "flex agent", when added, will reduce the paint mixture to some extent. I understand that the "flex agent" only stays in the paint for a relatively short period. Is it possible that when the "flex agent" leaves the paint, it is actually changing the color?
I am only posting this as an observation from my experience, and not to cause any type of arguements.
Aaron
jcclark
Oldtimer
Thank you Aaron.
That's what I'm talking about.
Bumpers that match originally but don't later down the road.
Like I said, my Camery matched when I bought it, and it took
years before it changed.
My present car has SPI epoxy and Universal clear,
but only the front bumper has changed.
Not the hood or anywhere else that sees more sun/heat.
Only the bumper. If it were the paint, it wouldn't be just the bumper.
It's not a clear protection issue with it being thinner,
I didn't buff the bumpers so it's actually thicker.
I'm wondering if plastics can off-gas a lot longer than we think.
Some plastics can actually shrink with time very slightly.
I'm just exploring.
That's what I'm talking about.
Bumpers that match originally but don't later down the road.
Like I said, my Camery matched when I bought it, and it took
years before it changed.
My present car has SPI epoxy and Universal clear,
but only the front bumper has changed.
Not the hood or anywhere else that sees more sun/heat.
Only the bumper. If it were the paint, it wouldn't be just the bumper.
It's not a clear protection issue with it being thinner,
I didn't buff the bumpers so it's actually thicker.
I'm wondering if plastics can off-gas a lot longer than we think.
Some plastics can actually shrink with time very slightly.
I'm just exploring.
Last edited by a moderator:
S
Senile Old Fart
I am with you Jim, I think the plastic off gases for ever, especialy if it is urethane. Just look at an old corvette bumper. Doesnt matter that it was garaged all its life, it is warped, shrunk,brittle, rotten, etc. I don't know about other bumper materials but I have seen many of the urethane bumpers do this.
J
jeremyb
I see this more on metallic colors and solid.
have to think though, with these high metallic pearl colors, the slightest angle with change the color.
have to think though, with these high metallic pearl colors, the slightest angle with change the color.
B
Bob Hollinshead
Fiberglass truck toppers sure fade- it's the material and undercoats that are to blame.
D
Deleted member 7
Would the backside of the bumper have to be coated to stop this completely? Im just curious is all, or is it only the topside that we paint..
Ive done allot of modern day completes and never had the issue, but I also have talked to Aaron and Jim about this before and they have both seen this scenario.. Good topic and thread gentlemen
Ive done allot of modern day completes and never had the issue, but I also have talked to Aaron and Jim about this before and they have both seen this scenario.. Good topic and thread gentlemen
jcclark
Oldtimer
Well like I said, I had a car that matched the first several yrs I owned it, then it changed.
On my own car, I sprayed epoxy over everything before topcoating and only the one bumper
changed, and it had more clear because I didn't sand and buff it.
Something else is going on that no one seems to know about.
Some plastics DO offgas for a long time.
Plastics expand and contract differently than steel.
They do flex more.
And then their's static charges that are different.
Whatever it is, it's different on my bumper than the rest of the car,
they were all painted the same way. So it's not the paint.
On my own car, I sprayed epoxy over everything before topcoating and only the one bumper
changed, and it had more clear because I didn't sand and buff it.
Something else is going on that no one seems to know about.
Some plastics DO offgas for a long time.
Plastics expand and contract differently than steel.
They do flex more.
And then their's static charges that are different.
Whatever it is, it's different on my bumper than the rest of the car,
they were all painted the same way. So it's not the paint.
http://s51.photobucket.com/albums/f...INT/98CIVIC/?action=view¤t=IMG_1048.jpg
Is this the car? Bumper does not match, in this picture.
Painted at different times??
nothing is going through epoxy.
Is this the car? Bumper does not match, in this picture.
Painted at different times??
nothing is going through epoxy.
jcclark
Oldtimer
OK, here's the bumper, maybe not a perfect match, but close enough
for me. I think the sides are pretty close.
This color changes a lot by the lighting so it's hard to compare.
But it's an overcast day so maybe these pic's will show it.
Now here's the top, it use to be just like the sides, until just recently,
it matched for almost 3 yrs. now it's turned just a little.
The sides didn't do it. The hood hasn't changed, nowhere else on the car has
it changed like this. Why only the bumper?
It's the grill & hood that shows over the bumper for comparison.
for me. I think the sides are pretty close.
This color changes a lot by the lighting so it's hard to compare.
But it's an overcast day so maybe these pic's will show it.
Now here's the top, it use to be just like the sides, until just recently,
it matched for almost 3 yrs. now it's turned just a little.
The sides didn't do it. The hood hasn't changed, nowhere else on the car has
it changed like this. Why only the bumper?
It's the grill & hood that shows over the bumper for comparison.