Question about appearance of black paint

[dtuna42]

I'm looking for an explanation as to why some of this paint appears "more gray" and some appears "more black". The door was repainted at a Ford dealer body shop and the repaint is what appears to be more black. This difference is ONLY noticeable under flash or spotlight if it is in a dark garage- it is not even noticeable outside night under street lighting. Is this "normal" with a repaint? Is it possible they didn't use a clear coat on the repaint? The bottom pic is taken just behind the GT emblem - it is the same side of the car in the top picture. The seam is between front fender and driver's side door.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/06_mustang_sep_2011_3crop.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/black_-_gray.jpg

[Flash Gordon]

What is that 2nd pic of?

Sound like you have buffer haze going on possibly

*Edit...why did they not clear the paint?

[dtuna42]

You answered so quickly- while I was editing my bad typing... I was asking IF it was possible that they didn't clear it, to see if that is an explanation. I can't understand how it would be buffer haze either, because if they buffed it, I would assume they would have done the whole thing, and not left out the part they painted, but I supposed that is possible.
2nd pic is same view as above- close up of front fender and door - GT emblem isn't in pic but would be on the left. This color difference is only visible in very close-up lighting (like a flash) while in the garage in the dark.

[Kristopher1129]

I'm with Flash. My guess is that they didn't polish out the paint. If they didn't spray clear...make sure they do! I'm guessing they probably hit it with a wool pad and some compound, then called it a day.

I would try polishing it out. If you see black on your pad...then you know they skipped clear. If they did skip clear, then bring it back ASAP.

[Kristopher1129]

You answered so quickly- while I was editing my bad typing... I was asking IF it was possible that they didn't clear it, to see if that is an explanation. I can't understand how it would be buffer haze either, because if they buffed it, I would assume they would have done the whole thing, and not left out the part they painted, but I supposed that is possible.
2nd pic is same view as above- close up of front fender and door - GT emblem isn't in pic but would be on the left. This color difference is only visible in very close-up lighting (like a flash) while in the garage in the dark.

It's not necessarily that they didn't buff the part they painted. The problem is they DID buff the part they painted. What Flash means by buffer haze, is the marring/holograms left by an aggressive method like a wool pad and compound. Most body shops stop at compound which will in turn give you a hazy, dull, or cloudy appearance in the sun or under lights.

[Lasthope05]

Resprays are never perfect and will never match a factory paint. Resprays have insistent spray patterns, pressures, environmental conditions in which factory paints dont because they are automated and tightly controlled.

Even it it was color coded the direction, depth, and angle the paint was applied can change its appearance in certain angles and lighting conditions. It is more prominent in metallic resprays.

[Flash Gordon]

You answered so quickly- while I was editing my bad typing... I was asking IF it was possible that they didn't clear it, to see if that is an explanation. I can't understand how it would be buffer haze either, because if they buffed it, I would assume they would have done the whole thing, and not left out the part they painted, but I supposed that is possible.
2nd pic is same view as above- close up of front fender and door - GT emblem isn't in pic but would be on the left. This color difference is only visible in very close-up lighting (like a flash) while in the garage in the dark.

First off, I'm quick like that :)

Second off, never assume anything when dealing with a bodyshop. We just had a thread earlier today where a bodyshop told a fella it was ok to wax his matte paint

I'm a bit confused as your first picture looks like they cleard the front fender, whereas that second picture does not. Were these pictures taken at the same time?

[SuperGlide]

Looks like it just needs to be polished out.

When I take before pics in low light with a flash
this is how they look sometimes.

I had the same thing on a before black harley
fender pic. After a good polishing, good to go

[Flash Gordon]

I'm a bit confused as your first picture looks like they cleard the front fender, whereas that second picture does not. Were these pictures taken at the same time?



Jeopardy! Think 1997-2008 remake - YouTube

[dtuna42]

Pics were taken only a couple weeks apart- but it's not driven daily- it's been in the garage. So just to be sure we're on the same page, the pictures can be considered to have been in the same condition- I took the top picture outside in daylight, and the bottom picture taken in the garage, at night, lights out, with only the flash of the camera as lighting. I am adding a couple more pics that may show more clearly what I'm seeing.
Basically, the car looks really good in most cases- I have to actually create the conditions required to see this contrast in finishes. It is not noticeable at all 99% of the time. I only noticed it when I was looking for swirls with a flash light in a dark garage, and as I was walking around the car, I noticed that all of the original paint looks very smooth, no swirls, only some random small scratches and scuffs, but reflects that gray tint with the flash light while in the dark; and the repaint areas (the A-post and driver's door) reflect in more of a dark black tint.
It really is not noticeable in daylight at all, and is not noticeable at night, in other car's headlights, or under street lights.
So bottom line, are you suggesting the parts that are fresh paint maybe weren't buffed out, or that they only buffed out the fresh paint?
This is same area in garage with the lights on, and camera flash, and with lights on in garage the area does not reflect gray.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/black_match-_lights_off.jpg

This pic is with lights off, flash on, but a few feet back to show A-post, so you can tell a little better which part of the car it is. Lights in garage are off, camera flash is on.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/black_and_grey_look.jpg

So basically, the only difference in two above pics, is top pic has no ambient lighting. A-post is repaint, hood & fender are factory.

[TLMitchell]

Basically, the car looks really good in most cases- I have to actually create the conditions required to see this contrast in finishes. It is not noticeable at all 99% of the time.

Consider the advice my physician, Dr. Disorderly, gave me:

Me: "It hurts when I poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick"

Doctor: "Well don't DO that"!

TL

[timaishu]

Is this not noticeable during the day?

I would try a different camera to rule out the possibility of yours doing something funky.

[Showroom Shine]

My Opinionon Black Cars!
I have done my share from Lambo's to Camry's and every black car varies from maker to paint color. There is nothing prettier than a Shiny Black Car!Since black shows everything,it's a must to start correctly from the begging. Some new cars need work the day they're picked up. From a distance they can look good,but upon close inspection.All the defects can be seen to the trained professional.For me there is only one standard for black. Flawless in the Sun!
This Porche was washed Clayed and waxed. Did it need correction? Yes! But I delivered what the client wanted after explaining what needed to be done. It still looked good! Souveran!

[Flash Gordon]

Pics were taken only a couple weeks apart- but it's not driven daily- it's been in the garage. So just to be sure we're on the same page, the pictures can be considered to have been in the same condition- I took the top picture outside in daylight, and the bottom picture taken in the garage, at night, lights out, with only the flash of the camera as lighting. I am adding a couple more pics that may show more clearly what I'm seeing.
Basically, the car looks really good in most cases- I have to actually create the conditions required to see this contrast in finishes. It is not noticeable at all 99% of the time. I only noticed it when I was looking for swirls with a flash light in a dark garage, and as I was walking around the car, I noticed that all of the original paint looks very smooth, no swirls, only some random small scratches and scuffs, but reflects that gray tint with the flash light while in the dark; and the repaint areas (the A-post and driver's door) reflect in more of a dark black tint.
It really is not noticeable in daylight at all, and is not noticeable at night, in other car's headlights, or under street lights.
So bottom line, are you suggesting the parts that are fresh paint maybe weren't buffed out, or that they only buffed out the fresh paint?
This is same area in garage with the lights on, and camera flash, and with lights on in garage the area does not reflect gray.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/black_match-_lights_off.jpg

This pic is with lights off, flash on, but a few feet back to show A-post, so you can tell a little better which part of the car it is. Lights in garage are off, camera flash is on.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/black_and_grey_look.jpg

So basically, the only difference in two above pics, is top pic has no ambient lighting. A-post is repaint, hood & fender are factory.

From the picture it looks like someone missed a step or two in the polishing process

On a positive note. It looks like theres not much if any orange peel

Where are you located? Maybe someone here can help you

[Setec Astronomy]

So bottom line, are you suggesting the parts that are fresh paint maybe weren't buffed out, or that they only buffed out the fresh paint?
This is same area in garage with the lights on, and camera flash, and with lights on in garage the area does not reflect gray.

This pic is with lights off, flash on, but a few feet back to show A-post, so you can tell a little better which part of the car it is. Lights in garage are off, camera flash is on.

So basically, the only difference in two above pics, is top pic has no ambient lighting. A-post is repaint, hood & fender are factory.

It looks to me like your car is all swirled up, except the freshly painted parts that haven't had a chance to get all swirled up yet. You need to polish the rest of the car to "bring it to it's potential". BTW this is a common body shop problem, you don't realize how bad the rest of the car looks until you get some of it repainted...