Paint and Color Matching
A Paint Match You Can’t See
When a panel is repaired or replaced, the new paint has to disappear into the old. At USA Collision we match your vehicle’s color using PPG paint and tools, and our painters are PPG certified, meeting PPG’s strict requirements for applying its coatings so the finish lasts for years. PPG is approved by the EPA, and we have close partnerships with vehicle manufacturers, so we can find you the best color match and the best quality at a very competitive rate.
How we match your color
- Find the factory paint code. We get the manufacturer’s paint code from your vehicle, which tells us the exact formula the factory used.
- Mix to formula. A paint color is made up of several other colors. Our painters mix them to the exact formula for your vehicle.
- Test with spray-out cards. We spray the mixed color onto test cards and compare them with your vehicle, adjusting the tint as many times as it takes to get an exact match. This is real art, and it is the most important part of the refinish process.
- Refinish. Once the color is matched, we refinish the repaired area to a perfect color finish.
Why the paint code alone is not enough
The factory code is only the starting point. The finish on a vehicle that has spent years in the Arizona sun can drift from the original formula, and metallic and pearl colors change with the angle you view them from. Testing on spray-out cards is how we make sure the repaired panel matches the paint that is on your vehicle today, not the paint it left the factory with.
Need more than a repair? For a full repaint or a refresh of faded paint, see our auto paint shop, where every paint job carries a lifetime warranty. Color matching is also part of every bumper repair and collision repair we do. Call today for more information!
