[DrHitch54]

Hi,
I have posted on other threads about replacing the two front fender skirts on my 2007 EOS 2.0T. They both are rusting at the top (12 o-clock) position on the wheel well due to the foam liner that was factory-installed and collects water.

I believe I can get primed fender panels from EBay but previous advice is to get them painted prior to installation.

I believe the color is "Paprikarat" (PAG.837/MAZ.3). But I don't know what Pantone color or other method I can tell a paint shop. Or do I simply need to take the car to a shop and have them color-match? Or do I install the primed panels and then have them painted after install? Options?

 

[KICKB0X]

All depends on your budget my friend.
As with any job, labor is the major cost.
Do as much as you can to put things right before you need professional work done.
Aftermarket wings are bolt-on, so not too hard to fit, and it will eliminate the rust problem rather than just stall it. It will be cheaper to get them painted before you fit them, but do you want to risk fitting them once painted to save a few £/$ ?
Red is one of the harder colours to match, as UV light tends to bleach it, but it should still be achievable.

 

[2phast]

Any shop you talk to will want to paint them on the car, as they will most likely need to blend the paint into the bumper and door. Red isn't a easy color to match either as different parts of a red car fade differently depending upon UV exposure. Most painters use a computer with a "wand" attachment that they place over the paint, this device tells the painter how much of each color to use in mixing up a batch of paint, so it takes into consideration "paint fade". With that said, even this process is not fool proof, the painter will mix up the paint and shoot a small sample and compare it to the vehicle, they may need to add more pigment and do a test sample several times till they get the color correct.

Personally, I would let the shop install, paint/prep the panels for best results.

 

[voxmagna]

Most car paint shops use their own paint mixing systems supplied by a particular paint vendor. The few times I've had painting done well I've looked for paint shops using OEM recommended paint like Glasurit or paints of German origin. They do cost more. What you need to watch is they may use Glasurit base color coats but a cheaper general purpose final clear coat. Because red is prone to U.V fading, the quality of clear coat used (with UV inhibitor additives) is important.