Many workshops and service stations offer such a service as car painting. The process is complex, delicate, and significant. If the technology is violated during the work, the quality of the coating deteriorates. Every car owner intending to use the service should know how to check the quality of car paint.
This process is essential in any situation — if you pick up your vehicle or while acquiring a used one. In the latter case, it is wise to check vehicle specs by VIN and be guided by the obtained results. However, the inspection of the vehicle exterior and interior is always essential.
What to Look for When Picking up a Car from a Service
Car painting involves the application on a metal surface of the following layers:
- Primer
- Paint
- Varnish
The service is obliged to follow all the steps and procedures required by the manufacturers of the above materials carefully. Otherwise, various defects may appear on the surface of the machine.
Checking the Painting of Individual Parts
When picking up the car from the service, carefully examine the painted elements under different lighting conditions:
- Under an artificial lamp
- At solar lighting
- In the shadow
If the painting is of high quality, you will hardly see the difference. Don’t complain that the car was poorly painted when inspecting plastic parts. This material differs in structure from metal, so if you notice a color difference, it is normal. Even cars that are just produced have the same difference.
Checking the Quality of Paintwork
A very saturated color may become dull within a week after painting. However, there can be no dirt in the layers of saturated paint. If you have noticed this, it means that the car was painted in a dusty room without a special spray booth. Such low-quality work can be seen even by an unprofessional person.
If you have repaired any part and then painted it, its surface should be uniform, without any defects. Be sure to compare all the paired elements with each other: side mirrors, doors, and so on. Naturally, the painting should be such that they are no different from each other.
Also, pay attention to moving parts and other components of the car: their functioning should not undergo any changes. Don’t forget to check the windows, headlights, and mirrors. They should be free of paint or dust marks. Sometimes the residues from the paint and varnish material are so strongly eaten that they can only be disposed of in a workshop. Besides, there have been occasions that these parts are damaged in the process.
Final Words
Every car owner knows absolutely all the problem areas of one’s own vehicle, so after painting, it is recommended to pay attention to them. It is also necessary to thoroughly inspect the surface before leaving the machine at a workshop. So, you will definitely notice new spots and body defects if they appear.