Advice on colour matching sprayed bumpers on Torquiose C70
 

I recently bought a low mileage 2001 C70 coupe in pearl Turquoise. Unfortunately each corner had been scraped, so I have the front and rear bumpers at the body shop. They have been very good in scanning both the original bumper paint and the removed petrol cap, but would have really wanted the car there to colour match. It is currently not on the road.

They have made me 5 colour cards to choose which mix to use to spray the bumpers. I can only commend the service I have received so far. My question is whether it would be better to err on the darker or paler side for the bumper paint relative to the original Volvo paint on the rest of the car? Does today's water-based paint lighten with exposure and time?

Many thanks in advance.

Has the car been completely resprayed at some time or is it still original colour? If still original why isn't the body shop simply matching the new paint to the Volvo colour code?
I had my bumpers resprayed on the C70 last winter as the bumpers were slightly scuffed on the corners. My paint chappie ordered the new paint to the Volvo code - Sky pearl - and matches perfectly. I am a fussy devil and have a very critical eye so would be aware of the slightest mismatch.

Attachment shows the refinished bumper refitted. Car body still original paint, bumpers new paint. Only the bumpers went to the body shop, so the paint match was not evident until I had refitted the bumpers and could compare.

I would agree!

The colour code is given on the VIN plate. And, AFAIK, modern paint finishes do not really fade. Unless they're an old red Volvo!

The only time I've had a 'corner touch up' I used "Chips Away" and was well pleased with the result And I've known some car dealers use their services on 2nd-hand cars that the are selling - like when my ex was buying a 2nd-hand car and the deal was that the dealer had the rear bumper resprayed as the PO was disabled and the bumper had suffered from the wheelchair being hoisted in and out. "Chips Away" franchisees have to be accurate and produce good work coz if they get complained about, they lose their franchise (and the van and kit) and a lot of money they've spent gaining that franchise.

Thanks for the replies. They've mixed the paint straight from the code and painted it in 2 ways including wet on wet, that I presume means clear coat on top of wet colour coat. They also scanned the original paint on the bumper and the petrol cap and made mixes for both of these. The original bumpers were ever so slightly lighter than the metal work, so each of these mixes is different, but not a perfect match for the original Volvo paint on the rest of the car - hence my conundrum.

"Unless they're an old red Volvo!"

I know...mines 20 years old, very faded...

simplest thing to do is spray the entire bumpers, a slight difference wont be noticed against the rest of the car. Probably.

take them the bootlid to scan, its the smallest panel. Or maybe a wing mirror cover IF its suitable, highly likely to have been scratched etc, may be too curved ?

Thanks for all of the great advice. I have gone with the mix based on the petrol cap, so fingers crossed I will be happy! I'll post a picture here when I get the bumpers back and fitted.