Lbar

I have a stealth grey V and I would like to sand down and repaint my front bumper this winter. I do not want to blend it in and plan to paint it off the car so I'm hoping to get the closest match by using the stock brand of paint. I have all the equipment to do it properly, and I'm interested to try painting something myself. The front bumper seems pretty hard, does anyone know if they use a flex agent when they paint these normally?

I got an estimate from a local mid range body shop to sand and paint the bumper only (no blending) and it came to about $800. I'm still laughing about that. We looked at cars that were finished, I have a good knowledge about paint and body work. I tore every car apart, orange peel, dirt, thin spots. The only one without flaws in the paint was sitting in the sun and was full of buff marks from some idiot who can't use a rotary. Though he was confident they wouldn't screw my car up, I am not.

01Cummins

The only way to get the color spot on is to blend. Even if you used the exact paint from the factory, out side temps and reducers in the paint would change the flop of the metallic and the color would be off. Always a good idea to add flex on plastic parts when painting. I have painted cars for 13 years in the collision business.

shadyLS6

+1 on this. my uncle who owns a body shop told me the same thing when i asked him to redo my front end..

cheapest i have been quoted $300 -400 a panel $800 is insane

jeepster666

Stealth Gray here also. My dealership spot painted my hood and bumper. Took em 3 tries but they got it and its perfect, so it is possible. I hate blending cause I think that is worse in the long run. Flex additive is a must if the bumper is off. The flex allows it to do just that when you are re-installing the plastic bumper. Im no pro, but I've painted 6 of my own vehicles with good results. The Flex additive looses its flex with time and becomes like the rest of the paint with time.