Date:         Sat, 28 Apr 2007 07:28:39 -0600
Reply-To:     David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Etter <detter@MAIL.AURACOM.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mechanic VS customer (i need you imput!)
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2007042801281921@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"

Hi Ben:
        You cannot be expected to colour match 20 year old paint.
Paint is composed of a blend of pigments, each of which is affected
by UV light to a different degree, and will 'age' over time
regardless. Even obtaining the correct original paint code is no
guarantee. My early 80's 'IVORY' indicated two different factory
codes.
        I had my van repainted 3 years ago and I too asked that he
paint using the original colour code, I even took him the paint code
number I had researched. His subsequent search from an equally
reliable source found a different code. Both were official VW numbers
for 'IVORY'.
        Anyway! He did the job, but for whatever reason the paint was
not quite the same shade as the inside panels. Mind you, it was a
closer match than is evidenced by your included picture.
http://www.benplace.com/dove_blue/dove56_small.jpg
        There was no rust to fix, just the paint. Well! He did an
absolutely wonderful job and I felt, SO WHAT! the colour is the same
over the entire outside and he did use the correct code. He showed me
the book with the number and corresponding official colour chip and
it did match the finished vehicle.
        I felt that the inside colour must have faded over the 23
years and was ever so pleased to have gotten a first class job.
        Now! the cost of the multi-layer paint job was $2,300.00 Cdn.
3 years ago. and after all that time it is still a flawless job.
        I say, if you used the correct code, did a first rate job,
then the owner should be happy.

M2CW:
                        David (dsl82westy)

P.S.:   My last new pick-up, a Mazda was Silver-grey in colour, yet
the paint code from the manufacturer and the invoice on the window
said that I had a 'white' pick-up. I queried the dealer about this
and he said the truck just came off the trailer last week and nobody
had even been in it since it landed at the dealership.
        I was told that it wasn't the first time he had seen a
vehicle painted differently than the paperwork indicated. Not saying
that in your case this happened, just that it can happen.
        I liked the thought that if I was ever caught on camera
radar, then maybe I could claim that it wasn't my vehicle.
                                                D.E.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Hi, in life, i restore, fix, repair, find a way of saving a van call
>Vanagon, not easy sometime! i work hard, 7/7 more than 13 hours a day, i
>love my job, i love life! i take pride on what i do. This is the only way
>for me, the full way, the hard way, i'm very honest and it can not be
>otherwise for me(not good for business!). If one day i get up from bed and i
>feel like doing something else, i will. But for now, i rebuilt a nice
>campers van call Vanagon, this van is not only a way to earn my life but
>also a way of life for me. But in my line of work, i have to deal with a
>thing call customers! most of the time, they are pretty cool, but! they are
>not my friend, this is the way things are, sadly.
>
>So, in the past 2 weeks, i have been working on a Van, yea, hard, 14 days,
>more than 12hrs per day, 7/7, this is one of the BEST paint job i have did
>so far, better then my own Red Tornado van, the rust part has been worked
>carefully. On that job, only 1.5 days are for the paint job part, the rest
>was removing rust, fixing metal part, welding... anyway, short story: First
>of all, i had say NO to this cutomer before! yea, it was to rusty... so
>after i wile he came back and told me, i want YOU to do it, what is your
>price, i said 5500$ CAD (about 4800USD), so i did the job... painfull.
>
>Remember that the pictures you see are only a fraction of the one i took, or
>the one i could have taken. they don't show all the welding, gluing,
>grinding...
>
>But sadly, when done, something was wrong... the color match! everything
>else is perfect! the work done, the rust, the paint job is one of my best
>ever, but the color match is sadly a bit offset.
>
>So, look at all those pictures and tell me how to deal with that? i am ready
>to offer him to re-paint the van (sadly, the color code is the right one,
>Valspar and Dupond have the same result??? the color is tricky!), but i
>don't know how i can change the color... even my friend who is a 20yo
>painter told me that metalic blue is dificult to match!!! and on a 20yo van,
>it's worse. should i lower the price! i'm ready to remove 1000$, about what
>the paint cost me (remember, i use high quality paint).
>
>The new color is simply... nicer (others have confirm!), i also offered him
>to paint the inside of the door and door for free to match the exterior.
>Waithing for an answer, but he is not happy with it!
>
>http://www.benplace.com/87_dove_blue.htm
>
>Anyway, a long story to tell you how hi feel about me working like a dog and
>an unsatified cutomer.
>
>I want your advices as customers? just remember one thing, this van was a
>piece of junk... ready for the garbage.
>
>Thank you for your time and imput, and thanks for any advices, if i have
>bored anyone whit this post, i'm sorry.
>
>Regards, Ben
>http://www.benplace.com/vw2.htm