Experience with "Scanner" for Paint Matching

[harrydunn]

Stopped by O'Reilly's this weekend and had them use their scanner tool to mix the 518 Medium Green on my truck for some touch-up. They used some cleaner wax on the hood which discolored it badly. He freaked out, ran inside for some more wax to try to fix it but did not. To make matters worse, he scanned the area where he had discolored it. I suggested he just scan in a non-waxed area since the truck is spotless and nice and shiny but he didn't think that would be good. Huh? Long story short, paint was too light. I went back the next day and just asked for '72 Medium Green and it matched beautifully which made me happy since the paint is 25 years old. Sounds like it is holding up nicely.

So, what is your experience with these scanners? I'm going to have my glove box scanned so they can mix up some paint for my steering wheel but am leery now!

[rob32472]

Go to a reputable automotive paint store and you will have good results with the scanner. I have had this done several times with outstanding results.

[harrydunn]

Yah, probably should. This was Saturday pm and luckily it worked out in the end. Will probably go to a pro shop for the steering wheel paint.

[Mister-B]

If using cleaner wax in that area did that, it means you're in need of a full on cleaner wax job on the entire truck. Go buy some Zymol Cleaner Wax and do the entire truck. You'll be pleased with the results.

Also, NAPA does a good job of matching paint. They have the color codes in their book for the different years of our trucks, and then they put it in a spray can. I got some that way for my engine bay, and it worked well.
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[harrydunn]

Waxed the entire hood and all is well.

[DGulliver]

I took the console lid from my Mercedes into a Marvin's (like Lowes/Home Depot) to have some interior paint matched- worked great!

[hugger6933]

I guess it is where you are one reason I left NAPA was paint mismatch. I have had very good results with the girl that uses the profit at the O'reillys where I buy my paint and supplies. Jim

[hugger6933]

One other thing I do know about it ,It calls Victory red International Red when it is scanned off most S-10 trucks

[special-K]

The paint supplier couldn't find a formula by the code in the glovebox on my '92 back in '99 when I needed to paint a new hood. I had them scan it,the pint matched perfect,and still does today. I forgot it wasn't the original hood.

[Fldawg]

My first experiance with the scanner was great, brought in my glove box door and they scaned in inside of the cover since the outside needed the paint and between them and my painter you can't tell the differance between my 43 year old paint polished and my fresh paint looks great. but do go a good paint supplier,

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by harrydunn

Stopped by O'Reilly's this weekend and had them use their scanner tool to mix the 518 Medium Green on my truck for some touch-up. They used some cleaner wax on the hood which discolored it badly. He freaked out, ran inside for some more wax to try to fix it but did not. To make matters worse, he scanned the area where he had discolored it. I suggested he just scan in a non-waxed area since the truck is spotless and nice and shiny but he didn't think that would be good. Huh? Long story short, paint was too light. I went back the next day and just asked for '72 Medium Green and it matched beautifully which made me happy since the paint is 25 years old. Sounds like it is holding up nicely.

So, what is your experience with these scanners? I'm going to have my glove box scanned so they can mix up some paint for my steering wheel but am leery now!

Most Auto body shops purchase their paint from a local supplier like Finishmaster. They use a color camera and their proprietary software to get a good color match. From my experience this is the way to get your paint scanned. Just ask any of the body shops in your area where they go when the paint is not factory and let the shoe salesmen behind the counter at your local O'reillys stick to looking up part numbers. After riding my bike for a year I bought my 67 stepside. A friend who runs the paint shop at the local Cadillac-Oldsmobile dealership said he could match the paint on the bike and reproduce the design as well, so now I have perfectly matched twins! So, does paint scanning work? Yes if the guy doing the scanning knows paint, not shoes!

[hugger6933]

Well, Fitz, My lady that deals with me on my paint at oreilly's is very concerned about paint match and she takes it to heart. She is the best I have ever used since I have had that body shop since 1987. Like with anything form parts stores to mcdonalds it is who waits on you and weather they care about customer service or not, for the most part. Then at some point it is a matter of not knowing what your doing, but then as a customer I try to watch and if the counterperson is a complete drooling tool[and I don't mean ratchet] I look for someone else to wait on me or wait until my favorite person comes back to the store if they happen to be gone, as I'm never in that big of a hurry to get parts/paint. Jim

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

Well, Fitz, My lady that deals with me on my paint at oreilly's is very concerned about paint match and she takes it to heart. She is the best I have ever used since I have had that body shop since 1987. Like with anything form parts stores to mcdonalds it is who waits on you and weather they care about customer service or not, for the most part. Then at some point it is a matter of not knowing what your doing, but then as a customer I try to watch and if the counterperson is a complete drooling tool[and I don't mean ratchet] I look for someone else to wait on me or wait until my favorite person comes back to the store if they happen to be gone, as I'm never in that big of a hurry to get parts/paint. Jim

All depends on where you are. Tuscon is a fairly large city and there are nine O'Reilly stores here. The turnover in employees is about every three months and most of these shoe clerks have no clue what so ever about the business they are in because they simply don't care. Service? You won't get it from them because they do not care.

In smaller cities and towns, that is almost never the case because the business will not survive without compentent employees giving good service. The store owner must screen employees more carefully and probably takes advantage of the training programs the parent company offers a franchise store. So, when you say you get good service at a chain I say GREAT! But I still won't go there when I need paint matching.

[hugger6933]

My town has a pop of 4000 with a NAPA that I don't use and I go 24 mi. over to the next town that has 14,000. I have used the big O store just months after they came into that town[actually months before when they came to the town on the other side 35 miles]and it has been a little over 10 years now and the same lady has been mixing my paint for over 8 of those and I can easyily see your point about huge turn over some not there even long enough to learn where the bathroom is. Jim

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

My town has a pop of 4000 with a NAPA that I don't use and I go 24 mi. over to the next town that has 14,000. I have used the big O store just months after they came into that town[actually months before when they came to the town on the other side 35 miles]and it has been a little over 10 years now and the same lady has been mixing my paint for over 8 of those and I can easyily see your point about huge turn over some not there even long enough to learn where the bathroom is. Jim

As you say, it is just a matter of circumstances. Too bad, too. I used to buy all my parts from the local NAPA store because the guys behind the counter really knew their stuff. Now, there is only one NAPA store in Tucson and if you need anything other than oil or antifreeze, go elsewhere. The Tucson valley has a population of about 1,000,000 so there are enough people to support them but they lost their business base because of poor stock and bad service.

[harrydunn]

I buy oil filters from Napa for my Land Cruiser. Beyond that, their hours suck, their prices are high and they generally are behind the times. I have purchased several items from O'Reilly and Autozone online via their in-store pickup and they have them waiting for me when I arrive a few hours later. Tried that once with Napa. Let's just say it didn't go well and the brake rotors I purchased online are still sitting there.