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[Nickbat]

SWMBO broke her door mirror the other day and I sourced a replacement, but it was just primered and needed painting. I have always thought her car was Star Silver and, as I couldn't get to the Vx agent this morning before they closed, I went to Halfords this afternoon. According to their booklet, Star Silver was phased out early on and replaced with Star Silver 2 until 2002 with Star Silver 3 from 2003. Our Corsa was registered 30/12/03, so I thought I'd be safe with the SS3 which, of course, had to mixed up as it is not kept in stock.

Anyway, started spraying the mirror and I thought it looked a bit dark, but thought it would lighten after a couple of coats over the darker primer, but no, it's definitely too dark.

Took a look at the VIN plate, but can't find a colour code on it. Where else should I look (nothing on door pillars, by the way.)?

Any advice would be much appreciated.   

[SJKOO01]

Try looking in front of the washer bottle on the strut tower, as it is on there on some models I believe ?. 

Paint Codes
 
    Star Silver 2 - 147
    Star Silver 3 - 157
    Silver Lightning - 163

[Nickbat]

Try looking in front of the washer bottle on the strut tower, as it is on there on some models I believe ?. 

Paint Codes
 
    Star Silver 2 - 147
    Star Silver 3 - 157
    Silver Lightning - 163

Much obliged, Goose. 

Found it where you said and it shows 157, so it is indeed Star Silver 3, but what Halfords mixed is definitely too dark. Looks like I'll have to go back and have a rant tomorrow.

Thanks again. 

Nick

[SJKOO01]

Nick,

Don't be surprised if another customer has held taken two caps off to hold against their car (or a Halfords student  ) and got the caps mixed up.

Halfords normally have a chart, so cross reference their can numbers against the manufactures one to see if there anyway close.

I believe that the manufacture paint is never easy to copy via paint can form, especially silver unfortunately.

Maybe best to take your car to a friendly paint sprayer, get them to match up with one of their 'paint RAL' matching cards, get the number off that, then get a special mix done for you, may work out cheaper in the end as you've now got to do the work over again by the looks of things.

Hope that helps 

[Nickbat]

Nick,

Don't be surprised if another customer has held taken two caps off to hold against their car (or a Halfords student  ) and got the caps mixed up.

Halfords normally have a chart, so cross reference their can numbers against the manufactures one to see if there anyway close.

I believe that the manufacture paint is never easy to copy via paint can form, especially silver unfortunately.

Maybe best to take your car to a friendly paint sprayer, get them to match up with one of their 'paint RAL' matching cards, get the number off that, then get a special mix done for you, may work out cheaper in the end as you've now got to do the work over again by the looks of things.

Hope that helps 

Goose,
They mixed it on site from about 6 bottles, whilst referring to a computer monitor. I watched them do it. And they put a label with Vauxhall Star Silver 3 on it the can! I didn't expect a great match, and it is just a plastic door mirror housing so I wasn't that fussed, but it really is way off.   

And it cost £14. 

[cem_devecioglu]

Nickbat , silver colors are too tricky..really you will need the mixture from a painter and take some extra near you as you may still need to arrange :-/

[Brikhead]

A proper paint shop will mix the paint to a sample of the old mirror, the fuel filler cap, or any other piece of the car you can take to them.
Much better to get paint matched to the shade of your car now, rather than trying to match new paint to 8 year old paint...

[SJKOO01]

A proper paint shop will mix the paint to a sample of the old mirror, the fuel filler cap, or any other piece of the car you can take to them.
Much better to get paint matched to the shade of your car now, rather than trying to match new paint to 8 year old paint...

Hence why I sugguested

'Maybe best to take your car to a friendly paint sprayer, get them to match up with one of their paint RAL matching cards, get the number off that, then get a special mix done for you   

[Nickbat]

Went back to Halfords and they admitted the error and made me up a new spray. Looks a pretty good match to me. Had it been a panel, I would have gone to a specialists but, like I said, it is only a mirror cover and you can bet you boots it'll be scratched within a few weeks anyway. 

[SJKOO01]

Sounds like you got sorted in the end anyhow