# Choosing a pearl white for my respray - input from you guys requested.



## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Hi all,

This might be a bit of a drawn out thread, but just wanting to make sure I choose the correct paint for my respray and input from you guys would be fantastic as I am sure many of you have seen my 3 choices under various lights.

*The car* : 1991 300ZX Twin Turbo currently sitting in its original colour of 'yellowish white pearl' (KH6). Now I had this car painted about 5 years ago. It has always been KH6, but I had a few minor bits of bodywork done on it (smoothed stone chip effect and a 98/99 rear spoiler) and decided to have the whole car repainted as colour match was not really going to happen. A shame, as pre-respray, the car was in extremely good condition.



















*The reason* : There are a number of reasons for the repaint, not least because I have never been all that happy with the KH6, for reasons I've only really just learnt about. Now, KH6 is a 3 stage pearl. Ground coat, pearl mid coat and lacquer. The real issue I had with my paint is that the KH6 has a really low pearl content in the midcoat, something like 50g for every 1000g, giving it a really weak/non existent pearl-glow in anything but sunny skies. It has a very flat and drab look to it when not in direct sunlight and other pearls seem to react much better to lower light conditions. In addition to this, I reversed into a low bollard at night a while ago putting slight marks into the rear bumper (I have since fitted parking sensors! - hidden one) and I had that painted about 2 years ago. The match wasn't good enough for me. Finally, I am pretty sure the painter used a very poor quality lacquer with little or no UV/UV-B stabiliser in it and as a result, the top coat looks very flat and there may be reaction in the paint since it was painted with solvent-based paint as opposed to water-based.

*My choices* : I've thought long and hard about colours to the point of it giving me a migraine! There are a LOT of pearl whites appearing now on cars and it's a colour/effect I've always liked. The trouble with a lot of pearl whites is that they are what I'd class as a 'super-white' pearl, like those from Mazda, Suzuki, Lexus etc. Their pearl whites are nice and crisp, but they tend to look like a standard flat white when not in the sun; nothing wrong with this, but it wasn't quite what I wanted. What I wanted was something with a real pearl glow to it. Something that would still have an element of translucency when it was cloudy, but then have a beautiful glow when the sun hit it. Based on this prerequisite and for me, an important prerequisite, I've pretty much narrowed it down to 3 pearl whites (below). All 3 stage standard pearls, so no overly expensive xirallic pearls. I will also be replacing the glass from the current dowdy bronze tint of the import cars to the nice blue tint glass of the European versions.

*Alfa's Bianco Nuvola - 212/A



















Audi's Perlmuttweiss - LOA9




























Ferrari/Maserati Bianco Fuji (MAS9958) - 224004*














































*Final thoughts* : These 3 pearls all have a MUCH higher pearl content in the midcoat than my current KH6. If you recall, KH6 has a pearl content of about 50g for every 1000g of midcoat. The Bianco Fuji midcoat has about 850g per 1000g, so you can see that the glow is much more intense and still looks pearly when not in direct sunlight. There are also 4 different tints of pearl in the midcoat. KH6 only has a single white pearl.

Audi's 'Perlmuttweiss' again, has a very high pearl content of around 750g per 1000g of midcoat. It is more similar to KH6 in the fact that it only has 1 tint, a white pearl.

I don't know too much about Alfa's Bianco Nuvelo at the moment, but assume it has a very strong pearl content in the midcoat.

So you can see the sorts of pearl whites that I am after and the reasons. I have also looked at Lamborghini's 'Balloon white' and Cadillac's 'Diamond white pearl', but prefer the Ferrari colour.

What I'd really like from you guys is a little input. Out of the above 3, or any other similar colour you can think of, which pearl white that you have seen do you feel gives the best 'glow' *both* in and out of sunlight? Plus any other thoughts anyone might have.

Thanks :thumb:


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

the bianco fuji looks really nice in the first photo of the 599, but in the 3rd it just looks like silver, I think that's the problem with pearl white though.. 

I'd probably pick that because it looks white in sunlight... the alfa looks silver in both photos.


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## kempe (Jan 9, 2011)

^ What he said ^ 

Long time buddy :thumb:


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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

TBH, I don't mind them looking silver at all in certain lights as I quite like silver. I've seen the Alfa colour in person and it doesn't look silver in the slightest. Though trouble with pearl cars is that they never photograph that well.


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## RedUntilDead (Feb 10, 2009)

They do look good.
Remember the old renault 5 turbo, a friend had a pearl white one which looked good.
I have just detailed a bmw e92 which wears a nice pearl white. Stone chips cant be matched and they stand out horribly. I dont think you could colour match if it ever needed a repair either, but you know this more than I do.
Seen a nissan extrail in our local showroom which was a pearl white, didnt half reflect under the false lighting but never seen the finish in normal day light.
Nice choice though bud.


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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Yeah, luckily, my current paint isn't badly chipped. It's not a daily driver and I never drive it in the winter or when it's wet which is where a huge proportion of stonechip damage occurs. I remember that Renault colour, very nice, a little beige out of sunlight though, I'd rather have a silvery white look out of sunlight.

I know the Nissan white you're talking about. Yup, very nice, but looks like a solid when when under cloudy skies.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

Audi Suzuka White Pearl is what i'd go for if it was me


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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

A very nice colour, but doesn't offer enough pearl effect for me.


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## pcm1980 (May 4, 2009)

Bmw A96 Mineral white pearl.

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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Another nice colour, but again, doesn't really offer much pearl glow out of sunlight. Looks too much like a normal solid white when viewed under cloudy skies.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

In that case i'd go for the Ferrari Bianco Fuji then,it's gonna cost some serious dough though i reckon but would look damn good


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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Dj.X-Ray said:


> In that case i'd go for the Ferrari Bianco Fuji then,it's gonna cost some serious dough though i reckon but would look damn good


Actually, the paint is no more expensive than standard pearl paints. It's a PPG paint and I have a PPG stockist near by who I've discussed the paint with.

I do love it, but something is swaying me (only slightly) toward the Alfa colour. I've only seen the Alfa and Audi colours in the flesh and they look fantastic. From what I've seen of Bianco Fuji, it too looks amazing and from what people have said that have seen it suggest it looks even better in person.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

funkysi said:


> Actually, the paint is no more expensive than standard pearl paints. It's a PPG paint and I have a PPG stockist near by who I've discussed the paint with.
> 
> I do love it, but something is swaying me (only slightly) toward the Alfa colour. I've only seen the Alfa and Audi colours in the flesh and they look fantastic. From what I've seen of Bianco Fuji, it too looks amazing and from what people have said that have seen it suggest it looks even better in person.


I've seen it in an exotic showroom near me once it's an awesome colour i must say i know what you mean about the Alfa though,they do have a nice palette how about Suzuka grey pearl ? Just to confuse the issue lol


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## pcm1980 (May 4, 2009)

Buy a 1/10th if a litre of each colour (ground coat and peatl coat) and do some spray out cards/samples of each colour. Personally thats the way i would do it, try different amount of pearl coats also (1,2 and 3 coats) to see how it alters the colour. Its an exspensive job to repaint your car and i would rather spend a little more money now to do the sample spray outs than to repaint the car further down the line cos your not happy with the colour (just like your not happy now).
Good luck

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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Dj.X-Ray said:


> I've seen it in an exotic showroom near me once it's an awesome colour i must say i know what you mean about the Alfa though,they do have a nice palette how about Suzuka grey pearl ? Just to confuse the issue lol


Is that like that funny colour they've started doing some of the Minis?



pcm1980 said:


> Buy a 1/10th if a litre of each colour (ground coat and peatl coat) and do some spray out cards/samples of each colour. Personally thats the way i would do it, try different amount of pearl coats also (1,2 and 3 coats) to see how it alters the colour. Its an exspensive job to repaint your car and i would rather spend a little more money now to do the sample spray outs than to repaint the car further down the line cos your not happy with the colour (just like your not happy now).
> Good luck
> 
> Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2


I'm most likely going to be doing that for sure. I've had the chip cards out for the Fuji Bianco and Perlmuttweiss and on that, the Ferrari colour looks nicest.

I'll have to try and get some test plates made up with curves or bumps on them. You get a true feel of how the colour reacts.


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## pcm1980 (May 4, 2009)

I'm most likely going to be doing that for sure. I've had the chip cards out for the Fuji Bianco and Perlmuttweiss and on that, the Ferrari colour looks nicest.

I'll have to try and get some test plates made up with curves or bumps on them. You get a true feel of how the colour reacts.[/QUOTE]:

thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

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## 3R PROJECT (Jul 14, 2012)

Try also from the lexus tints AM31 for base and AM724 for pearl which has a subtle red hue . A very nice pearl and my personal favorite .


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

funkysi said:


> Is that like that funny colour they've started doing some of the Minis
> No it's a Audi colour mate,worth a look it's like no other tbh


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## bigmc (Mar 22, 2010)

Fords new pearl white is nice as is the one Fiat put on the Abarth 500


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## Blueberry (Aug 10, 2007)

My Peugeot RCZ is pearl white and it does have a lovely pearlescent effect to it. Have you considered that ?
It shimmers but you can obviously tell its pearl even on a grey day.


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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Dj.X-Ray said:


> No it's a Audi colour mate,worth a look it's like no other tbh


Haven't seen it. Will keep an eye out for it though! 



bigmc said:


> Fords new pearl white is nice as is the one Fiat put on the Abarth 500


That the one with the blue flip? Hmmm...not sure about that one. I think it looks a little aftermarket if that makes any sense...despite it not being.



Blueberry said:


> My Peugeot RCZ is pearl white and it does have a lovely pearlescent effect to it. Have you considered that ?
> It shimmers but you can obviously tell its pearl even on a grey day.


Yes I have actually, it's a really nice colour, there's one just round the corner from me. It's only just snuck off the list as the other 3 have a slightly heavier pearl effect. Great colour though. :thumb:


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## Joe24 (Oct 10, 2012)

Best thing to do is pop one of your wing mirror covers off, paint that and stick it back on then you have the curves you want and can see it on the car. That's what I did with my bro's golf. Also made the colour up myself taking a white ground coat and making my own blue pearl mid coat, looked really smart. Just an idea!


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

You can buy pearl powder really cheap , there's an american site called paint with pearl that supply it . Just chuck it in binder or laquer and use as a mid coat


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## funkysi (Mar 18, 2006)

Joe24 said:


> Best thing to do is pop one of your wing mirror covers off, paint that and stick it back on then you have the curves you want and can see it on the car. That's what I did with my bro's golf. Also made the colour up myself taking a white ground coat and making my own blue pearl mid coat, looked really smart. Just an idea!


That's a good idea with the mirror housing! I was always going to get the nose panel done as it is a flat panel. But didn't think (for some reason) to do the mirror housing. Will be nice to see how they both react with varying degrees of lighting at various angles.


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