Metallic not as shiny as non metallic paint?

G

goceltics34

New member
Is it just a fact of life that a metallic paint job will never reach the reflective shine that a paint job that is non metallic or do I need to use different products?



Currently using Pinnacle Cleansing Lotion, WG Paint Sealant, Pinnacle Signature Series.



The finish looks amazing, but I just can't get the reflections that I see from cars that are not metallic paint.



Any infomation on this topic would be greatly appreciated!
 
5571bmw_fender.jpg






It is attainable, but it requires a little different products that non-metallic paints. I used 3M PI II RC, 1Z PP, AIO, and WG on this BMW and you can see how awesome it came out. I tend to shy away from carnaubas on metallic paint because I find that it can sometimes *mute* the metallic thus dulling the overall look. A lot of people like Zaino, SG, and 4* UPP (to name a few) on metallics. Regardless, I think as long as you stick with sealants you should be looking good, and don't forget about prep. You may need something a little stronger than WG Paint Cleaner to bring back the shine you are looking for. :nixweiss
 
I was questioning myself before when i traded in my black mx-5 to a red metallic one. My black car looked glossy and shiny from any angle while my red metallic kind of look dull from a certain angle but very glossy on some different angles. But after trying several products I found the best combo that really compliments the color. I now use meg's hand polish which really brings out the color of the paint and makes it really glossy and topped with pinnacle signature. Yours might be a little different because you use sealant instead of carnauba wax and you cant apply a sealant on top of a glaze. Anyways, if you want to try something a little different try a glaze/wax combo, you might like it.
 
I think it's all down to prep. I mean, I used to prep my car with Meguiars Paint cleaner, which is good but doesn't really budge any swirls etc.



I now, however, use #80 speed glaze (leaves looking very wet), or ssr2.5 not as wet although gives more clarity and more reflections.



Next I use sometimes a less aggressive polish or a glaze, this can increase the gloss, I think the trick with metallics is to stay away from fillers (like most glazes) to get the real "pop." If you are after wet paint then go for it, I however prefer a 50/50 of wetness/gloss and "pop"



For my paint I use, ssr2.5 then ex-p followed by nattys.



Although I have some great products just arrived to try out including p21s! and EX.
 
I think the surface must be very well prepared and and polished. Then when you clean and protect (AIO in my case) and apply Sealant (SG) + wax (to top the sealant) the depth of the shine in the paint should look great :bigups .
 
I think the answer is yes. In shade, metallic paint will give the same reflections as nonmetallic; in the sun, the metallic will tend to overpower the reflections though they can still certainly be there.
 
I am starting to not like metallics at all. I have a light blue ford, and UPP looks real nice on it, but no matter what i do, it looks like a shine ontop of the paint, not the paint itself.



I dunno if i explained it right, but most metallics just shout "this clear coat is real shiney"
 
After properly prepping my car (clay, polish) then waxing, I am pleased with the finish. TW85 seems to be correct in that in the shade it does look very reflective but in the sun it seems as if the flakes and ultimate finish of the paint job get in the way of that "mirror" look.



Thanks for all your responses. I am hoping to learn a lot of different combinations to try.
 
IMO the two types of paint simply *look different*. Just as black ss lacquer looks *very* different from black b/c. I dunno if it's really fair to compare things that are so different using better/worse. Some people are gonna like one type of paint a lot better than they like others.



With the untold number of silver cars I've had, I've only had two look *just* the way I wanted them to. But when I had black cars, it seemed like all I had to do was eliminate the marring, maybe add a glaze, then apply Souveran and presto- great appearance. Black was a lot of work, but the results were almost guaranteed to be stunning. No such guarantees with metallics.



Seems to me that it's a lot easier to get metallics to look OK, but it's *hard* to make them look really great.
 
I also believe that metallic paints do not 'shine' as well as non-mettalic. Jet black, non-metallic cars can look amazingly wet and flowing, like black liquid. Whereas metallic black cars tend to look amazingly reflective and hard glass like, like a black slab of marble.



I don't believe product or prep will change this, in my opinion it is a characteristic of the paint type.
 
Your car does look nice nailzer. But let's say you had two cars side by side. Both same exact brand new cars, same products used, same color. Except one was metallic red and the other was non metallic red. Do you think that they will have the same "mirror" reflections?



I know they are different and have different qualities. I guess it's a personal preference. Neither is better than the other. But I do think that you will see a major difference.
 
As Accumalator suggests you're comparing two different types of paint finish that reflect light very differently from each other



Not as extreme as comparing black with white or silver, but almost. Add a very subjective personal 'likes' to the mix and fair comparison is very difficult.



The only solution is to try different sealant and LSP's until the 'look' of the vehicle is what you were searching for,

somewhat like the quest for the holy grail...

JonM



[Added] On silver-Zaino Z2PRO, Klasse AIO, Megs NXT these are all polymer sealants that will make silver stand out (pop), Pinnacle Signature Series Wax- is a low-solvent Carnauba wax (making it an ideal LSP) and polymer mix that is perfect for metallic painted surfaces and for light coloured vehicle paint, providing a clean bright shine.

Hope this helps

(just don't tell your wife were you got the list from to spend money)
 
LOL! Very true TOGWT it will definitely be a search for that "perfect combo" for my tastes. Believe me, I am enjoying the journey. My wife doesn't as I have already forked over $800 in MF's, brushes, polishes, waxes, sealants, soaps, tire gel, etc. etc. etc......



She already thinks that I am suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) because I talk about my car almost daily. Oh well, at least I am happy! That's all that matters doesn't it?
 
Quyote: She already thinks that I am suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)



There are 20K others just like us on this forum, we all know of a cure but we're ignoring it anyway
 
You aren't the only one. My wife, neighbor and boss say I all have OCD...lol



Neighbor: Man Alex, you're sick. You're the only man I know that can buy a new truck, bring it home and have it looking better than when it rolled off the showroom floor. lol



Wife: How much more $ are you going to spend on this "shiney stuff" She does love that shine of the black car though. I had her wax it a few times and she lets me handle it now..lol



Boss: You're the only employee in this company who waxes his work truck. I've never seen a company truck on construction sites all day long and still stay that clean. (I have a take home company truck--I usually keep it spotless--Gives the company a professional image) No I'm not a construction worker. I'm a roadway & bridge inspector...muhahahah
 
Classic! I think everyone has to have a "fix" or their life would be boring. Clean cars is mine, and most of the members of Autopia as well. There is no better moment than the one right after you have just finished a long days work of detailing (I just had my first this past weekend). Told the wife I was going for a ride. She asked where I was going. I told her I didn't know. I truly didn't. I just wanted to cruise around to show off my fabulous shine. Drove for about a half an hour before coming home.



Yeah, it feels good!
 
There are lots and lots of variables as to why some cars look wet ,deep, and reflective. I once saw a Burgundy car look as if the paint was a foot deep, with excellent reflectivity. As I looked at the paint, I could see very small flakes. Flake size can change the apparent reflectivity. Things like this make a car look vastly different under different lighting. My daily driver looks wet and reflective, but a Gold/Tan in daylight conditions, yet, under High Pressure Sodium streetlights, it GLOWS an intense gold color under that reddish/orange light. So the point is, that paint type and lighting color balance are more important than which sealant is applied. No matter what I apply, I get a deep glowing gold in which the flakes sparkle, but I have to view at an angle to see any high reflectivity. So paint type rules the percieved reflectivity , not polishes , not even prep. All prep will do is make the flake finish clearer and actually more luminous not more reflective when viewed straight on. Zaino Pro, EX-P, SG all are great, but cannot overrule the paint type. I am satisfied that my car appears to somewhat glow in the dark (under the right lights) ;)
 
since white paint is bouncing more light(full spectrum) back than any other color paint i'd say solid white is the most reflective paint color
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top