Alright weather is getting nicer, I decide to paint my lowers. My 99.5 a4 is SILVER! Yes SILVER! Paint code LY7W. After reading probably every DIY on lowers supposedly this color is easy to match with a Dupli-color spray can called Radiant Silver or Brilliant Silver.

So I go to Canadian Tire (I'm Canadian eh), where they have all their 6oz. spray can colours organized in manufactures. They didn't have Audi so I looked at VW, They had A silver color but it wasn't called brilliant or radiant silver and it was clearly waay darker and more sparkly then my car. So I keep looking around and notice a silver called Radiant Silver under the GM section. Figured that was probably it and grabbed a can. Also I grabbed a couple other random silver colours that I thought might match. All Cost me $40.

Well guess what, NONE OF THEM MATCH!!! (btw I'm testing if they match on a scrap piece of black plastic I had laying around and of course using primer first) So I click pretty much every link in the DIY to order colour matched paint, paintscratch.com etc. and either they don't ship to canada or they ship to canada but for whatever reason they can't ship the spray cans only the pints, quarts, for whatever reason.

Sooooo I call an Audi dealership. First dealership I call they say they can't order paint just for customers. Second dealership I call says same thing but he gives me the number for a body shop I could probably get some at. I call the body shop and they can get me the paint but not in spray can's only for their sprayers or whatever. I'm NOT taking my car to a body shop to do it, I don't even care if it ends up costing me more IM DOING IT MYSELF DAMNIT!

Sooo I'm pissed it was the nicest day out today and my fridge was full of MGD. Hell if someone lives close the the border (Niagara Falls area) I'll pay you (+extra) to order some paint cans for meand Ill drive down there (from toronto) to get it! that or I hope someone replies with better option...

that was the longest post I've ever written aboutsuch a meaningless mod.

 

Try here.

http://www.paintscratch.com/

I bought paint for my 300zx at a Sherwin Williams automotive paint shop. They mixed up 2 cans of spray paint in the rare gold color of my car, for like 15 apiece. I dont know if they exist in Canada. Thats where a lot of body shops get their paint here in the states.

The online link above charges more per can, but as long as you have the paint code, you can get what you need.

Use a plastic adhesion promoter on the plastic first. Then primer and sand, then paint like 2 coats, then 1 clear if you like. you probably dont need the clear if you do 2-3 coats of paint, in fact it may alter the color slightly, so play that by ear.

Post some pics when you're done, I hope this helps you out.

 

OK, I see you said paintscratch wont ship to Canada.

How far ofa drive is it for you to cross the border? Maybe try to find a Sherwin-Williams auto in Buffalo, might be able to drive down there and get the paint you need. You'll have to call ahead anyway, they usually take a few days to make it up.

You could always try to find a paint gun and buy a small aircomressor, then you wouldn't need spray cans, its much easier to find the paint in quarts.

Hope you have some luck finding what you need.

 

Your plans are exactly the same as mine for next weekend (I'm Canadian too)!!! Plastic is a bit more complicated to paint than metal, check out this link, it will help you a lot with the preperation and the steps involved: http://www.performancecoatings.dupon...PlasticsOV.pdf

You have to use flex agents in the clear coat as well or else it will chip. Not to discourage you but I am at about 800 bucks in supplies right now (not including the gun, compressor, etc..., just basecoat, plastic sealer, clearcoat, etc...). I got my paint at a NAPA store, they matched it perfectly using the factory paint code, NAPA can probably get you any DuPont products you will need. Make sure you use catalyzed products if you want it to last! Good luck, let us know how it turns out!
Here is a pic of the "paint booth" I set up in my garage.

 

So did you get your Paint in Spray cans from napa? or do you have a spray gun? If I can get my colour in a spray can it would be easier for me but like acetrebo said a compressor might be a worth-while investment since I could use it for a lot more...

 

No, the paint is catalyzed (3 parts) and I have to shoot it with a gun, I bought a spray gun on eBay and got a Rodac 5hp compressor. The thing is you will have the tools forever if you ever decide to paint your grills, retouch paint chips on the car, etc...
Catalyzed (mixed) primer, basecoat, and clearcoat will give you a much longer lasting finish. It might be worth the extra expense just not to have to do it again in 2 years (especially with the lowers because they are exposed to a much more hostile environment than the upper parts of the car).

 

"Radiant Silver METALLIC" from duplicolor is the nearest, not perfect, match to the factory paint, anything else will look off. Painting the lowers is easy but the results depend alot on the type of plastic used. For example, the sides came out perfect on my car but the front and rear valence are noticeably off, the plastic there is alot less smooth.

 

trey you should have used a filler and sanded down the valences first, that would have made the textures match up a lot better

 

I sanded like crazy, didn't use the filler though. Eh, maybe I'll try again later this year. Still it looks alot better than the stock black.

Off topic but what exactly is a "stage 3 MAF"?

 

its a bored, descreened, and refinished mass air flow housing... its called S3 because its the 3rd in the kind of evolution process this guy did in modifying the MAF's on the 12vs....