Damage to Brand New CX5

PDR was the way to go with that type of damage. Even if I had an easy to match black, I would go PDR. Repaints never look as good, no matter what the color. Oh, and some Lexus' use four-stage paint. Those are a nightmare to try and match.

I had a black Jeep. Flawless match on the repaint and my 370Z in gun metallic was also a flawless match. That's why I thought nothing of machine grey. I was wrong.
 
I had a black Jeep. Flawless match on the repaint and my 370Z in gun metallic was also a flawless match. That's why I thought nothing of machine grey. I was wrong.

Flawless to you, maybe. Some people are just better at seeing variation than others. It's kind of a curse.
 
Flawless to you, maybe. Some people are just better at seeing variation than others. It's kind of a curse.

I'm probably one of the most OCD people you've met, with zero color deficits, 20/10 vision, and a knack for nitpicking the everloving s*** out of something. You may be right and I may miss a repaint flaw, but I kindof doubt I missed anything meaningful on the Z. The Jeep, I didn't eyeball it TOO hard as it was part of the roof.
 
Wow, the PDR guy did a pretty great job considering what it used to look like. You can barely see it now.

I had the exact opposite experience when my car needed some work done. Two separate hit and run instances left me with damage on the rear quarter panel where the panel meets the bumper (same area on both sides). I took it to a Honda body shop that had painted MGM before and they got it bang on the first time. I don't know how much their equipment is worth, but their experience was worth way more.

As a sidenote, I've heard of some body shops calling in PPG to show them how to paint certain colours. Maybe that's what this Honda body shop had done at some point. (dunno)
 
Well, I now officially hate "Machine Gray, Mazda 46G". Multiple body shops in my area with 1/4 million dollar paint booths absolutely refused to work on my car, or if they did, said they would blend 2 panels either side of the work, and not guarantee results (basically instant 4-figure job for a quarter sized spot...). 46G is impossible to properly paint match from all angles, apparently, so find you a donor car to pull panels off of I guess. The PDR guy (apparently the shop I originally went to called in a guy with tons of experience) fixed my dent pretty darn well, to the point I'm only mildly irritated, now, but damn, if my car gets truly bent up, it's totaled pretty much is the gist.

Paint time on 46G is 200% the cost, as you have to shoot the car twice. Maybe it will match, maybe not...

I'm glad my insurance company is blissfully ignorant about this, literally the only other cars out there with paint like this is the GT-R, and some higher end MB's with $2K+ paint options. This is a very poorly planned move on Mazda's part that goes over well in sales, but is a nightmare for an actual owner down the line. I wish I'd bought White, Black, or hell, anything but one of these colors.

Before:
58961576_10100165541721461_3672213346070822912_o.jpg

After:
2nrn0cm.jpg
I mean...did you completely miss the paint threads where Soul Red Crystal and Machine Grey were having a huge amount of trouble with shops matching the paint? Thread was before you bought.
 
I mean...did you completely miss the paint threads where Soul Red Crystal and Machine Grey were having a huge amount of trouble with shops matching the paint? Thread was before you bought.

Apparently so. Like I said, I owned a gun metallic 370Z, and paint was a non-issue. I didn't think this would be. Wrong.
 
Apparently so. Like I said, I owned a gun metallic 370Z, and paint was a non-issue. I didn't think this would be. Wrong.
Machine Grey has that weird amount of layers and stages like the Soul Red. It's not just a normal grey.

That said, I feel your pain. Finally getting into the shop today to get some damage fixed from February hit and run, and to get a quote to repair my front end which got wacked by a gate with malfunctioning sensors.

My car looks like s*** right now.
 
Machine Grey has that weird amount of layers and stages like the Soul Red. It's not just a normal grey.

That said, I feel your pain. Finally getting into the shop today to get some damage fixed from February hit and run, and to get a quote to repair my front end which got wacked by a gate with malfunctioning sensors.

My car looks like s*** right now.

Tri stage, three layer process, at least that's what my '16 is. Not too many shops get it right. I'm surprised the new Grey is like that.
 
Tri stage, three layer process, at least that's what my '16 is. Not too many shops get it right. I'm surprised the new Grey is like that.

Yeah unless I am mistaken, the new Machine Grey is like the Soul Red Crystal.

I remember seeing pictures on a thread where the shops were having a lot of problems matching the color.
 
Well, I now officially hate "Machine Gray, Mazda 46G". Multiple body shops in my area with 1/4 million dollar paint booths absolutely refused to work on my car, or if they did, said they would blend 2 panels either side of the work, and not guarantee results (basically instant 4-figure job for a quarter sized spot...). 46G is impossible to properly paint match from all angles, apparently, so find you a donor car to pull panels off of I guess. The PDR guy (apparently the shop I originally went to called in a guy with tons of experience) fixed my dent pretty darn well, to the point I'm only mildly irritated, now, but damn, if my car gets truly bent up, it's totaled pretty much is the gist.

Paint time on 46G is 200% the cost, as you have to shoot the car twice. Maybe it will match, maybe not...

I'm glad my insurance company is blissfully ignorant about this, literally the only other cars out there with paint like this is the GT-R, and some higher end MB's with $2K+ paint options. This is a very poorly planned move on Mazda's part that goes over well in sales, but is a nightmare for an actual owner down the line. I wish I'd bought White, Black, or hell, anything but one of these colors.

Before:
58961576_10100165541721461_3672213346070822912_o.jpg

After:
2nrn0cm.jpg

The PDR guy did really good. He matched up the crease perfectly which must have been hard, the metal sometimes stretches from a hit like that. It looks good and you have all your original paint.
 
The PDR guy did really good. He matched up the crease perfectly which must have been hard, the metal sometimes stretches from a hit like that. It looks good and you have all your original paint.

Ty, yes, this guy was legit. I try to find an artist when I need art, and am lucky I found one.
 
My mx-5 18 in machine grey got a minor ding in rear and front which I need to fix. Concerned about getting the right body shop to handle tricky paint job as I understand this color is tough to match. Im also in LA area, CA (in Pasadena) but willing to travel to find the right place. Which bodyshop did you use? Thanks!
 
My mx-5 *18 in machine grey got a minor ding in rear and front which I need to fix. Concerned about getting the right body shop to handle tricky paint job as I understand this color is tough to match. I*m also in LA area, CA (in Pasadena) but willing to travel to find the right place. Which bodyshop did you use? Thanks!

I went to my dealer. They have a specific body shop that they say has successfully fixed numerous machine grey and red "dings". If I ever need paint, I will go to them. They warned me "It's not cheap, but...". I would go to your dealer and ask the same.
 
Thanks. Unfortunately when I went to the shop that my dealer recommended, the painter said they've done it before but then just gave the generic spiel about computer color matching and that it was 2-stage paint, which made me realize he probably doesn't really understand what's really involved...
 
Thanks. Unfortunately when I went to the shop that my dealer recommended, the painter said they've done it before but then just gave the generic spiel about computer color matching and that it was 2-stage paint, which made me realize he probably doesn't really understand what's really involved...

That sucks. Yeah, PPG sent out reps specifically to teach how to do THIS paint to shops that will be servicing it.
 
My guess is that they don't like Tesla.

They know it is based out of Silicon Valley. Driven by the affluent tech crowd. Silicon Valley companies disrupt existing business models (no oil change) and may be sometimes the livelihood of people who rely on manual labor. Robotics and automation and such. So there is resentment.

But Tesla is the poster child of Made in America brilliance and ingenuity. Even the Germans are a little scared of them. Probably the only hardware besides Boeing airplanes (i don't know the many other things that get exported..sure there are many other high tech things in the list) that gets exported overseas that is actually physically made in the USA. Does Intel and AMD and Nvidia etc. even make their stuff here anymore? For exports?

They deserve to be respected imo. Even with the government subsidy claims since big oil drinks tax dollars not to mention the bail out of GM and others. In my opinion Trump should boost Tesla with some tweets in his spare time.

(btw, think trash can also be found in affluent areas like the ones who bought college admissions for their children or the ones who shipped out the factories overseas to mention a few)
 
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