Paint query - silvers

Hi Guys & Gals,

I'm looking for someone with metallic paint experience to answer a question, please.

I got the paint code off of my VIN plate for my 55 plate MG TF. It says MBB (Starlight Silver), but Halfords do not stock an MBB paint.

On their chart they have MG TFs listed as MNX (Platinum Silver) but that is only listed up to 2001.

Is the MNX identical to MBB, or would I be better off going for something else (considering none of the other Rover paints are more recent than 2001)?

Bugger the likes of Halfords.......go to a proper automotive paint shop.
Not all silvers are created equal, MBB will be different to MNX, to touch up with MNX will look awful.

Hi, cobber is correct.
I have the F in platinum silver. Put next to a starlight silver TF, the difference is immense. Please do not go there, it will look terrible.
David

Car NMX

Spoiler MBB.

There is a big difference between two similar shades on separate components to being on the same panel.
The separation between the different shade provided by the space between the components helps hide the difference.

Even when your using the same colour code it can be a problem.
As paint fades over time, It's hard enough to hide the difference between the "old" and "new" paint.
Some panel beaters, will mix the paint to suit the car, only using the colour code as a starting point, obviously this takes a good trained eye and a lot of skill.
Alternately, there is and old panel beaters trick, which is used when they need to paint the lower 1/2 of a car for rust repair or the top half for clear coat peel or maybe fading.
They would either paint it 2 tone in a contrasting colour or use a pin stripe to separate the two old and new shades.

It isn't in the middle of a panel, it is on the corner edge of the boot area (see attached).

There are numerous other little scratches on it that have been treated so will not deteriorate any more, but this one hasn't. Numerous Youtube videos have been watched, and I'm now armed with the local decent paint shop's contact details. I have all the gubbins required other than the paint, so will look into taking an extended lunch break sometime mid-week and making progress there.

I could get them to do it, or I could get them to mix up the paint. The former means it'll be done right first time, the latter means I can fix all the little scratches myself. Food for thought, but that's as far as I can go this weekend. Many thanks for the input so far, gents.

Yes Cobbers right get out of Halfords .I went in for some power steering fluid..just check to see if it's the right spec for my kia I asked the kid as I placed o bottle of power steering fluid on the counter...I gave him my reg number and he looked shocked...no he replied you have the wrong one....I told him there was only one type of steering fluid on the shelf...I will get you a bottle...he returned with a bottle of ep90 gearbox oil...here you are he said it's ep90 gearbox ....shaking my head I went back to the shelf and got the steering fluid and said bugger it this is cheaper I'll put this in....

ConzarTF wrote: It isn't in the middle of a panel, it is on the corner edge of the boot area (see attached).

.

That looks horribly like rust, you'll need to get that area back to bare metal, removing any rust scale that mat be present.
To do the job properly you'd need to cut anything more than surface rust out and weld new metal in, but as you probably cant afford to do that, then still cut any thing more than surface rust out and patch with fiberglass filler, treat the surface rust, then use a primer coat before the colour coats and for metallic colours, finish with a clear coat.
It's important to note that you need to get the prep work right before any attempt to apply the colour coats, there will be much sanding to get it right.

Hi . If you are not feeling confident or haven't got the experience in obtaining a decent finish , why not consider having the area sorted by one of the many independent franchises that do localised paint repair jobs and they will come out and sort it for you. In fairness they will get a better paint match than many of your aerosol rattle cans . I live in Leeds and when my MG ZR had a tow ball reversed into its front bumper I used a company called Direct Finish and they did a super job of matching the paint. Depends on your budget I suppose.

John