New car, '07 DTS , Cognac Frost with convertible top. This is a new color for '07..very attractive pearl finish. However when I picked car up I first noticed rear bumper was not a good match. Bumper has definite grey hue and in reduced light gives appearance of "two-tone"...looks bad, almost like a replacement bumper with poor paint job. Car only 3 weeks old and am in the process of seeking remedy through dealer. Initial response from dealer tried to convince me that color match a function of light, angle of view, etc., etc. They are preparing some paint chips to look at for potential repaint of bumper. The fact remains when I walk up to the car from the rear it looks like hell. Can anyone comment on their experience with Cognac Frost finish?

Pics please! and welcome to the forums!

:welcome: to the forums and :postpics:

My bad..clearly, pix make sense. Will attempt to do so tomorrow. Thanks for the comments.

Here are 3 pictures. 2 are taken with car in garage, garage door open for daylight. Third is with car outdoors on a cloudy day. I hope this illustrates my point regarding color mismatch of bumper to body. If anyone has a Cognac Frost DTS that shows a better match would appreciate picture.

Comments?

Thank you.

thats not even remotely close. i cant believe they are hassling you! looks like somebody used a can of rustoleum.

either show to GM of dealer or find a new dealer. wow.

Dealer installed "two tone option??"

If that was meant as a joke, I fail to see the humor.

Still trying to work the issue locally. If I need to bump it up the corporate chain, does anyone have recommended point(s) of contact?

Thanks for any assistance.

Those shots taken in "dark" conditions really highlight a condition I've dealt with several times over the years- plastic pieces not matching the metal body on metallic finishes. I notice it on practically every new car because I'm looking for it, but some cases are worse than others- Cognac Frost and Glacier White tend to be the worst.

Here's a quote from an Auto paint manufacturer's web site:



Why do plastic bumper covers change color?

Every once in a while we get a phone call from body shop client that is trying to deliver a car and their customer will not take it because the bumper looks different than the car. The most amazing thing is that the bumper and the front end of the car was painted at the same time, with the same gun, same air pressure, same temperature and the same paint.

How do you explain the bumper color change to the customer?

Plastic bumpers will always change color especially in metallic colors. The plastic has a static charge and the metallic paint will settle different than on the sheet metal parts, causing pigment floatation that will shift the color darker or lighter. The other reason is surface temperature, if the sheet metal is colder, the bumper will look lighter, if the sheet metal is hotter than the bumper, the color on the bumper will look darker. The third reason is flex additive. If the clearcoat is applied on the bumper with a flex additive, it will shift the color slightly.

How do you prove your point after explaining this to the customer?

Your customer will probably think your trying to fool them with this explanation, Luckily, the majority of our body shop clients in our area are dealerships. So they walk the client to the show room floor and point out that just about every car on the lot with a metallic color has a shade different on the bumper covers, front and rear, plastic door handles and plastic mirrors, all have different shades. Most clients are more at ease when they realize that they bought the car this way but had never noticed.


I'm not saying you don't have a legitimate concern, just that it's common occurance with metallic paints. It's hard to tell without seeing the car in person if the difference is big enough to warrant repainting it, but keep in mind that the shop my not match the slight factory "orange peel", which will make it obvious the bumper has been repainted. It's a tough call, and only you can make it.

Keep us updated.

Thanks Tony. Some of those points were raised by the dealer's body contractor with whom I'll be meeting again after the Holiday. He is preparing some paint chips to look at based on the car's paint code. If the difference were slight I would probably forget about it. However, It seems to me that there can be an improvement. I agree, it is going to be a tough call because I certainly don't want to make it worse. The car's finish is very nice.

Thanks for your professional comments. Will keep you informed.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING

No, my diamond white CTS bumpers are VERY little different, I noticed it because I notice everything on it. Your bumpers are REALLLLLYY off colour. Take it back and demand a re-paint or credit.

I have a 2006 DTS.... White Lightning. The bumpers and body match exactly.

I expect (and would accept nothing less) in a $57,000 dollar Cadillac.

I hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction.

Jim from Texas

Photos you posted look more like Radiant Bronze than Cognac Frost, in my opinion. Radiant Bronze is a very "chameleonic" paint, with an iridescence that causes it to change colors from different angles and in different lighting. If you body tag VIN number indicates it is really Radiant Bronze, the variation is normal. If it really is Cognac Frost, then it is "off." For this reason, and especially on cloudy days, the grayish hue to Radiant Bronze caused me not to like the color--after initially liking it when I saw it in the sunshine! I have had four White Diamond Cadillacs, and all of the plastic piece bumpers matched exactly. Hope this helps.

Late to the discussion here, but that is really bad. You are not being too picky here. How about parling it next to the same color at the dealer's lot for the people there who say it is normal.

If my dealer told me that was normal based on the pictures you posted, I would find another dealer. One nice thing about Cadillac is there are a lot of dealers of there. Some are better than others. Sorry for your trouble...that color match is not even close.

Thats freaking terrible.

So what happened with this?

man, that is bad !

even looked photochopped !

why the heck would you take delivery of that !


hope it all ended well tho.

it would be nice of the OP to report back, but they havent logged on in 3 weeks. often folks come here, complain, and leave for good. oh well

it would be nice of the OP to report back, but they havent logged on in 3 weeks. often folks come here, complain, and leave for good. oh well


drive by's :cookoo: