Pearl White Blend on a Previously Repaired Quarter

I would not attempt a 200 mm blend on a three-stage pearl for 0.6 hour. I would refinish the quarter panel with a controlled colour blend into the adjacent door or roof, then clear the blended area, and I would submit a supplement for the additional time.

Why the estimate is inadequate

• Three-stage pearl requires a base coat, a pearl midcoat and clear. The midcoat is highly sensitive to film build and gun distance; a small blend area makes a visible band likely.
• The previous repair already shows a blend in sunlight, so the customer's concern is evidence-based, not cosmetic preference.
• A 200 mm blend does not leave enough distance to feather the midcoat and clear, especially near a panel edge or body line.

Technical strategy

• Repair and prime the door and quarter as required. Flat the primed areas and check for sanding scratches.
• Use the spray-out card and a letdown panel to select the variant. Because there is no variant camera, I would spray a test card and compare it in daylight at multiple angles before mixing the final colour.
• Apply colour to the quarter, carrying a blend into the adjacent panel, then clear the full repaired area with the correct texture.

Customer communication

• Three days is tight but possible if the insurer authorises promptly. I would explain that a cheap blend is more likely to come back and that the repair will be inspected in daylight before handover.

Inspection

• Booth lighting is not sufficient for pearl metamerism. I would move the vehicle into daylight or use a colour-corrected inspection lamp and view the panel at low and high angles.
• I would check the band's position, width and appearance: a dark edge along the blend usually indicates too much midcoat or base coat at the blend edge, or clear applied over an incompletely flashed midcoat.
• I would measure film build across the blend and compare it with the adjacent panels. High film build can change flop and make the area look darker.

Correction

• If the band is in the midcoat or base, polishing will not fix it. I would sand the affected area carefully, avoiding break-through on edges and adjacent panels.
• I would re-apply the base and midcoat with a wider, softer blend, controlling gun distance, overlap and flash-off. Then I would reclear the panel or the blended area as appropriate.
• If film build is already excessive, I would strip and refinish the panel rather than build more material.

Sign-off

• I would inspect again in direct sunlight and under the workshop's colour lamp. I would record the correction, the products used and the final readings. I would ask the customer to view the repair in daylight before handover and explain the care period for the new clear.

I would record:

• The original insurer estimate showing 0.6 hour and the 200 mm blend limitation.
• Paint thickness readings and photographs of the previous blend under daylight.
• The OEM or paint manufacturer's procedure for a three-stage pearl repair, including the recommended blend and clear area.
• The spray-out card and letdown panel results, with the variant selected and the comparison conditions.
• The supplementary estimate showing additional refinish, blend, clear and inspection time.
• Customer approval for the extra work and the revised completion date.
• Final inspection notes, including daylight inspection and any correction carried out.

This file supports the supplement with technical evidence rather than opinion. It also shows the customer what was agreed if the repair is queried later. I would not promise an invisible repair in every lighting condition; I would promise a repair that matches the vehicle's existing finish as closely as the paint system allows.