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Rear Bumper Color

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by nownow, Mar 26, 2019.

  1. nownow

    nownow Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2008
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    Location:
    Pinehurst NC
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Hey all -
    I've noticed that the rear bumper color on my 2017 Blizzard Pearl seems to be a little different than the rest of the car. If any way to describe it is that the bumper looks a little "whiter" while the doors and mid panel look a little "beiger" or something. I've read online that this isn't necessarily an abnormal occurrence for cars in general, and I've almost convinced myself that I've seen it in some online photos of BP Prii, but haven't seen much online chatter about Prius' specifically.

    The car was purchased used, and while the Carfax didn't suggest any repair, we all know that only catches certain instances, and if a repair was made private pay it may not have been caught there.

    Basically, I'm just trying to see if this is something that people have noticed on their cars that are known not to have damage, or if this is potentially a remnant of a repair that wasn't perfectly done and I should be looking to have the bumper repainted.

    Thanks!
     
    #1 nownow, Mar 26, 2019
  2. -Yousef-

    -Yousef- Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2019
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    Location:
    Saudi Arabia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I've noticed the same with my 2017 Magnetic Gray Metallic purchased new and I believe it's normal and hardly noticeable .
     
    #2 -Yousef-, Mar 26, 2019
  3. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Location:
    near Brisbane, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
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    It could be:
    1) a minor repair which needed a repaint of the bumper - eg scraped by the garage door as it opened;
    2) the bumper is more curved than the door, and, particularly with metallic or similar colours, can reflect light in a different way;
    3) painting the plastic of a bumper is a different process from solid panels, requiring a different priming process - not sure what they do now, but going back a decade or 2, the top coat was a different formulation - it had to be more flexible as the panel had some flexibility; or
    4) something else entirely.
     
    #3 alanclarkeau, Mar 26, 2019
    krmcg likes this.
  4. Pattidog1

    Pattidog1 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2019
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    Location:
    Hamilton, Ontario,Canada
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three Touring
    I have had both front and rear bumpers repainted.
    1. The rear Bumper has a yellow hue to it at the side but not at the rear. Front was painted another time and it is very close but not identical to the the rest of the panels. When i questioned the paint shop they advised painting plastic is difficult and with give a different result from steel panels.
    2. Sure enough if you compare other cars and colours you see on the road you will see the same thing.
    3. The only cure is to paint it all.
     
    #4 Pattidog1, Mar 31, 2019
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