PMS Colormatching a Toyota Color Code

[JTBoh]

Does anyone have any information on where we can find a PMS Code conversion chart or something that would convert an existing code for toyota (in this case 4q4) to a PMS code?

Customer has a van fresh painted "Toyota Beige", code 4Q4, and we're trying to match the background of some graphics for a partial wrap to that color. Don't want to use existing website graphics that list the color as "web graphics" and other quality loss potential is there.

Tried calling Toyota and apparently can't get through to the paint department through cust support line.

Any help's appreciated.

 

[ProWraps]

your asking for trouble.

 

[Tifosi]

Try calling one of Toyota's manufacturing plants. The Customer Support Lines are just people in a remote office somewhere with no lines to contact actual departments. The plant in Georgetown KY is pretty easy to get in touch with. The name of the plant is Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Kentucky, it's the Camry/Avalon plant and they used to form the spare body panels for the vans.

You could also go to the dealership and get a paint color brochure and take it to Sherwin Williams or another paint shop and have them analyse the color as long as it's not metallic.

 

[P Wagner]

your asking for trouble.

+1

 

[Custom_Grafx]

+1 on asking for trouble...

Tell them to supply you a file, prepared by someone who knows about colour, and put the responsibility of nominating a pantone match onto the person who prepares the file. You can not get a 100% match to the point where you will not see where the paint finishes and your graphic begins. Different material, different reflectivity of light, different everything.

If you are the person preparing the file, from what you are saying, it is obvious you don't know too much about colour matching. My advice is to get out of this tactfully, as per my first paragraph. Otherwise, if you are stuck in a position where you MUST do the file and everything else involved, use this as an opportunity to turn that partial into a full...

 

[vid]

Does anyone have any information on where we can find a PMS Code conversion chart or something that would convert an existing code for toyota (in this case 4q4) to a PMS code?

I suspect that you won't find anyone that will give you a definitive answer. Admittedly, it's conjecture on my part, but I would comfortably speculate that automotive paint manufacturers are not going to pay the license fee to Pantone to have their colors analyzed for accuracy.


...you know you're not going to match the paint color anyway, right?

so, ummmmmm, it sounds like you're printing swatches and having the customer approve something appropriate.​

 

[JTBoh]

so, ummmmmm, it sounds like you're printing swatches and having the customer approve something appropriate.
​

Yea, I was going to go with this approach if all else failed. We may be able to talk him into plain RTA instead.

I'm not the graphics guru, just the sales guy.

 

[SightLine]

Another thing - it's been repainted. Someone mixed that paint.... while close do you really belive it's 100% exact to the original color? As other mentioned - you are not going to get an exact match. If you really really really want to try and get as close as possible about your only option is to have the vehicle at the shop for a while. Go inside make a half dozen 2 inch squares of colors that are pretty close, print them on the exact vinyl that will be used, wait about at least half an hour then laminate them with the exact laminate that will be used. Take these outside and hold them up the the vehicle in both sunlight and shade, take notes, go inside make color adjustments to the 6 blocks to get them all closer. Print them again, repeat this entire process about a dozen times. You will get pretty darned close but it still will not be exact. Also make sure - if your customer insists on this, to charge them a couple hundred bucks extra and make sure they understand that it will still not be exact and will look somewhat different under different lighting etc...

 

[signswi]

Stick your spectrodensitometer on it and get the LAB values.

 

[thewood]

Print them again, repeat this entire process about a dozen times.

Thanks, SightLine. I needed a good laugh today. Funny but oh so true.
:ROFLMAO:

 

[JoshLoring]

Agree with ProWraps. Trouble! Don't color match paint. You may get it right by luck.. but throw in nightfall and it won't match. Due to the depth of metallic paint and clear, a digital print will NOT match per time of day.
We tell people.. We can TRY to match it for 1000$ but can't promise anything. It's impossible to match paint to digital prints. We suggest using a contrasting color anyhow.
You have to understand it you are going to have to print tons of samples, offgas, laminate and match.. If its wrong, adjust samples and repeat. This whole 'color match' could take days. If you just print samples without off gassing, your prints could change color post lamination. It's just not worth the time and this is why we throw the 1000$ out. People won't do it. Then.. No headaches..