Halfords Paint Mixing Service

[fogey]

I'm told that Halfords now offer a 'mix any colour paint mixing service'. Can't find anything on their website about this and local branch didn't have anyone who knew about it . . .
So, anyone know what type of paint it is they mix and whether their colour matching is accurate?

Me? Being a 'fogey' , I've always used old fashioned cellulose before.

[loudandproud205]

Yes our main place in Lincoln mixes them, I had some Alpine white Peugeot made and well it was quite a bit different to the colour I had.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Avoid like the f*****g plague. Most bodyshop suppliers will mix up paint for private customers, and the colour might even match.

[Gaztretropower]

I'd visit a local body shop supplier instead mate,halfords cost twice as much for less paint and never matches! ,don't waste your time!

[fogey]

Apr 15, 2012 18:06:44 GMT panelbeaterpeter said:

Avoid like the f*****g plague. Most bodyshop suppliers will mix up paint for private customers, and the colour might even match.

I was afraid that might be the case - local paint factors it is then

[chairchild]

used to have to do this myself - unless you have the paint code, not a hope in hell.


Experienced PROPER paint mixers may be able to vaguely match a paint sample, but it's more of an art than a science. The paint mixing service at Hellfrauds is just an old machine where if you match a paint code to one it's got matched in its databanks, it will give you the weights of each type of paint to add, to make a certain paint.

Some paints have literally one DROP of several colours, which are vital to get the exact shade. Even after several years of using the equipment, I still cocked up more than my fair share of mixes

[Jizmondo Scrotmondo]

Find a decent Paint supplier which will mix the paint for you. I take the car or the petrol flap and they match it that way. I've only ever used the same supplier (Midland Specialist Coatings) and they've always matched whatever paint I was after at the time.

[Deleted]

Have to agree it took two attempts by Halfords to get near to the right shade. Plain colours aren't too bad but if it's metallic or pearl forget it.

[ChasR]

Pearlescent is always a tricky paint to match.

Halfords can be very hit and miss.

The best results I have had have been from a local automotive paint supplier near me. Granted they are an independent but they have always given me a perfect match on almost all of my cars, even with cars where I did not have a clue with what paint the car was painted in (An MG Midget in Land Rover's pearlescent Foxfire Red anyone?). In that example it was a colour that no one seemed to stock on the shelf and I have to say that from the can the match was actually surprisingly good. I initially thought it was Nightfire red (which was a waste of a can...)

[surprisingskoda]

I'll wade in with a tuppence in my hand to redress the one-sidedness of this thread.

I used to work in Halfords and I mixed paint. It took me two weeks to go from learner to the go-to guy. I mixed custom colours by eye, pearlescent included, and rarely had any issues with any of my mixes. It was 25% cheaper than any other factors or bodyshop oin the area and it was proper cellulose.

As regards the above - white fades. You have to allow for that. Also, there must be a dozen different variants of that shade, all under the same code.
The Halfords system went by weight, and yes it took finesse, but as long as you aren't ham-fisted about it, getting one gram of a certain colour isn't that big an issue. Three droplets was one gram IIRC. i.e. with skill you could go in one-third gram increments.

Find one with a paint mixer who seems confident and experienced. Some branches still haven't got rid of all their skilled staff.

[stealthstylz]

I've never had anybody complain about paint I've mixed either. Usually if the colour match on metallic/pearlescent is wrong its down to the person spraying rather than the mixing. The metallic particles seem to float more from the halfords cans.

[cobblers]

Like what seems to be about 80% of the members on here, I used to work at the 'frauds and was the go-to guy who gave a curse word and had a decent idea of which end of a paintbrush to use.

As people have said above, it's good paint (celly), but the results are dependent on the person mixing it. In the last few years, most of the skilled or enthusiastic staff have been driven out of the company in the desperately short sighted goal to get the payroll costs per store below that of an equivalent poundland.

As such, your chances of getting a decent mix vary. Anything like 18 months ago I'd have recommended it, but after my experiences of stores lately I can't recommend anyone step through the door for anything more complex than a battery, bulb or some Halfords Pro tools. And certainly don't do this unless you have a trade card!


It's really not at all hard to mix paint very accurately if you have even a very basic understanding of steadily pouring a liquid into a paper cup, but on walking into a store and:

1: Being able to find any member of staff not behind the till,
2: The staff member having any idea that computer behind the parts desk with all the paint stacked round it is for custom mixing paint
3: Them being able to even attempt to mix the colour you want at all,
4: Said mix being done any where near accurately

has about the same probability of me waking up next to Kylie Minogue tomorrow morning after meeting her in the local and seducing her by singing "Word Up" to her on the karaoke machine.

[ben711200]

I've only used this service from Halfords two or three times but have been perfectly happy, both with a flat colour and a metallic. An independent place with a Saturday kid who has a hangover will be just as bad as an evening Halfords person who has his mind on getting home to see his ladyfriend

[chairchild]

Apr 16, 2012 10:32:21 GMT cobblers said:

has about the same probability of me waking up next to Kylie Minogue tomorrow morning after meeting her in the local and seducing her by singing "Word Up" to her on the karaoke machine.

Epic quote

Btw, to all other ex-Hellfrauders, was ANYONE ever asked to make the candy-paint? Or just look at the price of the stuff.....

[VIP]

I know I'm being eBay crazy tonight, but there are 3 or 4 paint suppliers who list their ability to supply mixed paint in aerosols.

[bmcnut]

I havnt used Halfords mix service to get an exact match but I have used it for a completly custom colour, white with a blue pearl. They said there was no guarantee that it would be any good, but I based the mix of what I wanted on something else they had in their book, but with more pearl and less white. I had to use white as a base first but i expected that. I would definaly use the service again if I needed custom colour again, the spray of the can is fantastic and the service I got was great, the staff were keen to mix something different, as long as it was understood that if it wasnt in their books there was no guarantee. So If you want a can of a fancy custom colour, imo its the place to go.

[surprisingskoda]

Apr 16, 2012 12:49:07 GMT chairchild said:

Apr 16, 2012 10:32:21 GMT cobblers said:

has about the same probability of me waking up next to Kylie Minogue tomorrow morning after meeting her in the local and seducing her by singing "Word Up" to her on the karaoke machine.

Epic quote

Btw, to all other ex-Hellfrauders, was ANYONE ever asked to make the candy-paint? Or just look at the price of the stuff.....

There's a flip painted (remember that craze??!) Skyline running around in paint mixed in the store I worked in - and a candy pink Clio or 206 IIRC. I mixed a couple of custom candies for some bike frames as well.

I can't remember what it was for but I do remember making someone wait a week while I ordered some small bottles in, like a dozen of them, which must have been for some 5L tin based on a candy or something.

[cobblers]

I was the only person to "buy" any - A customer came in, asked for 5 cans of andromeda. Through some chance we had the stuff to mix it up, and the part time lad canned it up, forgetting to mention the price beforehand.
Customer saw the price (£15 or £20 a can?) and didn't fancy it. The cans sat on the shelf for 3 years and the manager was going to lob them so I ended up paying £9.99 (halfords lingo: "kids BCP") for the lot.

It's really good stuff and from the proper cans you can get a very good finish on smaller stuff with aerosols - I did the speedo cowlings and badge on the lupo and a few other bits - with a black base, a few coats of andromeda covered with 4 or 5 coats of lacquer look absolutely brilliant for an aerosol finish.

If it works well from a rattlecan, I'm sure its stacks better from a proper gun!

[ChasR]

With me, the finish was not a problem at all. On both my 306 and Jaguar XJ40 the finish was fine. The colour match was terrible with the latter though. To be fair to the guy, he did say it would be tricky to match (who was a friend there) but for painting the boot, it did the job just fine I admit .