OEM Pearl White type colours advice please!

[adam73bgt]

Bit of a vague title but I'm hoping that the wider RR community can help me with some brainstorming of interesting OEM colours that I'm not aware of

Essentially I've got a set of Mazdaspeed MS-01 split rim wheels that I've slowly been refurbing over the past few months. They're going to have a polished lip and I've painted the inner barrels steel/silver, but I'm a bit stuck on what to paint the centres.

Usually my go-to for wheels is a gold, bronze or anthracite type colour, but I already have a set of gold wheels that are similar so want to go for something a bit different.

White seems like a dumb choice for wheels as obviously it shows dirt, but some white wheels can look really nice, I'm also thinking by going for a Pearl White it'll add a bit more interest to the colour, like a bit of a flip in sunlight.

For ease of colour availability and getting the paint again in future for touch-ups, I'm wanting to go with an OEM body colour but I can't think of any particular Pearl Whites that really stand out in my mind.


So TL;DR, do you know of any cool Pearl White colours/other light white or silver colours with a bit of a colour flip element to them?


These are what the wheels look like

[VW]

This isnt going to help, but...

I dislike pearl white. Always just looks dirty.
Every variation I've seen seems to have a bit of a creamyness to it that tends to make it look a bit sick.

However, last week I spotted a modern, no idea what, posh (or pretend posh) suv in pearl white and the colour looked great. Very clean and crisp. Rather than it being white with a flip of sick, it seemed white with a flip of super bright white.

Unfortunately I have no memory of what car it was.

Still, there is a modern suv, available in pearl white, that is nice enough to make pearl white haters like it 😂

[cjj]

Lamborghini have a nice pearl white that was used in the Goonzquad Huracan build (https://youtu.be/P-nd3CCBvZY?list=PLK_j5JegvjbZEN39dqjsn7WIDIskb5x1q&t=765).

Not sure if that's a generic VAG colour.

[bmcnut]

My Cube is Nissan Pearl white, and it has recently become available in a tin at Halfords. Its quite normal when the sun isnt on it, but when the sun is on it, it comes alive. Its definatly a white white, but its got a yellow tinge to it sometimes, and a 'super-white' too. If the sun is bright and you are walking towards it, its actually quite difficult to look at, its like a stars exploded. Has also been compared to looking like a bowl of sugar.






This is probably the best pic I can find to show the sun giving the pearl effect without being directly on it. I could go and get another pic but that would mean washing it in the rain.

[Deleted]

Toyota have a 'Pearl White' in their current colour range - its available on the GT86 but maybe available on other models - it originally appeared on the IQ range - from memory its a 3 stage colour system - base white then a opalescent pearl then a clear coat

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

I was going to say Nissan pearl white too as my cube had such a lovely sheen to it in the sunlight.

[VW]

Aug 17, 2020 16:50:09 GMT @grumpynorthener said:

Toyota have a 'Pearl White' in their current colour range - its available on the GT86 but maybe available on other models - it originally appeared on the IQ range - from memory its a 3 stage colour system - base white then a opalescent pearl then a clear coat

Looking at pics, I think that may have been what I saw. I had a feeling the car I saw was japanese and when you said Toyota it rang a bell.

[bmcnut]

Ive just looked at the GT86, The pearl certainly looks more obvious than on the cube, that may be due to the photography, or the fact its a 3 stage colour. Halfords is of course just 1 tin of paint + laquer, I'm not sure what the bodyshop used when they did a repair on the drivers door, but the match is bang on (no pun intended). The pearl in white is more like a brightening effect than a colour changing effect, I find mid tones tend to show the pearl effect better. Pearl white on your wheels will probably just look very very bright.

[melle]

I'm a big fan of white wheels, I had plain white ones on my Saab 900 (here in a past life on Danish plates):

[Stiff]

Ford do a nice pearl on the later Kuga's and Lexus do a quite heavy white pearl. And Range Rover iirc too. VW/Audi's are a lot more subtle.
There's a few pearl 'tinters' on my mixing scheme that would look amazing without any other tinters added but I've not actually tried them on anything yet. Must try them on something soon.

[bmcnut]

Just remembered, years ago when I was doing RC bangers I painted my car in pearl red, white, and black. The red and black were easy to get, but no one did a pearl white, so I got halfords to do me a custom mix with loads of blue pearl, it was quite transparent so had to go on a white base, but it looked incredible under the lights. I don't know what colour car the wheels are going on, but mabie a white with the cars colour in the pearl might be an idea?

[adam73bgt]

Thanks for all the replies guys, tricky to see the subtle differences between the Nissan, Toyota and Ford Pearls on screen, but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for those cars when I'm out and about

The ability to just spray it in one go opposed to the 3 step deal, does appeal so maybe I'll get a can of the Nissan Pearl White and have a see what it turns out like.

Sorry bmcnut I should have said I'm not necessarily doing them with a specific car in mind, I'm sort of doing them up for sale/ sort of doing them up to stash in the garage for a bit/ sort of doing them up as a second set for my Honda Legend



But if I were doing them for the Legend, some Red in the pearl could be a good shout, certainly something to ponder

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

I’m not sure how the Halfords can turns out but the Nissan pearl QX1 IIRC should be a 2 stage paint.

Base of solid white and pearl lacquer (I remember my body shop telling me they had to do three coats of the lacquer to match it correctly to the body when he sprayed a bumper for my cube)

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

found a photo that shows the sheen off best...

[xbl]

Ford Ice White pearlescent

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Aug 18, 2020 14:57:14 GMT xbl said:

Ford Ice White pearlescent

Oh yes that’s a nice one too.

[bmcnut]

I saw a Citroen today in pearl white. Quite modern, no idea what it was. The pearl was quite full-on and the sun wasnt directly on it. Might be worth a look.

Edit# I think it was one of these. It was definatly white, but when the sun picked it up bits of it, it was really white, and made the rest of it look very slightly silvery, just like this.

[kevstarlet]

Audi have a very subtle pearl white, in solvent base its a 3 coat system but can be gotten in a 2 coat in water based.

[Midland Performance & Retro]

Isuzu Silky White 3 Stage Pearl.