Any experience with Ferrari matte colors? | FerrariChat

Any experience with Ferrari matte colors?

Discussion in 'FF/Lusso' started by Superquant, Jul 31, 2013.

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  1. Superquant

    Superquant Formula Junior

    Apr 27, 2009
    431
    I am considering the matte silver (they call it aluminum) color for my F12. Anyone here have experience with one of these matte colors from Ferrari that could describe living with them? I think they look great.

    When I was at the atelier at the factory last week I saw an F12 that was a dark grey matte and it was epic. There are a lot of internet myths about matte colors (including the notion that they are not clear coated, which is not true) and I mostly want to understand better what I am getting into ..
     
  2. London John

    London John Formula Junior

    Sep 7, 2010
    560
    London & Melbourne
    Full Name:
    John
    Perhaps post something in a detailing section.
     
  3. Superquant

    Superquant Formula Junior

    Apr 27, 2009
    431
    thanks will do
     
  4. blakekrik

    blakekrik Rookie

    Dec 15, 2012
    8
    i was seriously considering the matte silver as well...gorgeous...but what i learned from others was that it can be a nightmare if you are actually going to drive it around. removal of tree sap, etc can wreak havoc on it.

    if you are going to keep in a garage, then sounds like it would be a great choice.
     
  5. Autolove

    Autolove Karting

    Jun 8, 2012
    236
    S.A. TX.
    Full Name:
    Ivan
    Well the Aluminum color, matte silver is $32,000 that what my dealer qoute me, but the F12 looks the Best in it
     
  6. Ski Bum

    Ski Bum Formula 3

    Jun 19, 2012
    1,088
    I have not had personal experience with a matte color car, but I have a general understanding of the potential problems. The matte paint job is actually regular shiny paint with a light-absorbing clear coat on top of it. Because it is the clear coat that produces the matte effect, the clear coat must have a uniform thickness throughout the car. If the clear coat is thinner in an area, that area will be shiny compared to the rest of the car!

    With regular paint, paint problems like light scratches, stains, swirls, etc are typically handled with lightly abrasive materials (like polish, rubbing compound or polishing pads) that take off a little of the clear coat surface. All those abrasives thin the top clear coat, so you can NOT use them with matte finishes. Therefore, it is much more difficult to deal with light scratches, stains, swirls, etc. And, of course, if you need to do some more serious body work, the damaged area must be repainted by someone with the know-how and tools to replicate the original matte finish on the rest of the car.
     
  7. Noblesse Oblige

    Noblesse Oblige F1 Veteran

    Nov 7, 2011
    6,114
    Three Places
    And I believe that Ferrari advises washing only with deionized water to prevent any deposit, since removing such deposit may create a patch of different reflection.

    Caring for such an exotic finish is altogether too fussy for me. Add the risk that a few years down the road it will no longer be considered so trendy, and it is out of my serious consideration.

    For a truly different yet more manageable finish, I would consider one of the beautiful tri-layers.
     
  8. JasonSpidey

    JasonSpidey Karting

    Nov 8, 2010
    165
    I love a well-executed matte paint, but yeah, I have to agree with this sentiment. Care is just so much different than with regular paint, and if you forget even for a moment that you gotta treat it differently, you could wind up ruining the entire paint job.

    If you're seriously considering matte, I recommend going with a really high-end wrap. A good matte wrap will look almost identical to matte paint, and it's cheaper to apply and repair. Plus, if you get sick of the color, it's much, much easier to change it.

    That said...there was a matte blue Fiat 500 in the Mopar booth at SEMA 2011 that took my breath away. If I ever had the money to go Tailor-Made...it'd be hard not to convince the Ferrari guys to reach across the family and grab that paint code.
     
  9. Ski Bum

    Ski Bum Formula 3

    Jun 19, 2012
    1,088
    I agree with this.

    By the way, matte finishes were pioneered by BMW. I saw a new aluminum matte finish BMW at the Greenwich Concours this summer, and checked the price sheet in the window to see how much BMW charged for the matte paint job. No extra cost.
     
  10. Mrross27

    Mrross27 Karting

    Apr 21, 2013
    53
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Ross
    #10 Mrross27, Aug 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  11. Mrross27

    Mrross27 Karting

    Apr 21, 2013
    53
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Ross
    #11 Mrross27, Aug 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  12. Mrross27

    Mrross27 Karting

    Apr 21, 2013
    53
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Ross
    #12 Mrross27, Aug 5, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  13. forgeahead

    forgeahead F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Sep 16, 2008
    4,408
    Rocky Mount, NC
    Full Name:
    Ray
    Is that Grigio medio?
     
  14. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 11, 2013
    10,856
    I found this video- its not Ferrari but my guess is the paint is similar:

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khYHWhku-0E&feature=player_embedded]BMW Individual Frozen Paint Guidelines - YouTube[/ame]
     
  15. Hawkeye

    Hawkeye F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 20, 2009
    7,462
    Yes. Very bold choice.
     
  16. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,644
    Silicon Valley
    #16 Need4Spd, Aug 6, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  17. Superquant

    Superquant Formula Junior

    Apr 27, 2009
    431
    Thanks

    I think I am going to fall back on a standard color, either Bianco or perhaps silverstone (although I have had my share of silver/grey F-cars already) and then think about a high end wrap if it strikes the fancy.

    the tri color options seem great although I was a bit underwhelmed when I saw the F12 in rosso berlinetta at the atelier a couple weeks ago (admittedly it was indoors)
     
  18. Traveller

    Traveller F1 Veteran

    Apr 10, 2009
    6,323
    UK
    Full Name:
    Tim
    I have also gone with the Grigio S and will consider a wrap if bored. best of both worlds.
     
  19. London John

    London John Formula Junior

    Sep 7, 2010
    560
    London & Melbourne
    Full Name:
    John
    I'm being offered an Argento demonstrator.......mighty tempted.
     
  20. 483hp

    483hp Formula 3
    Owner

    Aug 17, 2005
    1,428
    www.fca.alberta.com
    I don't know about you but the matte paints look like high maintenance.

    It is probably difficult to color match and since you cannot polish, chip and scratch repairs are going to be very noticeable. You basically have to respray the entire panel. Paint protection film will alter the visible color of the paint so you have to do the entire car.

    It just seems more trouble than its worth.
     
  21. Traveller

    Traveller F1 Veteran

    Apr 10, 2009
    6,323
    UK
    Full Name:
    Tim
    Says it in one. Forgot to mention, when I was last at the factory I asked the fellow who was taking me round and he intimated it was a nightmare.
     
  22. Goplay

    Goplay Formula Junior

    Mar 16, 2012
    413
    Northern CA
    I have ordered a matte silver F12. I was afraid to at first but after talking to owners of other matte finished cars and greater availability of products for caring for matte Maintaining Matte Paint Is Easy I decided to take the chance. Besides, it looks awesome on the F12! :D

    The real question is why it costs about 10x more for matte as an option at Ferrari than it does at Mercedes Benz??
     
  23. NYC Fred

    NYC Fred F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 28, 2010
    9,470
    Fort Lauderdale, FL
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    Fred C
    Because Ferrari.
     
  24. ALPINE6SPD

    ALPINE6SPD Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2006
    331
    NJ
    Because it has to like every other option. Its only a 1000 option on the Hyundai Veloster turbo for the matte gray paint.
     
  25. Goplay

    Goplay Formula Junior

    Mar 16, 2012
    413
    Northern CA
    Because Ferrari buyers are suckers!

    (I resemble that remark!)
     

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