AUTOMOTIVE COLOUR SOURCING
Source a paint code
Send a manufacturer paint code and we investigate supply of the matching refinish material. If the code is unknown, send the vehicle and a description instead. We cannot guarantee identification, and we do not claim authorisation from any manufacturer.
When a paint code is not enough
A code identifies a colour in a manufacturer’s system. It does not guarantee that material still exists, that it exists in your country, or that it exists in a pack size a business can buy.
The colour was discontinued
Older codes often survive only as a mixing formula in a refinish system, and sometimes not even that. We investigate which formulas exist for the code and what they were last known to be mixed from.
The OEM colour is market-specific
An OEM code issued for one region may never have been released in another. Send the vehicle and the market it came from; that alone resolves a surprising number of dead ends.
The finish is a system, not a colour
Tri-coats, candies and high-orientation metallics need the ground, effect and clear specified together. A single code cannot describe them, which is why the quote covers the layers.
The quantity is not a retail quantity
Touch-up retail and trade volume are different markets with different prices and pack sizes. We work at commercial quantities, with the documentation a business needs.
WHAT WE ARE, AND ARE NOT
BADAR is an independent trading company. We are not an authorised dealer for any vehicle or refinish manufacturer, and named factory finishes remain the property of the manufacturers that own them. Where a colour cannot be obtained, we say so rather than quoting something adjacent and letting you discover the difference on the panel.
What to send with a paint-code enquiry
1 · Vehicle, year and market
Make, model, model year and the country the vehicle was sold in. The same code can mean different things across markets and model years.
2 · The code itself, and where you read it
The code as printed and the label it came from. If the label is missing or unreadable, say so — a physical sample becomes the reference instead.
3 · Which layers you need quoted
Basecoat only, or the full system including ground coat and clear. For tri-coats and effect finishes the layers have to be quoted together.
4 · Quantity and pack size
Litres or number of panels, and the pack size that suits your shop. This is a trade service, so say what a realistic order looks like for you.
5 · Destination and timing
Delivery country and the date material is needed. Paint ships as a dangerous good, which affects the route and the cost.
Frequent questions
Where do I find my paint code?
Usually on a label in the door jamb, and depending on the manufacturer also under the bonnet, in the boot or spare-wheel well, or in the glove box. If the label has faded, send a photograph of the panel and tell us the vehicle and year.
Can you match a colour without a code?
Yes, from a physical sample — a fuel flap, a mirror cap or any removable painted part is ideal. A photograph cannot be used as a colour reference, because screens and lighting change the result.
Is this a touch-up service?
No. This is a trade sourcing service working at commercial quantities with business documentation. For a small touch-up bottle, a local distributor will serve you better and faster.
How long does it take?
Investigating a code is usually quick; obtaining the material is what takes time, and it depends entirely on whether the colour survives as a current formula or has to be custom matched. We tell you which situation you are in before you commit.
Will the match be exact?
A formula-based match is made to the manufacturer’s recorded values, not to the panel on your vehicle, which has aged. For visible repairs a sprayout and a blend are how shops close that gap, and we recommend budgeting for one.
What documentation comes with the material?
The manufacturer’s safety data sheet and technical data sheet for the product supplied. Mixing ratio, film build and flash times come from the technical data sheet rather than from us, and we send it with the quotation so you can check the system against your booth before ordering.
Are there regulatory constraints on refinish material?
Yes. Refinish products carry a CLP classification, solvent-borne systems have a transport class that affects routing, and VOC limits depend on the market the material is used in. Tell us the delivery country at the enquiry so the quotation reflects the route that actually applies to you.